NLT Vigilance

The design challenge revolved around creating a multifunctional device tailored for miners, integrating proximity and tracking, communication capabilities, and productivity tracking into a single, wearable solution. Vigilance, aims to leverage the inherent advantages of lamps in mining environments, such as built-in power supply and wearability, to provide enhanced safety, communication, and productivity features. By offering two-way messaging, advanced tracking functionalities, and smart app integration, Vigilance seeks to address critical challenges in underground mining, empowering miners with faster and more accurate information during emergencies to enhance decision-making across all levels of operation.

NLT Vigilance is a testament to design and engineering brilliance, an essential tool and a first of its kind wearable, communications, and networking hub. It surpasses rigorous certification standards and caters to vital user needs in challenging work environments, setting an inspiring benchmark for worker safety in the industry. By seamlessly incorporating diverse communication and tracking technologies without compromising battery and light quality, the Vigilance unit features a substantial display, intuitive smart apps, and an advanced IoT system, elevating workflow, and communication in demanding underground conditions.

Vigilance enhances miner safety by addressing social, cultural, and environmental factors in underground workplaces. It integrates RFID tracking and a built-in camera to prevent incidents and expedite emergency response. Additionally, stress, noise, and fatigue sensors prioritize worker well-being. The lamp’s capability to capture controlled photos and provide real-time environmental data contributes to incident prevention and aids in post-incident investigations, fostering a safer, more transparent working environment. Furthermore, Vigilance improves productivity and operational practices through Bluetooth connectivity to other edge devices and data analysis, ensuring efficiency alongside enhanced worker safety and conditions.

When designing Vigilance, our goal was to create a product easily recognizable as part of the NLT Digital family while also setting a new, contemporary direction for their product ecosystem. The vibrant NLT brand orange remains prominent. However, black contrast areas and modern form accents to push the design into the future. The two-tone design serves functional purposes, allowing for the integration of components with semi-rigid materials and durable finishes in areas prone to high impact or wear, thus enhancing overall product performance and reliability. This overmould process enabled the inclusion of an integrated touchscreen and UI keymat with high-level ingress protection. Additionally, clever seal details achieved through the overmould design for interchangeable modules provide IP65 protection without requiring additional components. Vigilance’s design utilizes the proven NLT Digital-specific ABS/PC blended polymer for main housing components, certified for harsh underground environments. While the design is iconic and highly recognizable in the industry, NLT Digital’s primary focus remains on functionality and durability. The 3.5-inch touchscreen, overmoulded keypad, and modular platform are designed for usability in challenging environments, while the choice of materials ensures resilience, effectively meeting the lamp’s intended use with reliability and user-centric design at the forefront.