Industrial IoT & AR/VR: Safeguarding Workers in a Post‑COVID World

Key Takeaways

• COVID-19 has reshaped how industrial firms prioritize safety.
• IoT solutions enforce social‑distancing and enable remote access to equipment, keeping workers protected.
• AR and VR technologies support remote collaboration and design work.

Safety has long been a core focus for manufacturers, but the pandemic has expanded its scope. In response, many firms have implemented mask mandates, enforced a minimum six‑foot distance, increased automation, and restructured shifts to limit on‑site presence.

“The top goal is to ensure employees feel safe,” said Ben White, Vice President of Corporate Development at Taco Comfort Solutions, during a Brookings Institution webinar.

Industrial leaders are now channeling capital into IoT and immersive technologies. While operational efficiency remains the primary driver of IoT adoption, a growing emphasis is on leveraging these tools for worker safety.

Sensors for Social Distancing and More

One approach to maintaining distancing protocols is deploying sensors that trigger alerts when workers come too close. These systems also facilitate contact tracing. Manufacturers use a range of devices—from wearables to computer‑vision cameras—to monitor proximity with centimeter‑level precision.

Ford, for example, has tested RFID wristbands that vibrate when another employee approaches. The system sends real‑time notifications to supervisors so they can enforce compliance. This precision is far greater than the tolerance used for asset tracking, according to David A. Horsley, Professor at UC Davis and CTO of Chirp Microsystems.

Other sectors have adopted similar measures. Göbecke Bakery in Leipzig, Germany, requires workers to wear Bluetooth tags that communicate with beacons; an alarm sounds if someone is closer than 1.5 m (about 5 ft) for more than 15 seconds. With roughly 20 employees moving through tight spaces, this technology helps maintain safe distances.

IoT sensors can also monitor air quality in real time—tracking temperature, humidity, and airborne particulates—to assess and mitigate transmission risk, notes Richard Howells, Vice President of Solution Management at SAP Digital Supply Chain.

Remote Access to Machines

Traditional industrial operations rely on on‑site staff, but the pandemic has accelerated the need for remote equipment control. While many firms still need a physical presence, remote work for managers and technical roles is gaining traction. John White III, Senior Vice President of OEM Sales at Taco Comfort Solutions, observes that employees can often perform their duties more effectively from home, though a 100% shift to remote work is unlikely.

Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality

Manufacturers are moving engineering and design tasks online, and AR/VR technologies enable this transition. A July Grid Raster survey found that 70 % of automotive plant leaders accelerated AR/VR adoption, with 68 % citing virtual design as the primary use case. AR also supports remote collaboration, allowing teams to troubleshoot equipment together without sharing a room.

“AR is becoming very popular across enterprise and industrial settings,” says Inderpreet Shoker, Senior Analyst at ARC Advisory Group.

IoT‑Based Access Control

Ensuring safe entry into facilities is critical. Contactless access control systems—often paired with thermal imaging cameras—grant entry to employees while screening for elevated temperatures. They also support automated self‑attestation questionnaires that confirm workers have not recently been exposed to the virus.

Smart access control can also streamline shift scheduling, reducing on‑site density. Kieran Hannon, Chief Marketing Officer of Openpath, notes that manufacturers previously used IoT for physical security, but now prioritize worker safety in system design.

Autonomous Vehicles, Drones, and Robots

With ridesharing and mass transit down, interest in autonomous vehicles, drones, and robots has surged in industrial settings. These technologies can automate inventory management, quality checks, and goods picking, thereby reducing the need for human presence in warehouses and factories.

“The best applications for robotics and AI are the routine, mechanical tasks that humans perform,” says Richard Howells. “By automating these tasks, we free employees to focus on higher‑value work while keeping them safer.”