Robots the Solution to Safe Mining?
Posted on January 31st, 2006 in Latest News
I’m glad to see that other folks are thinking that robots would be a great answer to the apparent problems relating to mining operations. The National Mining Association recently appointed Dr. Larry Grayson of the University of Missouri-Rolla Mine Engineering Department as, "the director of a commission to study how new technologies, procedures, and training can improve safety in underground mines."
It still astounds me that, even with the prevalence of rescue robots, the mining industry hasn’t embraced them as "must have" tools for the trade. Robots can go, sense, and react to situations that would kill humans. According to the National Geographic article,
Dr. Grayson, has proposed several solutions, including, mine radio communication systems that are hardened against cave-ins, mine-wide gas and pressure sensors. But, still no explicit use of robotics.
The IEEE Robotics and Automation Society has a website listing various research groups and companies working on mining robots.
[Via NXTBot]
It still astounds me that, even with the prevalence of rescue robots, the mining industry hasn’t embraced them as "must have" tools for the trade. Robots can go, sense, and react to situations that would kill humans. According to the National Geographic article,
… 22 U.S. coal miners still died on the job in 2005. Fourteen died this month alone. And in China that figure is in the thousands.
Dr. Grayson, has proposed several solutions, including, mine radio communication systems that are hardened against cave-ins, mine-wide gas and pressure sensors. But, still no explicit use of robotics.
The IEEE Robotics and Automation Society has a website listing various research groups and companies working on mining robots.
[Via NXTBot]
Read Similar Posts:
TrackBack URL
