In August 2018 BuilderX was created, a startup involved in the Chinesemining industry specializing in advanced systems for heavy machinery. With the main objective of guaranteeing the safety and protection of the operators of this type of equipment, the company developed an innovative solution that enables the remote control of mining and construction machines.
By eliminating the presence of an operator inside the equipment, a hugerange of possibilities in terms of safety and flexibility in this type of operation opens up. With the adoption of this technology, more unstable stretches of land and mines can be accessed more smoothly, eliminating the risk of human losses from the equation. In addition, interesting doors open for a more efficient use of the workforce, since the hiring of specialized workers for remote sites or other places with limited availability of labor can be done more easily, considering candidates from other regions and maybe even from other countries.
The tool is composed of a series of cameras, sensors, coordinated by theuse of artificial intelligence and connected via 5G Internet, which creates the conditions for the operation of the equipment by someone from a few meters to even thousands of kilometers away.
According to the company's CEO, Shaolong Sui, highly accurate andresistant sensors are used in conjunction with inertial measurement units and cameras. The algorithms behind all of this are key to ensuring the excavator arm functions like a robotic arm with very precise and fast movements. For the detection of objects in the vicinity, the solution has a 360-degree camera in
addition to a system that issues real-time alerts about the presence of pedestrians on all sides, applying automatic brakes when necessary. “We are focused on solving the real problems of operators with a stable and mature technology. Our main objective is to acquire enough data and knowledge to be able to use this solution for a fully autonomous operation of these equipments.”
For now, the main challenge for system operation is user training,noting that operating a remote-controlled mining excavator will never be the same experience as being in the cab, operators need training and practice, gaining confidence and safety in handling.
BuilderX technology can be applied to any make and model of excavator,including those weighing 700t or more. “We are also applying our technology in other segments, for example, in drilling rigs that are being used in the Sichuan-Tibet High Speed Railway project, which involves many tunnel excavation projects. ”
Currently, the company already has its solution present in more than 20pieces of equipment in China. By the end of 2021, it is expected to enter the Japanese market, being the first contract in this country aimed at implementing the solution for an excavator that will be fully controlled by an operator in Chinese territory.