Development of a real-time georeferenced subsurface radar system for mining applications

Abstract

The paper describes the development of a new integrated sensing system that provides real-time, georeferenced subsurface information for enhancing mining equipment operation. The system incorporates subsurface radar sensing, pose estimation, embedded computing, custom processing algorithms, wireless Ethernet, and advanced 3D visualization to provide a unique real-time sensing capability. Details on the implementation architecture are given with an emphasis on the need for real-time, multi-sensor synchronization for accurate position estimation. Practical deployment of the sensing system on a mobility platform is described to demonstrate the potential value of the system for mining and related applications.