Workers in the sheep shearing industry are using motion sensors and AI to lessen injuries

A new research project in Australia is using motion detectors and muscle sensors to track sheep shearers in an effort to minimize on the-job-injuries. Sheep shearers are six times more likely to be injured in the workplace than the average Australian worker. Data from sensors attached to sheep shearers will be used to model worker movement throughout the workday and test new ways of doing the job without risking injury. The study, a joint project between University of Melbourne and the trade group Australian Wool Innovation, uses sensors to measure electrical activity in muscles. These sensors are placed directly on the skin of the lower back and upper thighs, the ABC reported, while motion detectors are placed around the joints to track a worker's posture and shearing motions.