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Installation

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Written by Ivan Tolmachev

Dozer.ai is an intelligent situational-awareness platform designed to eliminate heavy equipment blind spots through edge computing and multi-camera depth sensing.

Stereoscopic Vision

Each camera unit houses two lenses that capture dual perspectives to deliver accurate 3D depth perception across a 120° field of view (FOV).

Edge Processing

An onboard base station processes visual feeds directly on the machine. It operates independently of external cloud services or company network infrastructure while supporting Wi-Fi and cellular links to stream live data.

Actionable Insights

Raw video is converted into real-time safety alerts for the operator’s in-cabin tablet, as well as pushed to management dashboards.

Active Warning, Passive Control

The system does not intervene with vehicle controls. It provides audible hazard alerts to reinforce operator awareness without replacing standard visual checks and operator responsibility.

Installation

Installers should aim for blind spot perimeter coverage using the fewest cameras possible. Given variations across equipment frames, provided guidelines outline recommended best practices to help technicians identify the best mounting locations for each asset.

You can use our camera configurator to help visualize the placement on the specific platform.

Components

Depending on the configuration the system may use 2-4 cameras, mounts, magnets and zip ties. Power cable length is also variable depending on the type of equipment.

Base Station

Dozer Cam stereoscopic unit drawing

Dozer Cam

In-cab tablet line drawing

Tablet

RAM tablet mount assembly drawing

Tablet Mount

Tablet Mount

Camera clamp/ball mount drawing

camera_mount.png

Camera Mount

High-endurance SD card drawing

sd_card.png

SD Card

Field connector assortment kit drawing

Connector Kit

Main power cable assembly drawing

power_cable.png

Power Cable

Power cable extension drawing

power_cable_extension.png

Power Cable Extension

FAKRA GMSL camera cable drawing

fakra_gmsl_cable.png

Camera Cable (1 per Camera) FAKRA

Power cable pigtail harness drawing

power_cable_pigtail.png

Power Cable Pig Tail

Round mounting magnets drawing

mounting_magnets.png

Magnets

Magnet mount hex bolts drawing

magnet_mount_bolts.png

Magnet Mount Bolts

Fiducial reference target tag drawing

fiducial_tag.png

Additional Material

Technicians should also have additional material to aid in the installation, like:

  • Split loom conduit or braided split cable sleeve bulk (UV resistant)

  • Zip Ties (UV resistant)

  • Electrical or Loom tape (weather/UV resistant)

  • Fuse taps

  • 24-10 AWG bulk wire

  • Grommets


Installation & Setup Guidelines

Plan camera positions in the Camera Placement Tool before drilling, follow the 3D Install Manual step by step, and keep the wiring schematics PDF to hand for the harness. Once everything is mounted, proceed to System Bring Up.

Installation Notes

Because of the diverse configurations of equipment, mounting, layouts and placements cannot be specifically called out.

Warnings, recommended order of installation and best practices will be highlighted here.

Warnings and important notes will be called out with a Bold Warning: and italics to explain the warning.

The installation of the Dozer Cam 1.0 system involves wiring for power, routing the wires safely and securely, mounting the cameras, mounting the base station and activation. These steps are outlined at a high level.

Note: Only skilled field mechanics and technicians with the proper background and specific training should handle installation.

Warning: Installation requires climbing on and around the vehicle. Use caution and wear proper PPE/safety gear when working on or around the equipment. A fall can result in serious injury or death.

Order of installation

Follow this order of installation as a guide to putting a Dozer Cam 1.0 system on a new piece of heavy equipment.

  1. Plan the location of devices

  2. Install and run wiring for power

  3. Install fuse tap and ignition wiring

  4. Assemble Base Station Enclosure

  5. Assemble Camera Enclosure

  6. Install Base Station

  7. Install Cameras

  8. Run/route wiring of cameras to base station

  9. Aim Cameras

  10. Mount and install tablet

  11. Initialize and bring up system

  12. Do safety and validation checks, adjust cameras if necessary

Location planning

Choose locations for cameras: mounting surfaces should allow mostly unobstructed views directly in front of the camera. Some of the vehicle can be in view, articulating parts such as the boom/stick of an excavator, the blade of a bulldozer, or the bucket of a loader. Plot locations so that visibility is given. Consider a location to avoid tree branches and other obstructions from hitting but not so far back that it cannot see the work areas around the vehicle. Also, large front or rear ends can have some of the body in view as shown below.

In-cab display view showing detected workers and body tag

operator_alert_view.png

It is okay to set the camera back away from the edge of a vehicle body, the camera should detect people and objects as they approach or the vehicle approaches them before they reach the blind spot of a vehicle.

The system is designed to be removed from one piece of equipment to another. So there is very little need to be invasive through drilling, unless necessary.

Once initial planning of component locations has been determined, move to the wiring/cable layout.

Camera placement strategy can be virtually tested using our camera placement tool.

You can virtually mount the cameras on a virtual machine to see the FOV of the camera when placed on the machine, this 3D virtual model will allow the installer to see how the camera placement and angle can be optimized based on its location and angle.

Basic recommendations for number of cameras per equipment type are as follows.

