The acronym CANLOS™ is for Collision Avoidance Non-Line-Of-Sight system. The system is designed for applications where line-of-sight collision avoidance is not adequate. One application where a CANLOS™ system has been effective has been fast moving overhead cranes on a factory floor, see picture below. The previous line-of-sight system could not detect employees bending over or hidden behind a pallet. The CANLOS™ system provides the required worker safety.
The CANLOS™ system operates by using low frequency AM band radio waves. These low frequency waves diffract around objects such as pallets. The proximity detection is achieved by utilizing Near Field Electromagnetic Ranging (NFER®) technology.
In a factory environment that has a swiftly moving overhead crane, the employees wear tags that emit a signal. The overhead crane has a receiver that detects the signal and determines its location. For this specific customer application, when the CANLOS™ receiver determines it is within ten feet of an employee, the CANLOS™ system sends a message to stop the crane. Designed to detect multiple tags simultaneously, The CANLOS™ system keeps the environment safe despite the number of workers present.
The CANLOS™ system can work in a variety of other configurations besides overhead cranes. For example, where forklift operators are traveling perpendicular to each other on a collision course but the pallet-filled racks prevent the operators from seeing each other, or people, the CANLOS™ system could provide an early warning.
Regardless of the specific application, an NFER® proximity detection & collision avoidance system works essentially the same. In its most common mode, the NFER® proximity detection system exploits near field characteristics of low frequency radio waves to measure distance. When a tag is within 10 ft of the proximity-detector, the system initiates a response and ceases the movement prior to a collision. Designed to detect multiple tags simultaneously, the CANLOS™ system keeps the environment safe by preventing collisions.
The CANLOS™ System integrates easily with automated cranes and other industrial equipment. The crane works around people all day, and since the addition of our system, it has operated 100% accident free.
As shown in the diagram below, when there are no workers in the stop zone (i.e., red zone), the NFER® proximity detector remains dormant. However, when a worker enters the stop zone, the NFER® proximity detector sends a message ordering the moving device to stop immediately. Once the worker exists the restart zone (i.e., green zone), the NFER® proximity detector sends a message allowing the stopped device to commence movement.
