Category: Robotics and Automation

Life as we know it has accelerated at an unprecedented pace. A malleable approach and the capacity for dynamic adaptability is more important than ever before. In a world where advanced technological conversions require strategic integration and methodical systemic application, the more personal aspects of this operating shift may be often overlooked. Encompassing a myriad of complexities, the transition towards an automated future is typically geared towards the mechanical efficiency aspect, whilst losing sight of the profound human factors involved in such an industrious evolution. Although there’s no doubt that our automated technologies possess an impressive degree of self-sufficiency and inherent independent ability, the bottom line is that these applications also demand effective manual inputs to actualise optimal functionality into…

Jean Ferreira (left) and Aaron Locke, (founders of RaptorTech) at a recent commissioning of a Raptor Data Centre, an independently powered mine-wide private LTE (4G) network.From the distant echoes of 17th century experiments to the pulsating digital realms of today, telemetry has etched its mark on the annals of innovation. Its story is one of relentless evolution, fuelled by human ingenuity and the quest for remote connectivity. Imagine early scientists tinkering with rudimentary forms of remote communication, laying the groundwork for what would become the backbone of modern telemetry. Fast forward to the tumultuous battlegrounds of World War II, where telemetry emerged as a silent sentinel, guiding weapons systems and tracking missiles with unparalleled precision. Then came the space age,…

Transitioning to a renewable economy will require a new mining industry that can extract significantly more metal from the ground to meet future demand, while operating in accordance with stricter environmental, social, and governance responsibilities. However, this is compounded by a myriad of challenges. Exploration success rates are dwindling, existing deposits are becoming deeper and more arduous to mine, and ore grades are declining. Mining companies are collecting more data than ever, yet they struggle to maximise value to meet the greater demands placed on them. The gulf between data collection and data-driven decision-making can be significant. In recent years, the mining industry has realised that machine learning (ML) is key to gaining the full value from its data. This…

IMDEX (ASX: IMD) has become the first major industry partner of the new 51ha Australian Automation and Robotics Precinct (AARP) in Neerabup, 40km north of the Perth CBD in WA. Signing on for an initial two-years to build and maintain a common user drill pad as part of the 22ha mine test and development site called “Dirt Lab”, IMDEX aims to accelerate testing and demonstration of technology including its award-winning BLAST DOGTM at a site close to its Balcatta headquarters. IMDEX BLAST DOGTM is a commodity agnostic blast hole sensing and physical measurement technology that provides near real-time blast hole physicals and orebody knowledge and a 3D view into the bench. IMDEX chief executive Paul House says having a purpose-built,…