ECS President & Co-Founder Brian Mock discusses International Paper’s success with edge-based Artificial Intelligence camera systems.
Event Capture Systems (ECS) was recently featured in Paper360° following a safety session at TAPPICon 2026, where ECS President Brian Mock and Eric Wright from International Paper presented a case study highlighting how edge-based artificial intelligence camera systems are helping paper mills create safer working environments while maintaining production efficiency.
The presentation, titled “From Hands Off to Hands On Safety,” explored how AI-enabled camera technology can move beyond traditional safety monitoring by connecting real-time human detection directly with machine control systems.
Read the full Paper360° feature and learn more about the discussion here:
Paper360° Feature: From Hands Off to Hands On Safety
The article is also available in the July/August 2026 issue of Paper360°:
Read the full publication
Moving Workplace Safety Beyond Compliance
Traditional safety systems often focus on identifying hazards and documenting events after they occur. ECS’s edge-based AI safety technology takes a different approach by helping mills identify unsafe conditions in real time and prevent incidents before they happen.
During the TAPPICon presentation, Brian Mock and Eric Wright shared how AI cameras can identify human presence inside designated “red zones” and communicate directly with machine programmable logic controllers (PLCs).
This allows equipment to:
- Prevent unsafe machine operation when personnel are in hazardous areas
- Stop unsafe human-machine interactions before they escalate
- Provide valuable data to improve future safety procedures
By combining AI-based detection with machine control, ECS helps mills create a proactive safety layer designed around prevention, not just documentation.
Protecting People While Maintaining Production
One of the biggest challenges facing industrial safety teams is balancing two priorities: protecting employees while keeping production moving.
Safety systems must be accurate enough to identify real risks without creating unnecessary downtime from false detections.
ECS edge-based camera systems address this challenge by processing detection directly on the camera itself, allowing the system to communicate with machine controls without requiring internet or mill network connectivity.
This enables sub-second responses while helping production teams maintain confidence that safety measures will not unnecessarily disrupt operations.
Turning Safety Data Into Safer Operations
During the case study presentation, Mock and Wright highlighted how the technology created additional value beyond immediate machine intervention.
By capturing unsafe human-machine interactions, mills gain insight into behaviors and conditions that may lead to future incidents.
This information can help teams:
- Identify recurring unsafe behaviors
- Improve operator awareness and training
- Update standard operating procedures (SOPs)
- Build a stronger safety culture
In one International Paper application discussed during the presentation, the implementation of edge-based AI camera technology contributed to an approximately 80% reduction in unsafe human-machine interactions.
The technology also created an unexpected benefit: a stronger culture of accountability among operators. As Wright explained, employees began looking out for each other and proactively preventing unsafe conditions because they understood the impact of entering restricted areas.
Continuing to Advance Safety in the Paper Industry
ECS continues to develop solutions that help paper mills improve workplace safety, quality control, and production reliability.
By combining edge-based technology, machine integration, and data-driven insights, ECS helps mills move from reactive safety processes toward proactive systems designed to protect people and support operational performance.
The goal is simple: help paper mills create safer environments while keeping production running efficiently.
About Event Capture Systems
Event Capture Systems (ECS) delivers on-premise safety and end-to-end quality control solutions for paper mills. ECS protects workers, improves product quality, and increases production reliability by providing traceability and control across every stage of the papermaking process.
In short, ECS helps paper mills keep promises.
