The Robotics Institute

Carnegie Mellon Robotics Institute

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Abstract

Underground coal mining is an industry well suited for robotic automation. Human operators are severely hampered in dark, dusty, and cramped mines, and productivity suffers. Even a slight improvement in productivity can amount to thousands of dollars of additional revenue per machine per day. Automation to date has relied on infrastructure to guide the equipment. The industry finds this approach unsuitable, and it has not taken root. Our approach uses machine-mounted video cameras to guide the equipment. It utilizes natural infrastructure and equipment commonly used in mines. We have demonstrated that our approach meets the requirements for cutting straight entries and mining the proper amount of coal per cycle. The technology is rapidly approaching beta form and will be deployed in several mines in the coming months.

Notes

Associated Center(s) / Consortia: National Robotics Engineering Center

Associated Project(s): Assisted Mining and Underground Mining Operator Assist

Text Reference

Anthony (Tony) Stentz, Mark Ollis, Steve Scheding, Herman Herman, Christopher Fromme, Jorgen Pedersen, Timothy Hegadorn, Robert McCall, John Bares, and Richard Moore, "Position Measurement for Automated Mining Machinery," Proceedings of the 1999 International Conference on Field and Service Robotics, August, 1999, pp. 299 - 304.

BibTeX Reference

@inproceedings{Stentz_1999_3239,
   author = "Anthony (Tony) Stentz and Mark Ollis and Steve Scheding and Herman Herman and Christopher Fromme and Jorgen Pedersen and Timothy Hegadorn and Robert McCall and John Bares and Richard Moore",
   title = "Position Measurement for Automated Mining Machinery",
   booktitle = "Proceedings of the 1999 International Conference on Field and Service Robotics",
   pages = "299 - 304",
   month = "August",
   year = "1999",
}

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