Aptima, in partnership with NAVSEA and Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, is pioneering a new technology to safeguard maintainers working in confined spaces. The Confined Spaces Monitoring System (CSMS) is a wearable device designed to provide real-time sensing and assessment of both maintainers’ health and their surrounding environment.

Maintainers working in confined spaces face numerous hazards, including insufficient oxygen, flammable atmospheres, and toxic gases. Traditional methods of monitoring, such as gas sampling and periodic verbal check-ins, offer limited protection and can be slow to respond to emergencies. The CSMS addresses these limitations by embedding advanced technology with the maintainers, allowing continuous data collection on their physiology—such as heart rate and respiration—and environmental conditions.

“The CSMS system represents a significant advancement over previous technologies,” says Dr. John Feeney, Principal Research Engineer at Aptima. “Instead of relying on periodic checks, our system continuously monitors the maintainer’s health and the atmospheric conditions in real-time. This means we can detect dangerous situations immediately and respond within seconds rather than minutes.”

The CSMS sensors collect crucial data on environmental conditions and the physiological state of workers. This includes multi-gas detection and monitoring of vital signs through an unobtrusive wearable sensor. This data is then transmitted securely via Navy-approved computing hardware and communications technology to remote safety attendants (RSAs). RSAs monitor multiple personnel in various confined spaces, track their conditions, and initiate timely interventions when necessary.

Aptima is also developing robust, reliable, and secure data communication systems to ensure continuous signal propagation from within the confined space to the remote monitoring station. The system includes a library of alerts derived from sensor data, allowing for a tiered response to potential hazards.

“Maintainers who work in confined spaces are doing hard, grueling work,” Feeney adds. “Knowing that this project can increase their safety and comfort, and ensure they come home to their families at the end of their shift, is incredibly rewarding.”

CSMS will be demonstrated at the upcoming National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS) Technology Showcase held in Bremerton, Washington, July 31-August 1, 2024. For more information on the Showcase, visit: https://www.ncms.org/events/ncms-technology-showcase-puget-sound-naval-shipyard-intermediate-maintenance-facility-imf#agenda