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NIOSH Communications and Tracking. Research Update. David Snyder, MS, PE NIOSH OMSHR March 17, 2010. Overview. NIOSH OMSHR role relative to C/T systems History of C/T Contracts awards Current Research Future Research Systems Quality Assurance NIOSH Points of Contact. NIOSH Role. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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NIOSH Communications and TrackingResearch UpdateDavid Snyder, MS, PENIOSH OMSHRMarch 17, 2010
Overview
• NIOSH OMSHR role relative to C/T systems• History of C/T Contracts awards• Current Research• Future Research• Systems Quality Assurance• NIOSH Points of Contact
MSHA Role NIOSH Role
Department of Labor(DOL)
OccupationalSafety and
HealthAdministration
(OSHA)
Mine Safetyand Health
Administration(MSHA)
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
National Institute forOccupational Safetyand Health (NIOSH)
Office of Mine Safety and Health Research (OSHMR)
Regulation/Enforcement Research, Training, andPrevention Recommendations
OSH Act of 1970
To assure safe and healthful working conditions for working men and women.
NIOSH Mission
To provide leadership in research to prevent work-related illness, injury, disability, and death.
Mining Program Mission…
To eliminate occupational diseases, injuries & fatalities from the mining workplace through a focused program of research & prevention
MINER Act of 2006
• The disaster at Sago Mine in West Virginia has highlighted the need for advanced communication and tracking systems that can function during an emergency.
• Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response Act of 2006. By June, 2009:– Wireless two-way communications– Electronic tracking system to locate miners
Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Bill
$23 M to push promising technology to the mines
– Funding to be administered by NIOSH through outside contracts
– Divided between communications & tracking, SCSRs, refuge chambers
Office of Mine Safety & Health Research
• Pittsburgh and Spokane research activities have been consolidated under one organization (OMSHR)– Newly created Electrical and Machine System Safety
Branch (EMSSB) includes the Communications and Tracking Research Area
– The Communications and Tracking team has been responsible for the administration of the contracts awarded under the ESA funds
• To date, OMSHR has awarded 21 contracts in the area of communications and tracking– Includes technology development and support contracts
Completed Devel. Contracts Contract No. (IAA)
Technology Source / Contractor Description
200-2007-21249 Extreme Endeavors and Consulting
Develop a miner tracking system based on inertial navigation and reverse RFID correction
200-2007-21250MSSI / L3 Global
Develop a miner tracking system based on ultra-wideband technology and reverse RFID correction
200-2007-20064 Becker/Pillar Innovations
Develop and install a survivable leaky feeder communications systems
200-2007-20388
Innovative Wireless/L3
Design, install, and evaluate a wireless mesh communication and tracking network in an underground coal mine
(07FED717801) Kutta Technologies/US Army CERDEC
Adapt a MF wireless communications system for use in underground mines
200-2008-26293
CSIRO
Evaluate the feasibility of a fiber optic sprinkler head emergency communications system for use in underground mines
200-2008-24502 US Sensor Systems Inc. Develop and demonstrate a modified, fiber optic-based perimeter security system to track personnel in underground coal mines
200-2008-26815 Rajant Corporation Develop a media converter device to interface wireless handheld radios with leaky feeder communication systems
Completed Support Contracts Contract No.
(IAA) Contractor/Agency Description200-2008-24620c Helium Networks
(SkyMark)Design and develop a tool for geographically accurate data collection and mapping wireless coverage areas and in underground coal mines
200-2008-26556 Foster-Miller, Inc. (QinetiQ)
Develop guidelines for safe management of electrical equipment and systems during a mine emergency or other abnormal circumstance
254-2008-27024 Foster-Miller, Inc. (QinetiQ)
Performance and Safety Investigation of Emergency Backup Batteries and Battery Charging Systems for Underground Mining Applications
200-2008-26864 Foster-Miller, Inc. (QinetiQ)
Develop a method to evaluate the reliability and survivability of underground communication, tracking, and atmospheric monitoring systems
(08FED898353) Defense Information Systems Agency, Joint Spectrum Center
Develop guidelines for safe and efficient use of the limited radio spectrum in underground mines
(08FEB898345) NIST National Institute of Standards and Technology
Develop modeling and simulation tools to evaluate the performance of underground mine wireless communications networks
200-2008-27444 CERMUSA Center of Excellence for Remote Medically Underserved Areas
Evaluate the efficacy of deploying a vehicular satellite and other communication system for use during mine rescue and other emergency events
200-2008-24628 Foundation Telecommunications Inc.
