The digitization of the construction industry is prolific, from workforce relations to architecture and design to safety and risk—but the adoption of contech products starts with the design and development of those products. So, when a construction technology company begins developing new products, what does that process look like? Twiceme Technology CEO Christian Connolly speaks to Construction Executive about their own process of creating, developing and producing cutting-edge contech. While tracking and managing of PPE is still manual and analog at many construction companies, Connolly provides insight into the role wearables play in digital transformation, as well as the evolution of the process and benefits of the digital transformation of organizations.
How did you develop the first iterations of Twiceme products?
Military professionals originally developed Twiceme technology after discovering its need in the field. They created it after repeated experiences of feeling helpless on missions when accidents occurred to their colleagues. In these instances, they wanted to help but couldn’t. They developed the technology with the idea of turning bystanders into helpers.
Smart safety technology integrates into safety equipment that protects people before and after incidents occur. If someone becomes injured, those nearby can interact with next-generation, near-field communication chips integrated into PPE to quickly alert rescuers, relaying the exact location and providing critical information about the person. That information may include medical information, such as medicinal allergies or blood type, to further assist the helpers should the user become incapacitated. This accelerates response and rescue times, positively impacting an injured person’s clinical outcomes.
What was the development and testing process like?
During the initial development and testing, we worked solely with search and rescue professionals who gave us feedback on the design. We interacted with over 400 rescue organizations whose feedback was invaluable to the product and its evolution. Many of today’s features directly resulted from recommendations we received during the early testing. We maintain contact with our network of rescuers and have a panel of beta testers who provide us with product feedback on new features. In addition to search and rescue, we now have an extensive network of construction and health and safety personnel who test and influence our product designs.
What was the initial feedback from users and/or customers?
In the industrial segment, it has been incredible, and for many first-time users, it is an instant “aha” moment. While the construction industry is well aware of the importance of preparation and taking preventative steps to avoid accidents, like through inspections and keeping track of the equipment, we opened their minds and transformed their approach to workplace safety. Having medical and/or other personal information available to first responders showed it could improve the rate in which responders can administer aid. This was a breakthrough for us, and we knew it had the potential to impact safety significantly.
How did your products evolve? How did the range of products become so expansive?
From our roots in the military, our first expansion was into the skiing industry. The snow sports industry, in general, is quick to adopt new trends and test new technology. Our first partner brand in sports was POC of Sweden. They are incredibly innovative and forward-thinking. From snow sports, we moved into action sports like mountain biking and motorized sports. When all sports brands initially slowed R&D spending during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, we moved quickly into the industrial segment to industries supporting construction because they continued to operate. Today, we have incorporated the technology into more specialized equipment, including safety harnesses for working at heights and even clothing.
How has the evolution of contech and the fast development of AI influenced your products?
Construction technology is being developed and adopted at an increasing speed. Today’s construction professionals want to solve safety problems, and technology enables them to do just that. In many ways, we see ourselves as a core part of the construction industry’s digital transformation.
Beyond its life-saving qualities, the product can help construction safety managers improve their overall approach to safety, including their approach to PPE inspections, PPE tracking and worker certification storage. The fact that the product is so simple and easy to use has helped us overcome some technological barriers that have otherwise slowed technology adoption, such as complicated integration processes or high costs.
Are your products only applicable for construction industry sectors?
The tech is available today in a range of PPE for outdoor and industrial uses. We have partner products for skiers, snowboarders, climbers, bikers, motorbike products and equestrian riders; in the industrial space, firefighters, foresters, miners, arborists and construction workers across the globe. Today, we are seeing interest from a growing number of brands in new and exciting segments who contact us to discuss integrating the technology into other products.
How have your products influenced the development of other safety products? How have they influenced the safety culture of other construction companies and the industry as a whole?
Even though we’re seeing rapid and widespread adoption, we’re is still relatively new to the construction industry. We are hopeful that we have influenced other technology in positive ways. Improving the safety culture in the companies that have adopted our tech is our highest priority. We recently launched a learning management platform called Twiceme University to aid construction workers and safety personnel in adopting and making the most out of the technology. It provides information on how a company can improve not only the culture of safety, but also efficiency and a company’s financial results. We have a product roadmap in place, and we will continue introducing new features to help make construction organizations more productive and improve their approach to safety.
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