The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) recently awarded a $161,000 grant to Kenzen, Inc., based in Kansas City, Mo., to develop wearable technology to prevent heat-related injuries.
S&T’s Silicon Valley Innovation Program (SVIP) targeted groundbreaking solutions to identify and resolve issues before they reach crisis levels.
“Heat illness remains a real problem for DHS employees who routinely work in extreme environments, including along the southern border,” SVIP Managing Director Melissa Oh said. “Technologies that will help our agents know when they are approaching critical conditions by accurately monitoring important physiological metrics like core body temperature levels will have a huge impact in reducing the number of heat-related injuries and keeping our staff safe, even in extreme conditions.”
Kenzen developed a heat illness prevention solution deploying a combination of a wearable sensor and advanced analytics to identify and alert users to changes in core body temperature and other specific factors.
The data identify heat stress, enabling wearers to take preventative measures sooner and resulting in a reduced risk of serious illness for DHS personnel, including Customs and Border Protection (CBP) executing duties.
“Kenzen’s technology will safeguard the wellness of our agents who often find themselves in unpredictable environments throughout their workdays,” CBP Innovation Team Deputy Director Jeremy Ocheltree said. “This type of innovative tech could protect our employees and save lives.”