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Numbat Mine Reconnaissance Vehicle
 Introduction
The Numbat is a remotely controlled vehicle that is used to provide information
following an emergency in an underground coal mine. It guides rescue operations
by surveying underground conditions, and relaying information immediately to
rescue control on the surface. It provides rescue teams with up-to-date information
to allow them to plan operations for maximum effectiveness with minimum risk,
using information on the physical conditions in mine openings through atmospheric
analysis and visible light or thermal infrared TV images. Because underground
rescue operations will always require human capabilities, the vehicle has been
planned specifically as a tool to assist rescue teams, rather than as a stand-alone
alternative to current rescue procedures.
Facts about Numbat
The vehicle is an eight-wheeled all-terrain machine using skid steering. Drive
is obtained from two 750 Watt electric motors, one on each side of the vehicle.
It is powered by a 48 Volt Ni-Cd battery of 140 Ahr capacity giving an operating
duration, depending on conditions, of about 8 hours. Pairs of wheels at the
front and rear are mounted on rocker arms that move independently over rough
surfaces. It has good all-terrain capabilities and can propel itself across
water obstacles. Maximum speed is a slow walking pace (2km per hour). The vehicle
has a pressurised, sealed body enclosing all electrical and electronic components
in a nitrogen atmosphere. The internal pressure, temperature, and atmosphere
are continuously monitored for safety reasons. The size of the vehicle (2.5x1.65m)
is largely dictated by the size of the obstacles it is intended to negotiate.
Communications
Communications from the control station to the Numbat is via an optical fibre
cable. A drum containing up to 10 kilometres of fibre can be carried on the
vehicle, and cable is paid out and retrieved as required. The communications
link is used to remotely control the Numbat as well as provide telemetry data,
video and audio information to the surface.
Environmental Monitoring
Onboard analysis is carried out for important mine gases, (carbon monoxide,
carbon dioxide, methane, oxygen and hydrogen) ventilation speed, atmospheric
pressure and temperature. Gas analysis is carried out continuously, and results
are updated on the surface control screen at two-second intervals. The sample
air is filtered and dried before passing through a series of independent analytical
units for each of the gases of interest. Gas composition inside the vehicle
is measured regularly using the same system to check the status of vehicle pressurisation.
Calibration gas with known concentrations of the target gases is carried on
the vehicle, and is analysed periodically to verify the accuracy of the analysis
system.
 Navigation
Normal navigation uses four monochrome video cameras. Two are fixed, facing
front and rear, and two further cameras are mounted in a turret capable of both
pan and tilt motion, on top of the vehicle. Lighting is provided by quartz halogen
lamps mounted on the turret and the vehicle. One of the turret-mounted cameras
has zoom capability and is used for close inspection of details.
Computer Control
A 286 based control computer on the vehicle receives instructions from the surface
controller through the communications system and distributes them to vehicle
modules. It also acquires information from vehicle sensors, and passes it to
the communications system for transmission to the surface. While overall control
of vehicle functions is vested in the surface operators, the vehicle control
computer ensures that operating limits are not exceeded, and that safety protocols
are not violated. This vehicle-resident intelligence is especially important
if communications with the surface are lost, when the vehicle must shut itself
down in an orderly fashion. Warnings are sent to surface operators when preset
operating limits on vehicle systems or environmental conditions are exceeded.
In the most extreme cases, operation of the vehicle can continue only if the
operators deliberately override the vehicle-initiated warning. The vehicle can
be driven to possible destruction by overriding all warnings if rescue priorities
should dictate that this is the best option.
Surface Control Station
The surface station includes the driving controls for the
vehicle, video displays, a VCR and a visual display of all vehicle and environmental
monitoring data. An audio link allows two way contact between anyone in the
vicinity of the vehicle and surface control.
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For further information
please contact:
Name: Dr Jonathon Ralston CSIRO Mining Automation
Tel: +61 7 3327 4702
Fax:+61 7 3327 4566
Email: jonathon.ralston@csiro.au
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