The tech firm SightPower is set to revolutionize safety in mines by developing and applying an automated mine shaft inspection system that uses artificial intelligence.
On Tuesday the company announced $612,000 in funding from the Mining Innovation Commercialization Accelerator (MICA) to develop the technology.
The core of this technology involves a hardware device equipped with a laser scanner and a high-resolution camera. Data collected by this device will be fed into SightPower’s Digital Mine platform, resulting in the creation of a digital twin of the mine shaft. Its AI-driven approach sets this system apart, offering significantly higher accuracy and reliability than human inspections.
Implementing an automated shaft monitoring system is poised to reduce the risk of accidents, enhance overall safety in mining operations and increase the availability of mine shafts. This, in turn, is expected to yield substantial financial benefits through increased operational time and production.
SightPower is recognized for its Digital Mine platform, which offers a comprehensive technology solution for mining enterprises, allowing seamless integration of mining data in various formats. It empowers mine operators to create a Digital Twin of a mine site, optimizing mine design, resource management and operational efficiency.
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Underground mines rely on mine shafts as their essential lifeline, ensuring the safe, continuous, and efficient movement of materials. Maintaining the optimal condition of all components within these shafts is paramount for the seamless and secure operation of underground mines. To proactively prevent potential accidents and sustain uninterrupted hoisting operations, it has been customary to halt each mine shaft for 4-12 hours per week to conduct visual inspections. However, this traditional inspection method has proven ineffective, unreliable and poses safety risks to the inspection teams.
“MICA support creates the unique opportunity to combine nowadays data collection capabilities with a concept and the technology of digital twinning and AI-based data analysis. This combination for mineshaft operational support is a revolutionary step for the whole industry,” SightPower CEO Borys Voyobyov said.
“We are delighted to team with MICA and MICA members to make this technology available for any underground mine in and outside Canada.”
