Most sensors used in mining operations have not materially changed since the middle of the last century. Most are still configured to have a sensing and signal converter/transmission module, allowing integration into a local or site-wide control system. With the significant increase in computing power, miniaturised solid state memory and rapid drop in cost of both, it is now possible to perform complex, data intensive calculations in the sensors themselves, rather than pushing big data or communicating analogue signals to centralised control systems.
CITATION: Monch, A A and Hadly, T D, 2019. Implementation of edge sensors into mining operations, in Proceedings Future Mining 2019, pp 142143 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).