Fictional depiction of the multi-robotic platform UX-1 in work in a flooded mine

UNEXMIN during April

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In April, UNEXMIN continued to develop, adapt and test instruments for the upcoming UX-1 robotic explorer prototype. Also in progress is the development of data collection, processing and analysis tools. Software development is a critical step, as gathering and processing meaningful data from the flooded mines will be challenging.

During this time, UNEXMIN was also presented and discussed in conferences and other events across Europe. The dissemination agenda is important as it makes the project visible to its target audience of engineers, geologists and other relevant researchers and industries:

EGU General Assembly 2017

UNEXMIN was presented by LPRC on the opening day of EGU 2017. Luís Lopes’ talk reviewed the most important aspects of the project such as the concept and methodology, work developed and in development, and the potential impact and future further developments. 

XXXI MicroCAD MultiScience Conference

UNEXMIN was also delivered as a plenary talk at the international XXXI MicroCAD MultiScience Conference in Hungary. The audience was given an overview of the project, as well as a unique insight into the work being developed by UNEXMIN’s technology-focussed partners.

Universidad Politécnica de Madrid

Led by Claudio Rossi, UNEXMIN’s partners at UPM won a scientific poster competition in an event held by the engineering school. UNEXMIN won this award from a pool of over 160 projects, covering all areas of engineering. Take a look at our award-winning poster here.

 

Work begins in the lab on UX-1: Part 1 – Tampere University of Technology

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The UNEXMIN project is now in its second year. After the first year, where work mainly focussed on preparatory tasks such as research and component-design, the project is now entering its most important phase prior to testing. During this phase, the custom-designed casing and instrumentation hardware will be manufactured and assembled to create the first UX-1 robotic prototype, which is due in the beginning of 2018.

General layout of the future UX-1 robot

Like much of the work done in the previous year, the majority of the workload in the coming months will be centred in the labs of some of the project’s partners, including TUT (Tampere University of Technology), UNIM (University of Miskolc), UPM (Universidad Politécnica de Madrid), INESC TEC (Instituto de Engenharia de Sistemas e Computadores, Tecnologia e Ciência), and RCI (Resources Computing International).

Hands-on lab-work is essential in UNEXMIN, where we are creating a new technology that will be capable of autonomously exploring and mapping flooded mines. For the success of the project, our team has to continually conduct research and testing and implement necessary modifications. Everything must be optimised and fine-tuned if all the equipment, such as the on-board computer, batteries, and thrusters, is to fit inside the spherical robotic prototype.

The work of TUT (Tampere University of Technology), one of the project’s leading partners, is mainly centred on the development of the robotics components of UX-1. TUT are responsible for a total of 10 predefined deliverables including ‘Robotic Platform Prototype requirement specifications‘, ‘Robotic Platform Prototype technical and mission specifications‘, and ‘Stakeholder-requirement specifications‘. Among their various other responsibilities, these deliverables are essential for the development of the robotic prototype and the definition of its available services.

The TUT team preparing the UX-1 plastic mock-up for a stability test

UNEXMIN meeting - visit TUT labs

A demonstration of TUT’s implemented UX-1 remote-operation capabilities

 

Since the beginning of the project, Jussi Aaltonen‘s team at TUT have been working on the definition of the robotics specifications that will serve has the base for construction the UX-1 prototypes. To date, TUT have designed and tested key robotics features necessary for implementation in flooded underground mines. TUT’s activities have included pool tests at their testing pool using a plastic mock-up of UX-1, functionality testing of robotics equipment in the laboratory, and also software and hardware testing.

A UX-1 plastic mock-up

The TUT team is currently finalising the technical specifications and mechanical design of the prototype, as well as building the pressure hull that will support the internal components of the robotics system. Fabrication of the pressure hull components will begin shortly, once the final mechanical analyses are complete. The first UX-1 prototype will be ready at the beginning of 2018!