EQUIPMENT TYPE

NUMBER OF CAMERAS ADVISED

Forklift

2

Bus

2

Dump Truck

2

Carry Deck Crane

3

Skid Steer

2

Excavator

3

Dozer

2

Front end loader

3

Water truck

2

Crane

3

RT Crane

4

Fuel Truck

4

Water Tanker

2

Grader

3

Wheel loader

3

Articulated dump

3

Compactor

2

Telehandler

3

Wiring/cable layout

Attach wiring for power from the battery B+ side. Connection varies depending on whether the disconnect switch is on the B+ (positive) or ground (negative) side. (see notes about disconnect switches)

Two wiring diagrams. Configuration A, positive-side (B+) disconnect switch: tap the switched B+ post after the cut-off switch with a T-tap, run red 12–14 AWG wire through a 15 A inline fuse to the Dozer Base Station, and run black 12–14 AWG wire from chassis ground. Configuration B, ground-side (negative) disconnect switch: T-tap directly at the constant OEM B+ lug, run red 12–14 AWG through a 15 A inline fuse to the Base Station, and T-tap the black 12–14 AWG ground to the chassis/frame after the ground cut-off switch.

Configuration A: positive-side (B+) disconnect switch — tap after the switch. Configuration B: ground-side (negative) disconnect switch — tap B+ directly at the lug and ground to the chassis after the switch. Red and black 12–14 AWG, 15 A inline fuse.

Note: If disconnecting the system via the disconnect switch, wait for 2 minutes after shutdown to make sure the system has undergone the DEF purge cycle.

  1. Run power cable to the Base Station location.

  2. Attach the wiring for the ignition on signal. The least invasive way is to use a fuse tap on the fuse box. This wire will be run to the base station as well.

  3. Run wires from camera locations to the Base Station.

Diagram of power tap locations

Power_Tap_Diagram.png

Best practices for running wiring

  • Run wires at the same location as factory wiring harnesses whenever possible. Maintain several inches from engine heat. Be mindful of turbochargers and exhaust generating higher than average heat. Use heat shielding wrap if necessary. Look at the OEM wiring in the same location. Does it have shielding? If so, it would be recommended to use heat shielding (reflective thermal shield, silicone fiberglass etc.).

  • If crossing articulating areas on loaders, graders, dump trucks and others, run wires along similar paths as OEM hydraulic hoses or other wires. Most OEM routing pathways are ideal for Dozer system wiring.

  • Excess cable should be bundled or looped carefully and then tucked away. There is space on the base station enclosure to tuck bundled wires so most bundling can be done near the base station.

  • Zip ties should not be tied so tight that they may break wires, on articulating parts allow for strain relief by providing some slack.

  • Magnetic mounts are used to secure the cables to the body, chassis or panels of the vehicle as needed. Make sure they are out of the way so as not to get pulled or ripped off the vehicle in the event of contact with a tree or other external interference.

Assemble Base Station Enclosure

Place holder waiting on Art for final

Mount Base Station

The Dozer Cam 1.0 base station is an edge computational device, all processing is done within the device, it needs no cloud or external servers to function but it does require a wifi/cellular connection to connect with the system dashboard.

Location of the Base Station should be planned to minimize long cable/wiring routing. Base stations should be mounted on the cab side of an articulated vehicle. Ideal placement is on top of the ROPS section of the cab or somewhere adjacent.

All cables and wiring terminate at the Base Station, if there is any excess cabling, it can be coiled up and placed inside the enclosure.

Plug all cables into Base Station, cap unused connectors to keep the unused connectors free of dust and moisture, the unit itself is rated to resist dust and moisture.

Warning: The magnets used to mount the Base Station are extremely strong. Keep fingers clear of the mounting surface when placing the unit the risk of a serious pinch injury is high.

Mount Cameras

Cameras are either mounted with clamps or magnets via the supplied kit parts. Again, due to the diversity of designs on different systems, camera quantity and location may vary. To support the operator with maximum safety, the cameras should be placed to enhance what they can’t see. Safety still falls on the operator to manage the equipment. The system does not take the operator out of the equation, it simply enhances their surroundings and supports a safer operation and jobsite.

Camera placement should allow for access to the FAKRA GMSL cable (camera cable) to access the camera connector and route back to the base station.

Mount Tags

Tags are fiducial markers, they act as fixed reference points that assist the AI camera system know exactly where specific parts of the equipment (blade, stick, body, etc.) are at all times, even as the machine moves or vibrates the camera into a different position. This helps the system tell the difference between its own equipment and nearby people or obstacles, and to judge real-world distance accurately enough to trigger proximity and collision alerts. For installers, the main things that matter are placing each marker to go and keeping it flat, clean, and unobstructed, since the system relies on that marker being read reliably from different angles and lighting conditions.

In-situ photo of fiducial tag installed on equipment blade

fiducial_tag_on_machine.jpg

In-cab display view showing detected workers and body tag

operator_alert_view.png

3D Install Manual

The nine steps of the installation order as a 3D assembly booklet, on a mid-size excavator with the three cameras advised for one, as planned in the Camera Placement Tool. Drag the model to turn it; tap a part to find it.

