ELIO
REMOTE CONTROLLED MINING
PROJECT INFO
UMEÅ INSTITUTE OF DESIGN/ 10 WEEKS / 2ND SEMESTER
TEAM - Prithvi Ranjan, Sandra Lundberg, Siyue Chen
METHODS
Ethnographic Research, Storytelling, Low-fi/High-fi prototyping, Multi-sensory design
CHALLENGES
blurring the boundaries between workroles, raising the issue and challenges of remote operations in the context of mining
Hom might tomorrow´s remote controlled mining interface/system look like?
INTRODUCTION
WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN IN THE CLOSER FUTURE?
The background of this design project is the current development in mining technology with the increasing use of automated, autonomous, electric and remote-controlled systems. These systems are increasingly used as the mining sites are located in remote locations where people find it challenging to work. How might we design and develop a control system and interface proposal that reduces the attention required for operators to run and supervise the mining machines so that more focus can be directed towards core tasks?
THE CHALLENGE
SHOULD WE EVEN TRY TO CONVEY THE ´REAL` EXPERIENCE?
With automation and remote operation becoming the future of mining, we are forced to rethink not only the physical location from where work takes place, but also what tasks that are performed and what new work roles that might emerge from it. There is a clear tension between on the one hand the complexity of (mining) control and on the other hand human skill. How might we find a balance between the two and what does that mean for the future of remote work?
OUR SOLUTION
ELIO, REMOTE CONTROLLED MINING SURFACE
Elio is a table with a morphing surface that will change its interface based on the two different work modes; monitoring and operating. By blurring the boundaries between the two roles, the interface will also allow for switching fluidly between the two modes. In this way we intend to help the user to focus on the main task at hand, quickly identify problems and intervene when necessary, while always being guided by the interface.
Blurring the boundaries
We imagine a scenario where one and the same person can dual responsibilities and work fluidly between monitoring the operations and operating the excavator. Tasks would be more varied and therefore less monotonous and it would also allow for closer, shared responsibility between colleagues.
This suggestion also proposes another challenge, because this requires future workers to have two different work roles and therefore skill sets, at the same time. How might we simplify the interface and system to accommodate these two very different work modes?
Elio a control system where only the necessary information and controls are immediately accessible to the user. The operation system will help filter the real-time data from the mine and translate it to the user in the form of controls (for operating) and information graphics (for monitoring).
Elio´s components
As Elio makes it possible to blur the boundaries between the role of the dispatcher and the one of the excavator operator, it is important, that the workstation provides a morphable and adaptive user interface.
Besides the technical packaging, the most important components of Elio include the technology of the digital twin, a GUI (graphical user interface), controls and a TUI (tangible user interface).
Digital twin
AND THE TECHNOLOGY BEHIND IT
A digital twin is a digital representation of a physical object or system.
The digital twin is represented by a volumetric display. A laser is detecting a cellulose particle in the air and rates it fast enough, so it´s trajectory appears as a solid line. If the image changes quick enough, it creates a moving picture.
Controls & how to use them
DISPATCHER/OPERATOR
We differentiate between two usecases of the controls. During the dispatcher role, they are only used if necessary. The smart system itself will activate a light indication to focus the attention on an upcoming task, especially focused on the driving of the autonomous trucks. During the excavator operator role, the controls are used to control the shovel angle. The user will gather information through realtime haptic feedback.
GRAPHICAL UI
Graphical User Interface
The interface makes use of both graphical- and tangible user interfaces to provide the representation that is best suited for each job role. A 3D representation of a zoomed in part of the mine landscape and excavator is visible to the user while operating; when monitoring, this landscape is replaced by a 2D graphic, which is better suited for reading detailed information and graphs.
MORPHING SURFACE
AND HOW TO RECREATE THE MINE´S LANDSCAPE
The surface of the table will change according to the location of the excavator, the point in the mine where you are going to work on. After finishing the task, the oper-ator will switch to the role of the supervisor. At the same point the tabletop will change to a plane, white surface, making it possible to project the GUI (graphical user interface) at the surface. It is possible to create the surface by moving pins in the necessary location.
The making of Elio.
Process
Elio was our first major project in the Master Programme in Interaction Design at Umeå Institute of Design (UID) focused on professional users. The aim of this project was to gain experience of the process of designing complex product or system solutions where both cognitive and physiological aspects are involved. The emphasis was of this project was on user observation, interviews, activity studies and task analysis as a methods for understanding and representing user behavior on a human-computer interaction level.
During this project we conducted an elaborate research phase. Based on our insights we started to look into future technologies and their values. Later on we started to ideate, explore and prototype our vision of remote mining in the future.
