Instances of Covid-19 worldwide are still increasing at an alarming rate - the global pandemic is not going away quickly. Although a vaccine is available and is being rolled out free of charge in the UK, this isn't the case in many other countries. It is unknown how long it will take to vaccinate the world population and therefore it is highly likely that social distancing and contact tracing will need to remain in place for many years. Facilitating safe working is still key to getting economies back up and running. The benefits of contact tracing and prioritising testing of operatives who have had encounters with a confirmed case have proven to be useful and practical to organisations. Extronics has designed the world's first hybrid technology tracking tag for hazardous area Zone 0, 1 and 2\. Approaches to customers have demonstrated that there is notable interest in this integrated solution within the hazardous area segment. For the second phase of this project we will be producing prototypes that use alternative low-power backhaul technologies, creating an API from our location selector to other GIS, adding anti-microbial additives to the ATEX polymer and creating a multicharger capable of dispensing Cold Plasma as a cleansing agent.

This funding will enable us to perform a technical feasibility study into the practicalities of adding software to our existing tags to facilitate a proximity warning (visual, sound and vibration) when two or more worker worn tags come close to each other. Our hybrid technology tag encompasses Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology, which we feel is the most appropriate technology to drive connectivity between the workers' tags because of its transmission range and low energy. The tags would be configurable to allow variation in proximity and contact time to enable different work situations to be accommodated. These "encounters" would be electronically stored and recoverable to aid contact tracing and also provide enterprises with data to educate workers, in particular those who are regular "offenders" whilst also giving operatives a real time warning of accidental or prolonged encounters, allowing the parties to swiftly separate. The feasibility study will also consider location of the tag on workers and establish the best "wear" position giving due consideration to the practicalities of these locations so as not to hinder worker productivity / comfort. Extronics are world leaders in wireless technology and have been involved in the production and marketing of worker safety tracking devices for 12 years and have a global presence with exports, accounting for 90% of revenue. Customers of Extronics have been making enquiries as to the feasibility of adding contact tracing functionality. The feasibility study will also consider location of the tag on workers and establish the best "wear" position giving due consideration to the practicalities of these locations so as not to hinder worker productivity / comfort. Consideration will also be given as to utilising the current X30 functionality to improve compliance, such as recording when operatives have activated hand sanitizers or even connecting compliance to access control systems. A further element of this feasibility study is to consider a "watch" type tag which would be aimed at predominantly internal working environments, in particular where operatives tend to move around the workplace. Extronics also plan to work with 5D Health Protection Group Ltd (5D) to consider the feasibility and merits adding sensors into tags and antimicrobial additives into the plastics of the tag casing. 5D have been working with Warwick University on research into antimicrobial plastics and have sensor expertise relative to the health sector. 5D will also provide guidance and support on cleansing of our tags.

Project Plymouth - An electronic tag using multiple existing location technologies.

To develop, embed and exploit capabilities in emergent wireless communications technologies and associated system architecture to create a novel asset and personnel tracking solution.