System Bring Up

  1. 1Associate the Base Station itself with an asset/vehiclePLACEHOLDER: (send to backend, somehow)

  2. 2Associate the cameras being installed with positions (front, rear, left, etc.) on an asset/vehiclePLACEHOLDER: (send to backend, somehow) — an app would be great for this piece

  3. 3Associate a tablet with the asset/vehiclePLACEHOLDER: (send to backend, somehow)

  4. 4Plug everything in (cameras/power, tablet)

  5. 5Run a test to ensure all camera views show up correctly on the tablet app. May require running for a few minutes on first install.

ON THIS PAGE


Interactive Camera Placement Tool

Plan camera and sensor positions on the actual machine before you climb up with a drill.

Camera placement strategy can be virtually tested using our camera placement tool. You can virtually mount the cameras on a virtual machine to see the FOV of the camera when placed on the machine, this 3D virtual model will allow the installer to see how the camera placement and angle can be optimized based on its location and angle.

OPERATOR SEESCAMERAS ADDBLIND ZONEWORKING RADIUS

Forklift, steered 0 degrees, arm at 0 degrees. 2 of 2 cameras active, each 110 degrees wide with a 15 metre effective range. 82 percent of the ground between the 1.9 metre machine footprint and the 8 metre working radius is covered: 47 percent the operator can see directly from the cab, and a further 35 percent only the cameras reach. 18 percent is seen by neither. Direct sight is a modelled seated arc, not a measured visibility study. Blind zones: rear left, nearest edge 0.9 metres, 37 square metres. Environment: Studio. Scenery only; it does not affect the coverage figure. 3 of 4 workers are seen. Standing where neither the operator nor a camera can see them: Worker 3. Visible only on camera, not from the cab: Worker 4.

Drag to orbit · scroll to zoom · drag a camera to move it on the body · drag the machine to articulate it.

MACHINE PROFILEForklift — 2 cameras advisedBus — 2 cameras advisedDump Truck — 2 cameras advisedCarry Deck Crane — 3 cameras advisedSkid Steer — 2 cameras advisedExcavator — 3 cameras advisedDozer — 2 cameras advisedFront end loader — 3 cameras advisedWater truck — 2 cameras advisedCrane — 3 cameras advisedRT Crane — 4 cameras advisedFuel Truck — 4 cameras advisedWater Tanker — 2 cameras advisedGrader — 3 cameras advisedWheel loader — 3 cameras advisedArticulated dump — 3 cameras advisedCompactor — 2 cameras advisedTelehandler — 3 cameras advised

Ground covered

81%

within 8 m, cab + cameras

Cameras

2 / 2 advised

CAMERAS

All camerasSingle front

  • RearEDIT

  • Front rightEDIT

Edit a camera to fine-tune its aim and field of view.

ARTICULATION

Mast tilt(− raises)0°

Export Installation Plan

Then mount the cameras as planned, following the Installation Guide.

Prototype: the excavator and wheel loader are modelled from supplied 3D files; every other machine is a simplified model of a typical unit. Camera mounts are a starting layout for the advised count, and range and mount positions are placeholders pending hardware confirmation.



Firmware & Software Downloads

The latest firmware, release notes, and update instructions.

Base Station OS / Perception Firmware

PLACEHOLDER: Current Version: vX.X.X, Release Date: YYYY-MM-DD

Size

—

SHA-256

—

Download Latest Base Station Firmware

Operator Tablet Application

PLACEHOLDER: Current Version: vX.X.X, APK download

Size

—

SHA-256

—

Download In-Cab Tablet App APK

Release Notes & Changelog Archive

PLACEHOLDER

Size

—

SHA-256

—

View Full Release Notes

Update instructions

Step-by-step firmware flashing diagram


Parts, RMA & Support

Ordering replacement hardware, processing a return, and reaching a person when the docs aren't enough. To send a part back, start an RMA request.

Hardware Replacement Ordering

PLACEHOLDER: (Form / Catalog Link)

Parts packaging guidelines graphic

RMA & Warranty Process

PLACEHOLDER: (Standard warranty duration, RMA procedure, return shipping criteria)

RMA return flow diagram

Start an RMA request

Opens a short form; ticketing intake not yet connected.

Support Dispatch Contact

Phone

PLACEHOLDER

Email

Hours

PLACEHOLDER


Glossary of terms

The terms used across the System Overview and the Installation Guide.

Dozer Cam 1.0

The stereoscopic depth-sensing camera unit deployed around the equipment perimeter.

Base Station

An onboard edge computational unit that processes multi-camera visual data directly on the machine without cloud dependence.

FAKRA GMSL

Gigabit Multimedia Serial Link automotive-grade coaxial cables and keyed locking connectors used to transmit raw digital video from cameras to the Base Station. Referred to as a camera cable.

Diagrammatic callout of FAKRA connector locking tab

Tags

Fiducial markers acting as fixed optical targets on the equipment (blade, stick, chassis) that enable the AI to continuously track moving machinery components.

Firmware & Software Downloads

The repository of system software, operational binaries, and configuration assets deployed to the base station and tablet.

Design doc

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