Use of wireless, ad-hoc networks for proximity warning and collision avoidance in surface mines

This article describes the use of wireless communication technology in an easy-to-use ad hoc mode to address concerns of timely proximity warning and collision avoidance in surface mines and also describes the design of a cloud-based logging framework for long-term vehicular traffic analysis in mines. For timely warning about approaching vehicles at large distances (10-100m), a GPS system is integrated with Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11a/b/p) radios in an ad hoc mode, where information about approaching vehicles is known as soon as they come into range. A communication range test is performed in an actual surface mine setting to characterise the distances at which warning can be reliably received using each of the IEEE 802.11 family of radios. A zone-based proximity warning system is designed using low power IEEE 802.15.4 radios for detecting obstacles and vehicles at much smaller distances (<10m), and marking them into zones around the vehicle. Both the proximity warning system and the Wi-Fi-based collision avoidance system were evaluated for feasibility at an operating surface coal mine in the southern United States. Finally, the design of a cloud-based logging framework is described and can be used for long-term data collection from GPS and other sensors.