Develop a Universal Signal Evaluation Package for multiple frequency bands, adapt a passive magnetic amplifier for 900 MHz, and investigate energy harvesting technologies
NIOSH Workshops & Tutorial
• Mining Communications and Tracking Workshop – Presented an overview of communications and
tracking systems and summary of contract findings• Included presentations and display booths by equipment
manufacturers• May 13-14 2009, Lakewood, CO | May 19-20 2009,
Charleston, WV• NIOSH Tutorial on Communications and Tracking
was presented and copies given to the attendees
NIOSH Internet Resources• NIOSH OMSHR web site is a valuable
information resource– Summaries of the NIOSH contract activities– Request form for contract reports– Copies of the workshop presentations– Request form for the NIOSH tutorial– Copies of archived research from USBM
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/mining/
Post ESA funding opportunities
• OMSHR continues to be interested in innovative technology ideas to improve MINER safety and health– ESA fund was a one-time appropriation and future
contract awards will come from OMSHR base budget– Broad Agency Announcement is the contract solicitation
mechanism– Mine Test Bed tentatively planned as a competitive
solicitation– Other funding opportunities are available through the
CDC/NIOSH grants program• Relatively few contract awarded post ESA
Current contracts
• Our continued focus is the post disaster functioning of systems• Primary Systems and Secondary Systems• Current focus is on Secondary Communications Systems and
techniques to improving survivability of systems– Fewer number of active components is generally better for
both survivability and reliability
Primary Communications
• Primary communications systems are those that:– Operate in the conventional radio bands– Use small antennas that allow the miner to have
wearable devices with long battery life– Have sufficient throughput for general operations
• Leaky feeder and node based systems are examples of primary systems
Secondary Systems
• Medium Frequency Systems and TTE Systems are viable secondary systems that can provide alternate communications paths out of the mine
• A secondary system is one which:– Operates in non-conventional frequency bands– Uses a large antenna that is best suited for fixed locations
or portable applications– Does not have sufficient throughput for general operations
Coverage of Critical Areas with Wireless Systems
Wireless Coverage has tremendous safety advantage for the miners
Survivability …….. The Challenge
What happens if 2000 feet of all entries are lost?
Survivability……..The Goal Alternate Communication Paths
Survivability the Approach
• The principal challenge for post accident operation is survivability
• Lesson learned: Survivability is most practically achieved through alternate communications paths.– No practical way to harden primary communications
infrastructure to survive any conceivable event
• Survivability has as much to do with the design and installation as it does the technology– Mine specific design approach
Alternate Communications Paths for Leaky Feeder
Alternate Communications Paths for Node based systems
Alternate Communications Paths for Node based systems (Mesh)
Alternate Communications Paths• Ideally the alternate communications path is “truly diverse”
and highly reliable• Independent failure mechanisms
– No shared components between the primary and alternate path that would fail from a common event
• Minimum number of active components (those that require electricity) yields the highest reliability
• Secondary Systems offer the best potential for an alternate communications path– A borehole directly to the miner would be the “ideal”
alternate communications path
Medium Frequency Communications
Through the Earth (TTE) Communications
Fiber 1,000,000,000,000 bps
Wires 1,000,000,000bps
Primary Wireless Systems 1,000,000bps
Secondary Systems a few thousand to less than 100 bps
Dec
reas
ing
Thro
ughp
ut
Interoperability Challenge
• Interoperability with digital and multi-channel communications is more complicated
• How do we ensure that only emergency traffic is directed to this secondary system?
Hybrid Systems will need to be developed to address the “bandwidth mediation” challenge.
