Harnessing AI and Computer Vision for Road Worker Safety with Lantern Labs
Lantern Labs partnered with Hellbender to provide a powerful ruggedized system for on-edge AI and computer vision that keeps roadside workers safe
Partner Profile
Lantern Labs is a technology innovator focused on improving roadside safety for construction crews. Their goal was to create a system that reduces accidents by automating hazard detection and providing alerts, allowing workers to focus on their tasks without compromising their safety. To achieve this, Lantern Labs partnered with Hellbender to design a rugged, vehicle-mounted safety solution powered by computer vision and AI.
Project Challenges
Roadside construction zones are high-risk environments where human operators must constantly monitor traffic hazards—a mentally demanding and error-prone task. Lantern Labs needed a system that could:
- Detect high-speed oncoming traffic and lane deviations in real time, with no dependence on cloud processing.
- Operate reliably in daytime and nighttime lighting conditions as well as extreme temperatures.
- Integrate visual (strobes), auditory (alarms, speakers), and data components for automated alerts.
Hellbender faced additional technical challenges, including designing a narrow field-of-view stereo camera for long-range detection, managing high-wattage audio/visual warning systems, and ensuring rugged durability for 24/7 roadside deployment.
Solution & Results
Hellbender engineered Roadz Armor, a robust, AI-enabled system that automates hazard detection and driver alerts. Powered by NVIDIA Jetson and Luxonis OAK modules, the system processes data on-device, detecting unsafe speeds and lane deviations in real time. When hazards are detected, integrated strobes, alarms, and loudspeakers trigger immediate warnings to approaching drivers.
Key Features
- Stereo Vision System: Long-range detection for accurate hazard identification.
- Automotive Grade Radar: Enabling sensor fusion at range, especially in inclement weather
- GNSS: Combined inertial and GPS monitoring to allow for position tracking and correlation with real-time events
- On-Device AI Processing: NVIDIA Jetson and Luxonis OAK modules for real-time detection, prediction, and analysis.
- Integrated Alerts: Strobes, 200W amplifier, alarms, and loudspeakers for proactive warnings to traffic and operators.
- Connectivity: LTE for data logging and remote monitoring.
- Ruggedized Design: Built for extreme conditions and continuous operation.
Impact
By partnering with Hellbender, Lantern Labs was able to quickly get up and running with a durable prototype for testing and validating their own concept and development work. In its current field trials, Roadz Armor is demonstrating its ability to:
- Reduce Accidents: Automated alerts improve driver response times.
- Enhance Worker Safety: Removes mental burden from operators, allowing focus on critical tasks.
- Enable Scalable Deployment: Edge-based AI eliminates reliance on cloud infrastructure.
By working with Hellbender to combine rugged hardware with advanced AI and computer vision, Roadz Armor is transforming roadside safety—empowering crews to work confidently in high-risk environments.
Delivering Advanced Safety with Onboard AI and Real-Time Alerts
Hellbender partnered with Lantern Labs to develop Roadz Armor, a rugged, vehicle-mounted system that relieves human operators of the mental burden of monitoring roadside traffic hazards. The system integrates AI vision and automated alert mechanisms—strobe lights, alarms, and loudspeakers—to proactively warn drivers and keep workers safe.
Industry
Roadside Safety / Construction Technology
Application Category
AI-Vision / Edge Computing / Safety Systems
Tech Employed
NVIDIA Jetson, Luxonis OAK, LTE connectivity, 200W amplifier, ruggedized housing
Protecting Workers with AI-Driven Hazard Detection
With on-device processing powered by NVIDIA and Luxonis OAK modules, the system detects vehicles approaching at unsafe speeds, identifies lane deviations, and triggers immediate visual and auditory warnings. This real-time automation helps prevent accidents and ensures operators stay focused on critical tasks without sacrificing awareness.
Challenge
Lantern Labs envisioned a roadside safety system that could augment human oversight and improve hazard detection in construction zones. Hellbender’s challenge was to design a system that could:
- Detect high-speed oncoming traffic and lane deviations in real time.
- Operate in day/night conditions and full temperature ranges, meeting ruggedized standards for roadside deployment.
- Integrate visual (strobes), auditory (alarms, speakers), and data components to automate warnings and improve safety.
- Perform AI-based hazard detection on-device, reducing reliance on cloud computing and ensuring immediate response.
Technical Challenges
Hellbender’s team addressed:
- Building a narrow field-of-view stereo camera system with long-range detection capabilities.
- Managing high-wattage audio and visual warning systems integrated with AI vision.
- Integrating LTE connectivity for data logging and remote monitoring.
- Ensuring system durability in rugged, full-temperature environments.
Process & Approach
Collaborating closely with Lantern Labs, Hellbender translated the concept into a deployable prototype, leveraging expertise in edge AI, ruggedized design, and stereo vision systems. Real-world testing and iterative refinement ensured the system met both safety-critical and operational requirements.
Solution
Reeplayer approached Hellbender with a clear mission: to bring pro-level video analysis and real-time streaming to youth soccer. The challenge was to design a vision platform that would:
- Stereo vision system with long-range detection.
- NVIDIA Jetson and Luxonis OAK modules for on-device AI processing.
- Integrated strobes, 200W amplifier, alarms, and loudspeakers for immediate driver alerts.
- LTE connectivity and GPS for data management and reporting.
- Ruggedized housing for 24/7 operation in challenging environments.
Technical Components
- NVIDIA Jetson Module
- Luxonis OAK stereo camera
- 200W amplifier
- LTE module
- GPS module
Driving Safer Roadside Operations
Currently in field trials, the Roadz Armor system is already demonstrating its potential to reduce accidents and enhance safety in construction zones. By automating hazard detection and driver alerts, it’s transforming how roadside workers stay safe—empowering crews to focus on their work with greater confidence.
