Prototype for underwater exploration of land mines tested with success
14th November 2017
The test was carried out in the United Kingdom during the end of October with the help of the partners that have been working on the several components of the project, namely INESC TEC (Portugal), SMD Ltd (United Kingdom) and Damen Dredging Equipment (the Netherlands).
A group of nearly 30 people watched the test. Divided into small groups, the visitors received safety instructions and were then taken by boat to the launch and recovery vessel, located in the demonstration area in Lee Moor (Devon, United Kingdom). There, visitors had the chance to inspect the mining vehicle and to see the implementation and recovery of the prototype.
The test also included a visit to the data and unit control centre using virtual reality, where all the machinery is controlled and where the data is collected in real-time.
The Institute for Systems and Computer Engineering, Technology and Science (INESC TEC) has been one of the key partners in this project that is building a robotic prototype for underwater mining and all the associated launch and recovery equipment, which are being used to conduct tests on mineral deposits in four different locations in the European Union.
“This project was initially conceptualised by me and by Professor Eduardo Silva of INESC TEC. We are very pleased with the positive results of this first test phase, from which we can highlight the fact that we managed to overcome civil problems and have good access to the Lee Moor pit, that we increased the differentiation capacity of minerals, that we increased the processing of data almost in real-time and provided good quality images to pilots, or the fact that the integrated control systems worked well”, says Stef Kapusniak, technical coordinator of the iVAMOS! project and person responsible for the project at SMD, who will be in Porto during the 15th and 16th of November to participate in the Strongmar - Um Mar de Tecnologia conference.
Since the prototype of iVAMOS! is based on deep sea mining technics, it will secure a safer and less polluting option for the economic use of the mineral deposits that can’t currently be explored using traditional methods.
“We are very happy with the results we achieved up to this phase of the project, which confirm that this new “way” of mining will contribute to the recovery of the European mining industry. During a first phase, it will allow to get back to work in a substantial part of the mines that were abandoned in recent years and during a second phase, it will contribute with technology for deep sea mining” states Eduardo Silva, person responsible for ¡VAMOS! at INESC TEC.
¡VAMOS! is now being demobilised in the United Kingdom and getting ready to be transported to the next demonstration site.
For more information: http://vamos-project.eu/
For more information:
Joana Desport Coelho
Communication Service
INESC TEC
FEUP Campus
Rua Dr Roberto Frias
4200-465 Porto
Portugal
T +351 22 209 4297
M +351 919 119 721
Porto, the 14th of November of 2017