automated mining project

© 2006 Carnegie Mellon Robotics AcademyDesigned for use with the LEGO MINDSTORMS® Education NXT Software and Base Set #9797

Automated Mining Project


Opening Activity

What tools do miners use, and how could automation of those tools help them?


Opening ActivityWhat tools do miners use, and how could automation of those tools help them?


Underground Mining

• Cost-efficiency is vital to the economic survival of the mining industry

• Mining is made efficient through the use of heavy machinery, run by human operators standing nearby Joy Mining Continuous Miner

Rotating drill head automatically delivers coalto conveyer belt system as it is extracted


Underground Mining

• The machinery can be dangerous if miners are not extremely careful

• The mine itself is dangerous– Cave-ins– Flooding– Disorientation


Automated Mining

• Automation can help to keep miners away from the most dangerous areas

Continuous Header SystemThis automated system designed by the

NREC allows operators to stay back from dangerous areas.


Automated Mining:Programming Review

Data Hubs & WiresCompare Block

Switch BlockDisplay Block


Data Hubs & Wires

Many blocks have data hubs which can be opened by clicking the notch in the lower-left corner of the block.

A data hub contains many data plugs, which allow information to flow in and out of the block.

Data wires control the flow of data between blocks.

Output plugs typically send out a sensor value, or the result of a computation.

Such information usually goes into another block’s input plug, allowing the reading or result to be used as a value inside the block.

Speed Controlled by SensorUltrasonic Sensor distance output plug controls

the value of the Move Block’s power setting


Compare Block

Performs a greater-than, less-than, or equal-to comparison of two values.

Values A and B are compared using the selected comparison operator.

Result is the outcome of the comparison, represented as a Logic value.

Example:A = 10B = 20Operation = “Less than”Result = (True)

Which is Brighter?With two different Light Sensors wired in to become

the A and B values, this Compare Block will give a resultof True if the one on Port 1 is brighter, and False if the

sensor on Port 2 is brighter (or they’re equal)


Switch Block: Logic Value

Switch blocks allow the program to observe a value, and choose between different paths of code to follow, based on the observed value.

Value Switch Blocks expose a data input plug, which must be wired to an appropriate source in the program. The input from this plug will be used to decide which group of blocks to run.

Logic Value Switch Blocks use a Logic value to decide which blocks to run. A True value will run the top branch, while a False value will run the bottom branch.

Sight or SoundBased on the value of the Logic value coming

through the green wire, this Switch willeither play a sound (if the value is True),or show a picture (if the value is False)


Display Block: Number

The Display Block displays images or text on the NXT’s LCD display.

The Display Block does not have built-in support for displaying Numbers. In order to display a Number, you must first convert it to Text using the Number to Text Block.

The Display Block must also be configured to display Text, or it will ignore the wired-in value.

Display Ultrasonic Sensor ValueUltrasonic Sensor reading is converted to Text

then displayed on the NXT’s LCD screen


• The mining industry is highly dependent on powerful but potentially hazardous equipment to work efficiently

• Automating these systems could allow human operators to stay farther away from dangerous areas

Summary

• Data hubs and wires allow important information to flow between different blocks in a program

• The Compare block lets you compare two values

• The Logic Value Switch Block lets you choose which code to run based on a Logic value

• Numbers can be displayed on the NXT’s LCD display, but must be converted using the Number to Text Block first

automated mining project

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