Abstract

Use of a totally unmanned mining robot is an ideal solution in removing humans from the dangerous underground mining environment. However, a complete autonomous system is a long way from reality. In the meantime, steps towards that goal can be made and integrated into current mining technology to take away some of the risk and stress from the miner making him more alert and the environment safer for those that do have to be undergroμnd. For our purposes here, the machine will be an automated robotic platform with the intelligence necessary for accurate placement of the drill tip on an irregular rock surface. This mining robot uses ultrasonic rangefinding equipment to generate an image map of the rock face subject to excavation. The software then analyzes this information to form a detailed plan for excavation in which checking is done so the robot can operate in a clear work envelope where there is certainty of movements made. The equipment resulting from this work is a modified jumbo, retrofitted with appropriate electronics, sensors, actuators, and software which allows the operator to specify a point on a rock face using a laser pointer and then directs the control systems on the robot to assume control of the articulating boom arm and drill the hole. The usefulness of this tool is enhanced where waterjet drills are used since these do not encounter the problems in collaring the hole entrance, which are found with mechanical drills.

Department(s)

Computer Science

Second Department

Mathematics and Statistics

Comments

The first Author is a Graduate Student

This report is substantially the text of the M.S. thesis of the first author, completed May, 1996.

Acknowledgements:

Thanks to Dr. David Summers for his entrusting me to put this project into motion by allowing me to lead the development team and by supplying the financial backing to develop the equipment. Thanks to my advisor, Dr. Peter C. Y. Ho of the UMR Computer Science Department, for his instruction on robotic control kinematics and his enthusiasm for the continuance of the project. Thanks to Dr. John Prater for his suggestions on the original o/afts and on the operation of the control software.

Thanks to the Generic Mineral Technology Center - Mine Systems Design and Ground Control of the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and the U.S. Bureau of Mines for the principal funding of the CUSP Miner project. Thanks to James A. Nowacki, CPG of R.E. Blattert & Associates - Geologic / Environmental Consultants for the donation of sandstone used in our drilling and slot cutting trials with the CUSP Miner. Thanks to Arizona State Parks for their interest in the waterjet cutting technology used on the CUSP Miner for the excavation at Kartchner Caverns State Park.

Thanks to the staff of the Rock Mechanics and Explosives Research Center who aided in the fabrication of the hardware of the CUSP Miner especially John Tyler and Jimmy Taylor. Thanks to the student employees of the Rock Mechanics and Explosives Research Center who aided in the fabrication of the hardware of the CUSP Miner especially Doug Wright, Mark Schmidt, Pamela Walk, Clay McNail, Greg Berry, and Amanda Plasse.

Thanks to the memory of my father, Robert Dennis Macneil, whose inspiration and guidance originally got me interested in robotics.

Report Number

CSc-96-02

Document Type

Technical Report

Document Version

Final Version

File Type

text

Language(s)

English

Rights

© 1996 University of Missouri - Rolla, All rights reserved

Publication Date

1996-05-01

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