GE tests industry's future: Drones, goggles, connected overalls

A man dressed like a utility worker approaches an electrical panel. As he moves to touch the metal box a light blinks. Sensors sewn into his overalls have cut the flow of electricity to the box. He can now work without the risk of electrocution. "This is just one way technology can help workers do their jobs better and more safely," says Stephane Sireau of GE Digital, whose prototype suit was one of many demos at General Electric's Minds Machines conference, which wrapped up Wednesday. "Our mission is to integrate the worker into a digital industrial context," says Sireau, showing how the suit's sensors also provide vital sign data.