Design and Implementation of a Low-Power Multi-Sensor Wearable with Real-Time BLE Data Streaming for Construction Safety Applications

10 pages•Published: June 2, 2026

Rizwan Farooqui, Abid Hassan, Abhinav Dhakal and Asad Malik

Abstract

The construction industry remains one of the most hazardous occupational sectors, with high rates of injuries and fatalities caused by heat stress, fatigue, and unsafe movements. Although wearable technologies have shown promise in improving worker safety, most existing devices store data locally and do not provide real-time access, limiting their usefulness for immediate intervention. This study was initiated to address that limitation through the development of a custom, low-power wearable device capable of streaming multi-sensor data continuously in real time. The prototype integrates a MAX30102 photoplethysmography (PPG) sensor for heart rate and blood oxygen saturation, an MLX90614 infrared temperature sensor for skin temperature, and a six-axis inertial measurement unit (IMU) for motion tracking. These components are embedded on a compact printed circuit board (PCB) centered on an nRF52840 microcontroller with Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) for efficient data transmission. Firmware was developed to synchronize sensor sampling and structure BLE packets for stable streaming. Preliminary tests confirmed reliable real-time transmission, consistent signal quality, and low power consumption, demonstrating the feasibility of continuous physiological and motion monitoring. The system provides an accessible foundation for proactive, data-driven safety management in construction environments.

Keyphrases: bluetooth low energy, construction safety, physiological monitoring, real time data access, wearable devices

In: Wesley Collins, Anthony Perrenoud and John Posillico (editors). Proceedings of Associated Schools of Construction 62nd Annual International Conference, vol 7, pages 644-653.

Links:	https://easychair.org/publications/paper/tF44
	https://doi.org/10.29007/scnh

BibTeX entry

@inproceedings{ASC2026:Design_Implementation_Low_Power,
  author    = {Rizwan Farooqui and Abid Hassan and Abhinav Dhakal and Asad Malik},
  title     = {Design and Implementation of a Low-Power Multi-Sensor Wearable with Real-Time BLE Data Streaming for Construction Safety Applications},
  booktitle = {Proceedings of Associated Schools of Construction 62nd Annual International Conference},
  editor    = {Wesley Collins and Anthony Perrenoud and John Posillico},
  series    = {EPiC Series in Built Environment},
  volume    = {7},
  publisher = {EasyChair},
  bibsource = {EasyChair, https://easychair.org},
  issn      = {2632-881X},
  url       = {/publications/paper/tF44},
  doi       = {10.29007/scnh},
  pages     = {644-653},
  year      = {2026}}

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