Normal Operations
Emergency MessagesEmergency Messages
UHF Medium Frequency
Conductor
UHF (leaky feeder) to MF Interoperability
Current Research
• In search of the “Infrastructure Autonomous System”– TTE systems development– Medium Frequency systems
• C/T Interoperability– National Institute of Standards to host an Interoperability
working group• “GPS denied” navigation and tracking• C/T Systems Safety
Current ContractsContract No. Contractor Description200-2007-22843 Lockheed Martin
CorporationTTE - Develop and demonstrate a two-way, through-the-earth communication system for mines using advanced noise cancellation techniques to support voice and text
200-2008-26818 E-Spectrum Technologies
TTE - Adapt an existing ULF through-the-earth system for communication and tracking of underground miners
200-2008-25720 Alertek, LLC TTE - Develop a battery-powered, through-the-earth wireless voice communication system for overburdens of up to 600 feet
200-2009-32117 Stolar Research, Inc. TTE - Design, fabricate, and test a prototype, two-way, through-the-earth emergency communication system using gradiometer approach.
200-2009-31292 Ultra Electronics Canada Defence Inc
TTE - Fabricate and test through-the-earth communication devices in an underground mine. A portable magnetic field direction finder will be demonstrated.
200-2009-31502 CONSPEC Controls Inc. Investigate the development of a robust, intrinsically safe system that will incorporate atmospheric monitoring into two-way communications and tracking systems.
200-2009-31346 URS Group Incorporated Develop Risk Assessment Guidelines for Identifying, Assessing, and Mitigating Stored Energy Hazards in Underground Coal Mines During and After a Mine Emergency
Future ResearchElectrical Safety and Communications Team headed by Dr. Joe Waynert– Future C/T technology research will be conducted
under this team– Currently staffing to expand in-house research
capabilities in the post ESA environment – In-house research is consistent with traditional
approach and current budget– Process includes formulating structured research
projects which are peer reviewed and normally have a 3 to 5 year timeframe
Technology Research Areas
• The team is formulating research projects in the areas of:– Signal Propagation & Systems Modeling– Communications & Tracking Systems Safety – Communications & Tracking Systems Improvement
• The focus of the Electrical Safety and Communications team is the improvement of the safety, reliability and survivability of the C/T systems
Applications Research
The introduction of wireless communications and tracking systems in the mines introduces endless possibilities of new applications for health, safety, and productivity improvements.– Similar to the introduction of the Internet in to homes– Need to avoid the dot com boom – bust pitfall– Future applications should be driven by clearly
defined requirements and solid needs analysis
Applications Research (cont.)
OMSHR will be considering additional research relative to the application and use of C/T systems. Areas of potential interest include:– Mine wide sensor systems using C/T backbones to improve safety– Roof control– Atmospheric Monitoring– Mine rescue applications– Biological monitoring of miners or rescue team members– Proximity Detection– Others
Systems Quality AssuranceThe introduction of wireless communications and tracking systems also introduces the need to ensure the quality and compliance of these systems. – Measurement tools and techniques need to be developed– Predictive tools and analysis techniques are needed.– Design of Systems– Calculating Survivability of systems – Performance Goals need to be established in a manner that
enables compliance determination. • Examples, tracking “accuracy”, system survivability, etc.
(See 3.1.6 of NIOSH Tutorial for more)
MineComms MapperTM
from SkyMark (Helium Networks)
Collect radio frequency data throughout the mine.
Track location continuously, quickly, easily.
Generate accurate coverage maps.
Improve mine-wide communications coverage.
Verify coverage to meet Miner Act requirements.
Commercially Available
Steve David (412-371-0680)
OMSHR Points of Contact• OMSHR Points of Contact relative to C/T systems technology and
applications– Dave Snyder, CT systems Technology and Systems QA– Rich Unger, Proximity Detection Applications– Floyd Varley, Mine Rescue Applications– Tom Barczak, Roof Control Applications– Joel Haight, Biological Monitoring Applications– Ed Thimons, Atmospheric Monitoring Applications
• For more information on OMSHR points of contacts and current research please contact:
Gerry Finfinger E-mail: Gfinfinger@cdc.gov Phone: 412/386-6550
Improving Mineworker Health & Safety Through Research &
Prevention
Never forgetting it’s about the health & safety of the mineworker!
Thank You!• For more information please visit:
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/mining/
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