Application of opto-tactile sensor in shearer machine design to recognise rock surfaces in underground coal mining

the success of automation applications in the mining industry traditionally has not been well. In many of these cases the benefits of automation have been advertised as the definitive solution to a wide variety of problems faced by the mining industry, such as increased safety and improved productivity. These applications have in many cases been introduced prematurely without adequate consideration of the rigors of the mining environment.