GeoMoby, société de renseignement géographique basée à Perth, s'est associée à Digital Terrain, basée à Sydney, pour appliquer la technologie en temps réel aux systèmes de surveillance environnementale (EMS) des mines souterraines.
L'objectif principal du partenariat est de fournir des outils permettant de surveiller et d'enregistrer à distance les changements de température et les gaz tels que le monoxyde de carbone ou le méthane.
In a media statement, the companies explained that Digital Terrain’s RDI-EMS can monitor temperature (wet and dry bulb), wide (speed and direction), humidity, gases and dust. Gas sensors can detect oxygen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, hydrogen sulphide, methane and ammonia.
La solution est également capable de détecter un tir et d'envoyer un message à l'équipe de dynamitage lorsqu'il est préférable de commencer à effectuer des rentrées.
“Digital Terrain has the technology to monitor many conditions – from levels of gases, such as oxygen, to the temperature in underground mines – and GeoMoby has the technology to use Digital Terrain’s data from its recording devices to trigger alarms if necessary,” Mathieu Paul, director of GeoMoby, said in the release. “We know this is the best, most accurate solution for environmental monitoring in underground mine sites in Australia right now. Both our technologies are fully integrated.”
As an example, Paul mentioned that if Digital Terrain detects too much carbon monoxide or methane in a mine’s atmosphere, then GeoMoby real-time systems trigger alerts for management so that the emergency response protocol can be rolled out in a fast and efficient fashion.
“We know this new technology will save lives in the hazardous environments of underground mines,” the executive said.
Le projet commun verra Digital Terrain implanter la technologie améliorée dans les systèmes des clients actuels, tandis que GeoMoby gérera les relations avec les nouvelles parties intéressées.
La technologie développée par la firme d'Australie occidentale s'appuie sur le Bluetooth et un réseau maillé propriétaire. Les nœuds sont vert vif et de la taille d’une boîte à lunch. Beaucoup sont fixés dans les mines, car ils peuvent être attachés à un treillis souterrain existant, généralement présent sur le site, ou boulonnés aux murs.
“Many underground mines – in Western Australia and the world – still use employee monitoring systems that revolve around whiteboards, spreadsheets and tag boards,” said Chris Baudia, founder of GeoMoby. “Mistakes concerning equipment and people can easily be made, especially at the change of shift crews or during an emergency. There are no excuses in 2023 – our technology can monitor workers at all times, making sure everyone returns home safely, every single day. It is a valuable, modern tool in the kitbag of any mine manager ensuring the health and safety of large teams, working underground.”
In Baudia’s view, underground operators always need to know where their people are, otherwise – in an emergency – response times can lag and lead to fatal incidents.
