Images and captions are for the article "MOLE UltraLight" and specified by the image file name. The images can be used for publishing requirements. All are 100 ppi minimum. All caption text and images are copyrighted C 2004 Discovery Miner Program. All Rights Reserved. Only use by the author’s permission.

Manrobot

Mine rescue technician and companion robot share duties 1000 feet below. The introduction of robotics into abandoned mine operations is a new one, with the first work in the field of "Subterranean Robotics" being conducted at Carnegie Mellon University’s Institute of Robotics in the 1980s. But robots envisioned and pictured above- like the MineBotXA model used for the Discovery Miner Program would not be capable of negotiating the structure of hard rock mines with wheels and tractors in deep explorations. Simply turning over on a side or sliding down shallow holes or inclines would render them inoperable. As wireless operation through hundreds of feet of rock is impossible because of signal disruption, wire management of such robots does make the long-range control problem considerable but short range solution possible.

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MOLE rolls shallow through damp mines. Robotics offer solutions to nearly every abandoned mine obstacle found and do not conform to the hazards that endanger the human rescuer. The unit can be tele-operated. The use of intelligent robots operating independently is not far distant but for immediate use, small movable platform "drones" such as MOLE could serve in the shallow confines of hard rock mines with rescuers and recovery personnel.

 

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A 3D computer simulation screenshot of MOLE negotiating a shallow hole in mine tunnel. The term "chaotic dynamics of an abandoned mine environment in relation to autonomous and non-autonomous robotic systems" is best sampled in this image as it represents existing impassable obstructions. Arizona’s historic abandoned mines are not simple left or right-up or down perspectives, but are inclined angles of the degree plane, including multiples thereof. This creates difficult challenges to robotic operations in relation to traction and propulsion.

 

XBotGoldenMineTIFFA

Already encountering an obstacle dead ahead-a winze dropping hundreds of feet to the lower levels below. Night vision cameras on MOLE can be used to image the vertical shafts when the robot is dropped as monitor camera to study conditions in decayed shafts and collapsed tunnels within with rescue personnel.

 

 

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See full-size chartCourtesy BLM Abandoned Lands Management

This modified BLM mine hazard chart shows the conditions found in abandoned mines as well as opportunities for robotic mine applications. Starting from center of chart, a deteriorating collar is examined by mine rescuer from a safe distance using a robot on a tether. Even if it tumbled into the shaft, the robot is anchored by securing lines. A second mine rescuer (same center location) has dropped a robot into the vertical mine hundreds of feet deep, past debris levels and into C02 filled voids. Using universal traction the robot has maneuvered into a half flooded tunnel and is searching for a victim. A lone camera dropped into the shaft would not have been able to be directed side to side. A third rescuer (middle right) while searching a stable mine has encountered C02 within his path and deploys a robot to search ahead. Near a collapsed portal (upper right) a robot is used to pass the dangerous opening, then rolls into the shaft and gas danger. Robots can easily negotiate the remainder of hazards, fires, gases, collapsed tunnels and debris where human recovery operations would be dangerous or impossible.

All text C 2004 Discovery Miner Program.
All images C 2004 Discovery Miner Program.