PROGRAMMES

The Challenge

There is poor situational awareness underground and it is well understood that smarter decision-making and control within the context of smart-connected systems are required for multiple applications utilising shared information, communication and technology infrastructure. Consequently, real-time information management systems are very complex, which can contribute to unnecessary vendor lock-in, leading to standardisation, interoperability, scalability, and deployment issues. There are trends around open source software and open standards as well as the Industrial Internet of Things and Cyber-Physical Systems that can be utilised to create interoperable platforms. However, architectures and standards are still evolving (and in a state of constant flux) and are not at a mature, baseline stage. These challenges pose a significant risk to mines adopting any form of real-time information management systems, and hence the investment in such systems.

Our Solution

We aim to create a holistic real-time information management system framework for multipurpose requirements developing (or adopting) common open-source tools and components required to enable these solutions, which will fit into an end-to-end Industrial Internet of Things architecture for mining.

Selected applications will be used to demonstrate the efficacy and utility of this common enabling real-time information management systems infrastructure. The enabling system infrastructure components and designs will be made available, royalty-free, to mines and original equipment manufacturers to ensure its wide adoption.

Additionally, a local ecosystem of products and services can be built with, and around it. There will be a utility gain for mines and an economic multiplier effect by opening the ecosystem of real-time information management systems-based solutions to local original equipment manufacturers.