Madison carpenter devises new tool for job-site safety

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Ulysses Dinkins knows first-hand that construction can be a dangerous job.

As a carpenter for 15 years, Dinkins, 34, has seen his friends and co-workers injured while working construction, and has suffered injuries himself. Each time he wonders what could have been done to avoid it.

But it took several years for him to realize that the technology he carries in his pocket could be used to make a job site safer.

“I’ve had a lot of friends injured on the job,” Dinkins said. “I thought that there’s too much technology out there for this to keep happening. But I didn’t really know how to capture the idea yet.”

Dinkins has always been interested in gadgets, he said. He was enamored by Bluetooth headphones that allow users to make hands-free phone calls. He wondered why a hardhat couldn’t do the same thing.

In 2015, the idea began to come together. Dinkins would build a device that fits on a hardhat, collecting data about its wearer and providing a tether to project managers. Dinkins, while working full-time, has pursued his idea in his off-hours, leaning on friends in the industry for guidance. He founded a company for his idea, called UCHardChip.

In early November, Dinkins presented his idea to a panel of judges at Madison’s Elevator Pitch Olympics, a contest for startup companies like his. His company took second place in a field of 16 other young companies. Dinkins has developed a prototype of his product and is now seeking cash to develop a beta version of the device that he can test and tweak in the field. He has also amassed a team of formal and informal mentors to guide the business to fruition, including co-founder Toby Klusmeyer, owner of Sun Prairie electronics manufacturer Pro-Active Engineering, and Todd Hoffmaster, president and CEO of Madison startup AkitaBox.

So what all does it do?

UCHardChip is a multi-purpose sensor installed into a hardhat that acts like a hands-free headset, a heart monitor and location tracker.

The company’s software uses data collected by the hardhat attachment to tell project managers where employees are on a job site. Dinkins said it’s a feature that can help managers marshal workers to understaffed parts of a project, or help pinpoint precisely where workers are in the event of an on-the-job accident. A hands-free communication tool inside the product means managers and workers can communicate remotely. The whole thing is designed to weigh a matter of ounces and fit easily into a hardhat.

Each sensor is also individualized, and can capture biometric data about the employees who wear them. For instance, the tool can show the heart rate of a worker, which could catch health emergencies before they happen.

Dinkins said these features give UCHardChip broad applications in the construction industry. Software that tracks the movement of employees can be paired with programs that simulate the construction of a project to identify efficiencies. Because the software tracks the movement and health of its workers, it can provide a unique snapshot into how companies comply with safety protocols, which could help contractors prove safety aptitude to insurance companies.

And the device can also help first responders and co-workers flock to the scene of an accident faster by alerting managers when it occurs.

“You can find a man down with the product itself,” Dinkins said. “As soon as that man is down, the product will tell you.”