Magnetic Through-The-Earth Miner Transceiver for Emergency Communications

用于紧急通信的磁透地矿工收发器

• 批准号: 8200559
• 负责人: John Matthews
• 金额: $ 15万
• 依托单位: PHYSICAL OPTICS CORPORATION
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 财政年份: 2011
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2011-09-01 至 2012-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/8200559
• 关键词: Magnetic; Through; Earth; Miner; Transceiver

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Mining accidents are still a regular occurrence, often resulting in the loss of dozens of lives. Many of these fatalities could have been averted had there been a reliable emergency communications system in place to provide life-saving information to search-and-rescue parties and to trapped miners. To address this problem, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a handheld transceiver for two-way through-the-earth communications (voice, text, and beacon), based on novel transceiver hardware and data processing algorithms, designed for operation in the 1 Hz to 10 kHz band. Operation in the extremely low frequency (ELF) and very low frequency (VLF) bands ensures that mine-to-surface communications can be maintained in all emergency situations. Innovations in the receiver enable maintaining a communication link with a surface transmitter through more than 2000 ft of overburden with only a handheld device no larger than a walkie-talkie. Underground transmitter power is limited, both for safety and for battery longevity-a zero-power beacon is included for situations where battery power is completely depleted. Application of customized digital noise reduction data processing allows the surface receiver to detect the weak signals arriving from the underground transmitter, amid the mine environmental noise. These advantages also make the proposed transceiver commercially attractive, since it is based largely on integration of existing technology, and potential markets include not only mine safety, but also the construction and energy industries, in addition to numerous military and security applications. As a result, POC's proposed research will significantly and positively impact the safety of personnel involved in underground operations by providing a reliable, compact, through-the-earth communications system. This directly supports the mission of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health to improve safety and health of mining workers. The goal of Phase I is to determine the longest range and highest data rate that can reliably be achieved for communication between a surface rescue team and an underground miner with only a handheld-sized device, based purely on through-the-earth communication that is completely safe for mine use, without relying on additional infrastructure. POC plans to demonstrate the feasibility of the concept by designing and assembling a breadboard prototype to confirm the transmit/receive characteristics of the design. The Phase I project will establish a solid scientific foundation and define the major performance and technical parameters for the full-scale engineering of a mature fully functional prototype that will be tested for operation in a mine environment in Phase II. POC will ensure the design meets Mine Safety and Health Administration regulations. Successful development of this technology will result in an entirely new emergency communications system that will overcome the safety, reliability, power, and size issues of current mine communications technology. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The proposed handheld radio transceiver will offer two-way voice, text, and data communications for underground mine workers that can be used to communicate with search and rescue teams on the surface in case of a mine emergency such as fire, explosion, or roof cave-in. Fully compliant with mine safety regulations, the transceiver offers robust communication through up to 2000 ft overburden.

描述（由申请人提供）：采矿事故仍然是定期发生的，通常会导致数十种生命。如果建立了可靠的紧急通信系统，可以避免其中许多死亡，以便为搜索和救援方提供救生信息和被困的矿工。为了解决这个问题，物理光学公司（POC）提议根据新颖的收发器硬件和数据处理算法开发用于双向遍地通信（语音，文本和信标）的手持式收发器，该算法是为操作而设计的。 1 Hz至10 kHz频段。以极低的频率（ELF）和非常低的频率（VLF）频段的操作确保可以在所有紧急情况下保持矿山到地面通信。接收器中的创新能够通过超过2000英尺的覆盖量与表面发射机保持通信链接，而只有一个不超过对讲机的手持设备。地下发射机功率受到限制，无论是安全性还是用于电池寿命 - 零功率信标都包括电池电量完全耗尽的情况。定制数字降噪数据处理的应用使地面接收器可以在矿山环境噪声中检测从地下发射器到达的弱信号。这些优势还使拟议的收发器在商业上具有吸引力，因为它主要基于现有技术的整合，并且潜在市场不仅包括矿山安全，还包括建筑和能源行业，除了众多的军事和安全应用外。结果，POC提出的研究将通过提供可靠，紧凑的地下通信系统，从而对地下行动的人员的安全产生重大和积极的影响。这直接支持美国国家职业安全与健康研究所的使命，以改善采矿工人的安全和健康。第一阶段的目的是确定地面救援团队与仅具有手持式设备的地下矿工之间的交流的最长范围和最高数据速率，纯粹基于纯粹的地面通信完全安全地用于矿山，而无需依靠其他基础架构。 POC计划通过设计和组装面包板原型来证明该概念的可行性，以确认设计的传输/接收特征。第一阶段项目将建立一个扎实的科学基础，并定义成熟功能性原型的全尺度工程的主要性能和技术参数，该原型将在II阶段的矿山环境中进行测试。 POC将确保该设计符合矿山安全与健康管理法规。该技术的成功开发将导致一个全新的紧急通信系统，该系统将克服当前矿山通信技术的安全性，可靠性，功率和规模问题。 公共卫生相关性：拟议的手持无线电收发器将为地下矿工工人提供双向声音，文字和数据通信，这些工人可用于与地表紧急情况（例如火灾，爆炸，爆炸）的搜索和救援团队进行交流，或屋顶洞穴。该收发器完全符合矿山安全法规，可通过最高2000英尺的过渡提供强大的沟通。