Seeing through dust and water vapor: Millimeter wave radar sensors for mining applications: Research Articles

  • Authors:

  • Graham Brooker;Ross Hennessey;Craig Lobsey;Mark Bishop;Eleonora Widzyk-Capehart

  • Affiliations:

  • Australian Centre for Field Robotics Rose St. Building (J04) University of Sydney Sydney, Australia, 2006;Australian Centre for Field Robotics Rose St. Building (J04) University of Sydney Sydney, Australia, 2006;Australian Centre for Field Robotics Rose St. Building (J04) University of Sydney Sydney, Australia, 2006;Australian Centre for Field Robotics Rose St. Building (J04) University of Sydney Sydney, Australia, 2006;Department of Mining Engineering The University of Queensland CRCMining Brisbane, Australia, 4069

  • Venue:
  • Journal of Field Robotics
  • Year:
  • 2007

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Abstract

This paper defines the issues required for the development of successful visualization sensors for use in open cut and underground mines. It examines the mine environment and considers both the reflectivity of the rock and attenuation effects of dust and water droplets. Millimeter wave technology, as an alternative to the more commonly used laser and sonar implementations, is selected due to its superior penetration through adverse atmospheric conditions. Of the available radar techniques, frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) is selected as being the most robust. The theoretical performance of a number of 77 and 94 GHz FMCW millimeter wave radar systems is determined and these confirm the capability of these sensors in the mining environment. Implementations of FMCW radar sensors for simple ranging and three-dimensional surface profiling are discussed before data obtained during field trials in mines is presented to justify the selection of this technology. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.