INDIRES is a 3-year collaborative research project which has received
funding from the European Research Fund for Coal and Steel (RFCS). The
project addresses the crucial issue of rapidly acquiring and providing
information, which is a key necessity in the effective response to a
serious mining incident. Numerous new initiatives in mines rescue will
be addressed, and these are expected to bring major benefits in the
safety and welfare of affected miners and the mine’s ongoing operations
and profitability. Multi-robot rescue system formed by two undeground mobile robots, UAV and snake-like robot will be used for environment evaluation and rescue. Two novel communication technologies will be
researched, sensors capable of withstanding explosions and fires will be
produced and small unmanned vehicles will be developed for initial
information gathering. Compact yet highly efficient mechanical aids will
be designed for drilling exploratory tunnels and supporting these
excavations, and tools for software simulation will be developed.