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Falls are the most frequent accidents at construction sites and pose a deadly risk to workers' lives. Every year, countless workers lose their lives or suffer life-threatening injuries. While reliance on safety harnesses and nets has been common, 'safety blind spots' where harnesses are not clipped in or nets are absent have always existed.
A startup has emerged to tackle this chronic challenge with 'wearable airbags.' It is Saifeware, which developed industrial wearable airbag vests. Saifeware aims to be more than a simple hardware manufacturer; it aspires to be a safety platform that combines AI (artificial intelligence) and data technology.
Shin Hwan-cheol, CEO of Lee Peu-we-eo (CEO), emphasized, "People often misunderstand 'ware' in our company name as meaning 'to wear.' It is derived from 'software,' reflecting our philosophy that the core of our business lies in the algorithms controlling the airbags and the data technology detecting accidents."
He added, "Hardware is merely the vessel that implements this technology. We aim to be a software-centric safety solutions company that protects human lives with invisible technology. The essence is creating a world where technology protects people."
Playing a role in 2 to 3 major and minor accidents every month
In January 2024, an accident occurred at a construction site in Seosan, South Chungcheong Province, where Mr. A fell from a height of 5 meters. He lost his footing while working on temporary structures. Although it was a dangerous situation that could have led to a fatal accident, he got up immediately after the fall as if nothing had happened. His injuries were limited to a cracked rib bone.
This is a representative case where Saifeware's product saved a worker from a fall accident. To date, 23 cases of workers being protected from falls by Saifeware products at construction sites, similar to the Seosan incident, have been recorded.
Saifeware's industrial vest airbag 'C Series' works by releasing compressed gas inside the vest in an instant when a wearer falls from a height, inflating the airbag cushion.
The airbag cushion expands into an oval shape along the back of the head, neck, and spine before the body collides with walls or the ground, reducing the impact on the body. The principle of car airbags has beened to vests. The inflated airbag protects the user's head and spine even in fall accidents from heights up to 5 meters.
Shin (CEO) stated, "Smart airbags detect accidents through AI algorithms and data technology that sense falls and deploy within 0.2 seconds. I feel a sense of fulfillment whenever I hear news of their active role in 2 to 3 major and minor accidents each month."
On-device AI for Distinguishing Daily Life from Fall Situations
Saifeware integrates AI to judge body movements more precisely, thereby reducing airbag malfunctions. Shin (CEO) said, "It is not simply calculating the falling angle; it is equipped with an on-device AI algorithm that perfectly distinguishes between daily motions and actual falls."
In particular, when an accident is detected, the system is designed to notify emergency contacts of the accident situation and location, helping to secure the golden time for rescuing the victim. The product sensor can be used for over 100 hours after cushioning, and the airbag can be reused through cartridge module replacement even after a single use.
Shin (CEO) said, "When workers have accidents while working alone, they often lose consciousness or fail to send distress signals, leading to being found dead after a long time. If the fact of airbag deployment and the accident location are automatically reported to managers, it can secure the golden time that saves lives."
Saifeware has supplied over 20,000 units to more than 2,000 clients, including 10 construction companies, Samsung, LG, KEPCO, E-Mart, and others. The military also uses smart airbags. Based on this market response, Saifeware achieved sales of 7.5 billion won last year.
Sales are expected to surge significantly this year. Shin (CEO) said, "If the period up to last year was a test phase to confirm the product's utility, now is the time for full-scale expansion. Through Series A funding of 10 billion won, we will accelerate expansion into the B2C market and global markets."
"Creating a Culture of Wearing Smart Airbags Like Seatbelts"
Saifeware is positioning new products to solve the 'elderly fall' problem as a new growth engine, moving beyond industrial airbags and mobility/leisure airbags.
Shin (CEO) introduced, "The severity of elderly falls is such that over 50% of those who undergo hip surgery due to falls die within a year. The new product 'Ready' is worn as a belt; when a fall is detected, the airbag deploys in just 0.2 seconds before touching the ground, protecting the hip joint."
He explained that the product weighs around 600 grams, achieving overwhelming lightness compared to competitors weighing around 1 kilogram. He added, "We aim to go beyond devices that simply protect at the moment of an accident and evolve into an AI solution that predicts and manages fall risk through analysis of elderly gait pattern data."
Ready also provides safety monitoring functions for guardians and users via a dedicated app. The app allows real-time confirmation of current location, recent visited places, activity duration, calorie consumption, step count, risk level, device connection status, remaining battery, and accident records (date/location).
Based on this technology, Ready was selected as an item for the '3rd Pilot Project for Pre-grant of Welfare Equipment' promoted by the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the National Health Insurance Service. Accordingly, after a temporary (1-2 year) grant application period, the decision to convert to full grant status will be made based on an evaluation of usage effectiveness and appropriateness of the grant.
Saifeware's ultimate goal is to make wearing smart airbags a 'culture.' Shin (CEO) said, "Just as not wearing seatbelts was once considered normal but has now become mandatory, we will open an era where everyone naturally wears smart airbags."
He further added, "Our competitors are not other companies, but fall accidents themselves. Through Saifeware's technology and products, we aim to establish wearable safety equipment as a standard in major advanced countries, including Korea, within the next 10 years."
[MoneyToday startup media platform 'Unicorn Factory']
in FUTURE
