Increased safety in deep mining with IoT and autonomous robots

Abstract

‘Safety first’ – all miners know the importance of this slogan. Personal protective equipment, automated or remote-controlled machinery and safety instructions all help to avoid accidents underground. However, there are still many dangerous mining situations where the risk to human life is too high. Modern technologies can help to overcome this obstacle. Researchers at the TU Bergakademie Freiberg are working with autonomous robots and the Internet of Things in underground mining. A mobile autonomous robot, in combination with a wireless sensor network, can help to explore unknown or inaccessible areas. These could be in abandoned or active mines, where hazardous situations occur with unpredictable risks too severe for human activity. This paper will focus on development and application possibilities of this technology, especially regarding mine safety. The first test results from the prototypes will be presented from the viewpoint of a mining engineer, with respect to benefits and limitations for mine operators.