"Throwing 'Ball' in the Workplace" POSCO Develops First Gas Concentration Detection Tool

World's First 'Smart Safety Ball' Developed
Automatically Measures Oxygen, Carbon Monoxide, and Hydrogen Sulfide Levels... Sends Automatic Warning Messages to Colleagues When Danger Levels Are Detected
To Be Applied Across All Related Steel Plant Factories After Pilot Testing and Legal Certification Completion

A POSCO employee is attaching a Smart Safety Ball at the work site to measure harmful gases in real time while carrying out the work.

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyewon] POSCO announced on the 21st that it has succeeded in developing the world's first 'Smart Safety Ball.'

The Smart Safety Ball is a tool that can detect the presence of harmful gases in confined spaces in advance. By first throwing the Smart Safety Ball into the space before work or maintenance to immediately measure gas concentrations, it is expected to help prevent safety accidents. Previously, gas measurement in confined spaces required drawing gas through a long tube or direct measurement with a portable detector.

POSCO began developing the Smart Safety Ball in 2018. After producing two prototypes and conducting performance tests and improvements in various confined spaces within the steelworks, it succeeded in manufacturing a commercial product last month.

POSCO plans to initially pilot the Smart Safety Ball in some departments and, after completing legal certification within the first half of this year, distribute the Smart Safety Ball to all related factories within the steelworks.

Smart Safety Ball developed by POSCO

The Smart Safety Ball has a diameter of 60 mm and weighs 100 g, similar in size to a tennis ball. It can detect concentrations of three gases: oxygen (O₂), carbon monoxide (CO), and hydrogen sulfide (H₂S). The measured values can be checked in real-time via a dedicated application on smartphones or tablet PCs. When dangerous levels are detected, messages and location information are sent to pre-registered colleagues and managers.

On flat terrain without obstacles, the Smart Safety Ball has a communication range of up to 100 m, and even in obstructed or confined spaces, reliable measurements are possible within approximately 30 m. It operates continuously for two years on a built-in battery and features dustproof and waterproof functions. It also incorporates a roly-poly design with a weighted bottom to ensure the sensor always faces upward. The Smart Safety Ball contains a built-in magnet, allowing it to be used as a fixed internal detector during work, and it can be equipped with a string for easy retrieval.

POSCO, which holds the patent and design rights, jointly developed the Smart Safety Ball with Handong University and Nodtox. Handong University developed the wireless communication technology, and Nodtox handled the commercial manufacturing. After the technology's effectiveness is proven, POSCO plans to actively share the technology and application cases not only with the local community but also with related industries as part of its corporate citizenship management philosophy.