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Robots often serve as first responders during mine collapses. A robot can fit into tight spaces, it’s not slowed by noxious fumes and it's expendable if there's another cave-in.
Still, robots have had limited success doing mine rescue reconnaissance. It's not easy to remotely control a piece of machinery in hostile conditions 450 meters below ground. Rescuers got a stark lesson after Utah's Crandall Canyon mine collapse in 2007, when nine people died. Only one mobile robot made it down a borehole and onto the mine's floor. And it traveled only a couple of meters before becoming stuck in debris.
Sandia National Labs is trying to improve the technology with its new Gemini-Scout Mine Rescue Robot, which it showcased at a robotic vehicle trade show this week in Washington.
The remote-control Gemini-Scout can navigate through about 45 centimeters of water. It has a thermal camera to locate survivors and a pan-and-tilt camera to record obstacles. The one-meter-long bot can also report the presence of gas and can even haul supplies—to help ensure that trapped miners have a better chance to see daylight again.
—Larry Greenemeier
[The above text is a transcript of this podcast.]
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2 Comments
Add CommentI think also that the research and the development of new technologies that improve the quality of robots deserve to be made and applied in the safety and well-being of humanity.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisBut it seems that improvements are needed in the new prototype of robot that is being highlighted in the podcast.
In the text of the podcast, referring to a robot that failed (in the past) in its accomplishment, it is said that - *And it traveled only a couple of meters before becoming stuck in debris*.
The two next paragraphs are saying about the improvement of robotic technology and show a link to a text and video interesting. However, after watch the video it seems to me that the new robot that is shown in the video failed similarly to the old one cited in the podcast.
In the video (from 2:50 till 3:01 minutes) the new robot tried to overcome a tilted obstacle of small rocks and failed!
Isn't the best solution to create mining bots that prevent humans from being needed underground?
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