A longwall mining system including a longwall shearer having cutting drums. The cutting picks on the cutting drum are monitored for wear using imaging devices mounted to the longwall mining system. Methods for monitoring wear includes a controller receiving image data from an imaging device directed at a cutting drum of a shearer. The controller analyzes the image data to determine a wear level of a cutting pick on the cutting drum. The controller then determines the wear level exceeds a wear threshold and, in response, generates an alert indicating that the cutting pick is worn in response to determining that the wear level exceeds the wear threshold.

A longwall mining system including a longwall shearer having cutting drums. The cutting picks on the cutting drum are monitored for wear using imaging devices mounted to the longwall mining system. Methods for monitoring wear includes a controller receiving image data from an imaging device directed at a cutting drum of a shearer. The controller analyzes the image data to determine a wear level of a cutting pick on the cutting drum. The controller then determines the wear level exceeds a wear threshold and, in response, generates an alert indicating that the cutting pick is worn in response to determining that the wear level exceeds the wear threshold.

The present invention relates to a method for 1 for controlling transmission of data in a data communication network, the transmission of data being a transmission of data between a mining and/or construction machine and a network node of said data communication network, said transmission of data being carried out at least partly over a wireless communication link. The method comprises: —estimating a measure of the communication capacity of said wireless link, the estimation being based at least partly on a round-trip time of a transmission over said wireless communication link, and —adapting the data transmission load of said mining and/or construction machine on the wireless communication link on the basis of said measure. The invention also relates to a system and a mining and/or construction machine.

Disclosed herein is a system for controlling a mining machine within an underground mine. A rotatable laser source sends laser light and return light sensor receives reflected laser light and provides an indication of distance and return light intensity at multiple different rotation angles. A co-ordinate reference point comprises a pattern of varying reflectivity and provides at least a 2D co-ordinate position. A processor determines an absolute co-ordinate position in space of the mining machine as the mining machine moves through the underground mine. The processor collects intensity values of reflected laser light for multiple respective rotation angles and detects the pattern of the reference point in the multiple intensity values of reflected laser light, and determines the absolute co-ordinate position in space of the mining machine based on spatial information of the detected pattern.

A lidar-based convergence deformation monitoring system for surrounding rock around a TBM shield region, including a data acquisition module. The data acquisition module includes: a lidar, a push-rod motor, an H-bridge circuit, a power supply module, an ARM chip, a guide rod, a linear bearing, a tempered glass cover and a protective case. The lidar and the push-rod motor are connected to a lidar connector to acquire raw data of the surrounding rock and store the raw data in the ARM chip. A middle portion of a top plate of the protective case allows the lidar to extend out of the protective case. The protective case is fastened to an inner wall of the TBM shield through two mounting brackets on both sides of the protective case, and the inner wall facilitates the lidar to extend out of the protective case to perform a measurement.

The invention relates to a control system for automatically monitoring machine tasks and workflows performed by agriculture, mining or construction machines, comprising a computer for enabling a user to configure sensors and actuators and for reading sensor and actuator signals as sensor values and actuator statuses, a hardware interface for connecting the computer to an installed sensor and actuator network having a plurality of sensors and actuators, and a software configuration tool with a software interface, wherein the software interface enables a user to enter configuration instructions for instructing the computer, to configure a user-specifically customizable transformed sensor based on amending a sensor value and/or actuator status of a sensor and/or actuator of the sensor and actuator network and machine task based on logically linking sensor values, transformed sensor values and actuator statuses, wherein the user-specific customizability is enabled by providing a selectability, linkability and conditionability of sensor values, transformed sensor values and actuator statuses as variables, wherein at least two variables are logically linked and wherein at least one variable is conditioned based on using relational operators.

An apparatus includes a current excitation source, a roadheader telescopic protection cylinder, an electric rotating apparatus, auxiliary cutting teeth, a cutting head entity, a transmission shaft, an optical fiber ring protective housing, an optical fiber ring, an optical fiber current sensor control unit and a recovery electrode. The apparatus transmits an auxiliary current I.sub.e and a monitoring current I.sub.d to a coal seam. The auxiliary current I.sub.e and the monitoring current I.sub.d are homologous currents that are incompatible, and the auxiliary current I.sub.e squeezes the monitoring current I.sub.d, so the monitoring current I.sub.d monitors the environment of the coal seam. The monitoring current I.sub.d flows to the coal seam as, and a return current I.sub.f flows through the transmission shaft and a roadheader expansion part. The optical fiber ring measures the return current I.sub.f, when the roadheader is heading forward and encounters abnormal geological bodies.

Systems to bore or tunnel through various geologies in an autonomous or substantially autonomous manner can include one or more non-contact boring elements that direct energy at the bore face to remove material from the bore face through fracture, spallation, and removal of the material. The systems can automatically execute methods to control a set of boring parameters that affect the flux of energy directed at the bore face. Systems can further automatically execute the methods to trigger an optical sensor to capture images at the bore face, generate temperature profiles, identify spall fragments and hot zones and/or adjust a set of boring controls. For example, the system can execute methods to adjust a standoff distance between the system and the bore face, and adjust power and/or gas supply to the non-contact boring element.

Systems to bore or tunnel through various geologies in an autonomous or substantially autonomous manner can include one or more non-contact boring elements that direct energy at the bore face to remove material from the bore face through fracture, spallation, and removal of the material. The systems can automatically execute methods to control a set of boring parameters that affect the flux of energy directed at the bore face. Systems can further automatically execute the methods to trigger an optical sensor to capture images at the bore face, generate temperature profiles, identify spall fragments and hot zones and/or adjust a set of boring controls. For example, the system can execute methods to adjust a standoff distance between the system and the bore face, and adjust power and/or gas supply to the non-contact boring element.

An autonomous mining system includes a real-time digital video transmission sub-system configured to obtain video streams from underground, and transfer the video streams to a control center located above ground; and an exploration and maintenance sub-system located underground, and configured to extract a resource and bring the resource to the surface, based exclusively on commands received from the control center through the real-time digital video transmission sub-system.