OxBlue - CCTV designed for construction and powered by AI technology at Digital Construction Week

Summary

In this interview, Chandler McCormack, CEO of Oxblue, discusses the company's rapid growth and its innovative approach to construction project management. Oxblue's mission is to provide clients with remote, real-time access and a comprehensive record of construction progress through their high-resolution Cobalt camera system. The system, designed specifically for construction sites, offers cellular connectivity and solar power capabilities, enabling detailed monitoring from multiple angles. Oxblue also integrates AI to analyze construction activity, safety, equipment utilization, and project milestones, offering time-lapse views and actionable insights to enhance safety and efficiency on construction sites.

Takeaways

• 🌟 OxBlue's mission is to provide construction contractors and owners with remote vision of construction projects for anytime, anywhere access and a perfect memory of every moment.
• 📸 The OxBlue Cobalt camera system is a high-resolution webcam designed specifically for construction sites, capturing detailed images for project monitoring.
• 🏗️ The camera system is cellular-based and solar-powered, allowing for deployment in any location on a construction site for optimal viewing angles.
• 🔗 Multiple camera devices can be connected to provide comprehensive views of a construction project, enabling global monitoring of multiple projects.
• 🕒 The system offers time-lapse capabilities, allowing clients to review project progress quickly, condensing days or weeks of work into seconds.
• 🤖 AI is utilized to analyze captured images for construction activity, safety on the job site, equipment utilization, and project milestones.
• 👷‍♂️ Safety is a key focus, with the AI trained to identify safety gear like hard hats and vests, and to trigger alerts or generate reports for safety managers.
• 📊 Data captured can be used for positive change, creating awareness, and understanding of safety practices, and for scoring systems to rank project safety compliance.
• 🏢 The technology provides an impartial view of multiple projects, allowing for risk management and identification of best practices across different construction sites.
• 📈 OxBlue's growth is attributed to understanding client needs, refining hardware and software, and offering an affordable solution for construction project visualization and management.

Q & A

What is the mission of OxBlue?

OxBlue's mission is to provide construction contractors and owners with remote vision of construction projects, allowing for anytime, anywhere access and a perfect memory of virtually every moment of the construction process.

How does the OxBlue Cobalt camera system differ from typical webcams?

The OxBlue Cobalt camera system is specifically designed for construction, offering higher resolution (typically 24 megapixels) for capturing details of large construction areas. It is also cellular-based and solar-powered, allowing for deployment in any location on a project site.

Can multiple OxBlue Cobalt camera systems be used on a single construction project?

Yes, multiple OxBlue Cobalt camera systems can be deployed on a construction project to provide comprehensive views of different key points of the structure.

What additional features does OxBlue offer beyond hardware?

OxBlue provides a turnkey solution that includes hardware, software, data connections, and the entire system setup, handling everything required for the camera systems to operate effectively.

How does OxBlue utilize AI in their system?

OxBlue uses AI to analyze the images captured by their cameras to study construction activity, safety on the job site, equipment utilization, and project milestones.

What role does the AI play in safety monitoring on construction sites?

The AI in OxBlue's system is trained to analyze images for safety items like hard hats and safety vests, creating reports or triggering alerts for safety managers, and can be used to improve safety compliance and awareness.

How can the data captured by OxBlue systems be used for positive change on construction sites?

The data can be used to demonstrate real job site conditions, promote positive behaviors, and improve safety practices. It can also be used to score and rank projects for safety compliance, highlighting best practices and areas for improvement.

What are the benefits of using OxBlue's system for project stakeholders?

OxBlue's system provides real-time, visual updates on project status, enhancing communication and collaboration among constructors, subcontractors, and clients. It also offers peace of mind by reducing uncertainty about project progress.

How has OxBlue's approach to construction site monitoring evolved over the years?

OxBlue has grown significantly by understanding client needs and refining both hardware and software solutions. They have accumulated over 30,000 projects of experience, which has helped them to improve their technology and services.

What are some of the key reasons clients choose to work with OxBlue?

Clients choose OxBlue for its ability to provide quick and accurate project status updates, create awareness among field personnel, and offer a deeper level of understanding and confidence in project progress.