Methods and systems for efficiently operating haulers of varying sizes for transporting mined material at a mine site. The haulers can include right-sized haul trucks (RSATs). Methods and systems for efficiently using containers for mined material, including loading, handling and transporting mined material within a mine or from a mine. The containers can be carried on haulers such as movable units and moving units.

A remote-controlled demolition robot includes a control unit, an undercarriage with propulsion means, an upper carriage with a maneuverable arm means and a remote control unit having a first and second control lever and an operating mode control switch to switch between alternative operating modes, the remote control unit to give commands via the operating mode control switch to control the robot in alternative operating modes by the control levers. The operating mode selector switch can form a primary operating mode control switch and one control lever can have a secondary operating mode control switch accessible for activation without releasing a grip on the control lever and, when activated, momentarily switches the control unit from the operating mode dedicated by the primary operating mode selector switch to an alternative momentary operating mode, the switching being active as long as the secondary operating mode control switch is activated.

An automated vehicle comprising: a control unit configured to control movement of the automated vehicle to a location adjacent an estimated location of a drill hole; a scanning portion including one or more scanning devices configured to scan an area of terrain in the vicinity of the estimated location of the drill hole in order to determine an actual location of the drill hole, and to generate a point cloud representing at least a portion of the interior of the drill hole; at least one arm associated with the scanning portion, the at least one arm configured to move the scanning portion between a home position and one or more scanning positions; and an end effector associated with the at least one arm, the end effector being configured to perform one or more operations;
wherein, upon generating the point cloud, the at least one arm is configured, based on the point cloud, to position the end effector in substantial alignment with the drill hole so that the end effector can perform the one or more operations.

An automated operational and mission planning system for power unit and implement operations. The system generating connection profiles based on power unit profiles and implement profiles to facilitate operational controls for a combined machine system. The mission planning system generating plans for selected projects using implement-based operation instructions. The operational system onboard the power unit executing mission plan with connection profile adjustments to drive implement operation.

A management system of a work site includes: a workplace data acquisition unit that acquires workplace data set in a workplace where an unmanned haul vehicle travels; and a sprinkling area setting unit that sets, on the basis of the workplace data, a sprinkling area on which the unmanned sprinkler vehicle sprinkles water in the workplace.

A system for presenting information to a human to avoid dangers such as collisions, without hindering the respective movement of the human and an autonomous machine. The human-machine cooperative control system manages each movable region so that the human and the autonomous machine do not collide. The system comprises a moving body position measurement unit comprising at least sensor for measuring the position of moving bodies, including a human and a machine; a moving body motion prediction unit for predicting future motion of a subject moving body on the basis of a moving body position; an exclusive management unit for planning a movable region for each moving body on the basis of a planned route for the unmanned machine and a moving body predicted motion obtained from the moving body motion prediction unit; and an information presentation unit for presenting information about the movable region for the human.

A guidance system for remotely guiding a work machine along a virtual path. The system uses a vision system to capture image data representative of areas surrounding the work machine. The image data is used to produce a spatial map. Analysis of image data allows the work machine's then-current position to be represented on the spatial map. A virtual path extending from the work machine's position is next added to the spatial map. The virtual path may be generated in response to external input provided at the display showing an image of the spatial map. Using continuously-updated image data, the work machine is driven toward the virtual path. During operation, the actual path of the work machine is compared to the virtual path. If any deviation between the paths is detected, the trajectory of the work machine is automatically adjusted.

A system for autonomous or semi-autonomous operation of a vehicle is disclosed. The system includes a machine automation portal (MAP) application configured to enable a computing device to (a) display a map of a work site and (b) provide a graphical user interface that enables a user to (i) define a boundary of an autonomous operating zone on the map and (ii) define a boundary of one or more exclusion zones. The system also includes a robotics processing unit configured to (a) receive the boundary of the autonomous operating zone and the boundary of each exclusion zone from the computing device, (b) generate a planned command path that the vehicle will travel to perform a task within the autonomous operating zone while avoiding each exclusion zone, and (c) control operation of the vehicle so that the vehicle travels the planned command path to perform the task.

A work machine includes a moving boom, an ultra-wideband system (UWB) having one UWB tag and a number of UWB anchors, a marking apparatus that can be handled by a user and can be operated by the user, and a control unit. The UWB tag is mounted on the marking apparatus. The control unit is designed so as, when the marking apparatus is operated, to store a position of the UWB tag ascertained by way of the UWB system at the time of the operation and to control the operation of the mobile work machine on the basis of the ascertained position.

Mined material is transported within and outside a mine (10) in containers (26) that are fixed. discrete load units. namely containers that define a fixed maximum volume that can be carried in each container. The containers can be carried on or coupled to and then removed from vehicles (16) or other transport options. such as flatbed trucks. flatbed rail carriages or overhead suspension units. The containers can be stored at designated container storage facilities (28) in the mine. The container storage facilities are holding areas for loaded containers at mines until decisions are made to transport the containers to mineral processing plants (30) in the mine or to end-use customers. for example via rail to a shipping port (24).