Early Detection IoT Device for Heat Stroke Risk Prevention
HeatShield is an IoT smartwatch early-warning system that estimates body temperature and reads heart rate, air temperature and humidity to detect and prevent heat stroke among outdoor construction workers on hot Philippine job sites.
Why Manual Safety Measures Fall Short
In tropical countries like the Philippines, construction workers engage in heavy physical labor under extreme direct heat. Body temperature rising above 40°C causes severe heat stroke, organ damage, or fatal incidents if left untreated.
HeatShield eliminates manual monitoring limitations by combining smartwatch IoT physiological sensing (body temperature and heart rate) with site environmental monitoring (ambient temperature and humidity) to deliver early automated warnings.
High Environmental Heat
A heat index of 33°C and above is PAGASA's “Extreme Caution” level; 42°C and above is “Danger”. Philippine job sites reach both for hours.
Silent Heat Stroke Buildup
Cardiovascular exertion and dehydration build up silently during heavy labor before symptoms appear.
Multi-Modal Safety Alerts
Every alert reaches three places at once: the watch (vibration for noisy sites, buzzer and screen), the worker's phone, and the supervisor dashboard with a siren and voice announcement.
The Three Platforms of HeatShield
Designed specifically for construction firms to seamlessly connect field workers, mobile companions, and site management.
Smartwatch Application
Worn on the worker's wrist. Estimates core body temperature from skin temperature, reads heart rate, air temperature and humidity, computes the heat index, and raises its own alarm (screen, buzzer and vibration) the moment a threshold is crossed, even with no internet.
Worker Mobile App
Shows the worker's live vitals and alerts, pairs and sets up the watch, keeps alerting in the background, and gives clear advice in English or Filipino.
Supervisor Command Center
Live worker cards (vitals, battery, Wi-Fi signal), an emergency queue with siren and voice alerts, a site heat-index chart, Heather AI advisories that tell the supervisor what to do, and a drill simulator for safety training.
Four Alerts, One Clear Action Each
Any one danger sign is enough to raise an alert, and the most urgent alert wins. Thresholds follow ACGIH/NIOSH heat-strain limits and PAGASA heat-index bands. When every reading is within safe limits, the worker keeps working and the watch reports quietly about once per second.
Drink Water
Heat index 33.0–38.2 °C
Blue watch screen with a short beep and vibration, then a reminder every 20 minutes.
Move to Shade and Rest
Heat index ≥ 38.3 °C
Amber watch screen with a short beep and vibration, a reminder every 10 minutes, and the worker listed on the supervisor's heat band.
Rest Now
Body temp 38.0–38.4 °C, or heart rate ≥ 145 BPM for 3 minutes
Orange watch screen and a double beep until the worker taps; the supervisor gets an emergency alert with voice.
Stop Work Now
Body temp ≥ 38.5 °C, or heat index ≥ 42 °C with heart rate ≥ 130 BPM
Red watch screen with continuous buzzer and vibration, plus a siren and voice alert for the supervisor. It closes only when both the worker and the supervisor acknowledge it.
Construction Worker Vitals Simulator
Drag the slider to raise the heat stress. The badge applies the same alert rules as the watch, the server and the dashboard.
All readings are within safe limits.
Demo only: on the real watch, heart rate alone raises REST NOW only after 3 minutes above 145 BPM, and heat-index alerts need 3 readings in a row.
HeatShield Project Authors
Harry Lourds De Leon
Ashlie Nicole Jacobe
Reine Aldrin Mabilin
