Cementation Americas is continuing its collaboration with LoopX as it enters the next phase of testing of their state-of-the-art personnel detection system. This session’s operational trial involves the use of jumbo drills at Cementation Americas’ North American maintenance facility.
The mining services company states: “By simulating underground conditions and conducting testing overnight, we are helping to validate how this AI-driven, camera and LiDAR-based safety solution can protect workers in real-time, bringing the industry one step closer to achieving zero harm on project sites.”
It adds: “The LoopX technology brings forth proactive hazard detection and dynamic safety. We are proud to be reshaping the future of mine safety, technology and innovation together with LoopX.”
LoopX states: “Thank you to Cementation Americas for highlighting our joint innovation on BoomGuard – an AI-powered safety system designed for boom machines like jumbo drills, bolters, and shotcrete sprayers.”
It adds that boom machines have large moving arms and limited visibility, creating serious risks in tight underground spaces. “Operators often can’t see workers nearby, especially when the boom is extended. This can lead to severe injuries if someone enters the danger zone. Traditional safety methods like barricades and 2D lasers have major limitations – they’re hard to maintain, easy to bypass, and can’t reliably tell people apart from objects.”
BoomGuard uses advanced vision AI trained on real mining data to detect pedestrians all around the machine. It warns workers using lights and automatically stops the boom if someone enters a hazardous area.
The Ontario Centre of Innovation has also been involved in funding the work through its Critical Industrial Technologies program.