Automated monitoring and control of contamination in a production area

摘要

In an automated process for monitoring and controlling contamination in a production area, captured image data is processed to determine whether an individual is to wearing an article of contamination control equipment (e.g., gloves, face mask, etc) and whether the equipment is properly positioned on the individual. A determination that the contamination control equipment is not present or not properly positioned automatically activates a contamination control device such as contamination control means (e.g., shutting off power to machine) or an alarm or generates and sends a report of the contamination control protocol violation. An automated system for monitoring and controlling contamination includes a computer, an imaging sensor in communication with the computer, and a computer-readable program code disposed on the computer.

主权项

1. An automated process for monitoring and controlling contamination in a production area, comprising:
(A) capturing image data from the production area; (B) processing the image data to determine:
(i) whether an individual is present within the production area in which the individual is to be wearing an article of contamination control equipment; and(ii) whether the article of contamination control equipment is present and properly positioned on the individual while the individual is working in the production area; and (C) activating a contamination control device if the article of contamination control equipment is not present and properly positioned on the individual while the individual is working in the production area; and wherein:
the image data is captured over a time period; andthe processing of the image data is carried out to find an image of at least a portion of an individual in motion, using a stabilization algorithm to determine whether the image data satisfies a threshold image value for a threshold time period, with the threshold image value being a pre-determined minimum image value correlating with an absence of the contamination control equipment properly positioned on the individual, and the threshold time period being a pre-determined minimum time period that the threshold image value is satisfied, with the contamination control device being activated if the threshold image value is satisfied for the threshold time period.