The Emergency Supplemental Appropriation Act (ESA) allocated additional funding to NIOSH to develop certain critical technologies - Communications and Tracking being a major topic of interest. These funds target technologies that could be available for mine use within 24-36 months. The focus is on moving demonstrated prototypes to commercialization, or adapting commercialized technologies from other military or civilian sectors into mining. To address needs in a timely and cost-effective manner, the primary activity will be awarding competitive contracts. Simultaneously, NIOSH scientists and engineers have been studying promising technologies that could meet the urgent needs of mineworkers. They continue to meet with manufacturers, inventors and innovators, trade and labor organizations, academia, and industry to discuss options, alternatives, and needs. A number of opportunities were identified that have a reasonable likelihood of being commercialized and available for in-mine use within 36 months and procurement actions are underway. NIOSH also organized a Mine Emergency Communications Partnership to facilitate the development, evaluation, and implementation of communication and tracking system technology. The Partnership includes representatives from state and national mining associations, labor unions, state and federal regulatory agencies, manufacturers, and university and government researchers. The following sections will address current contract actions and highlight other recent reports and findings. Contract Activities
Reports and FindingsThis section contains updated reports and findings from the projects as they progress. Low Voltage Power Supply (LVPS) Working Group - NIOSH formed the Low Voltage Power Supply Working Group (LVPS) to resolve the conflicts between the use of backup power supplies for in-mine equipment and the MINER Act requirements for systems to remain operational after a disaster and existing regulations and safety practices.
Progress Report on Technology Development Under the Supplemental Appropriation SEC 7010 - In response to the Supplemental Appropriation SEC 7010, Congress appropriated funds to push critical disaster response technologies into the nation's mines in four areas: oxygen supply, communications and tracking, and refuge chambers. NIOSH is taking proactive measures to address these key areas.
Report to the Mine Safety and Health Research Advisory Committee (MSHRAC) - This committee is charged with providing advice to the Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services; the Director, CDC; and the Director, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), on priorities in mine safety and health research, including grants and contracts for such research, 30 U.S.C. 812(b)(2), Section 102(b)(2).
Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems-based Inertial Navigation Systems for Mining Applications - Inertial navigation is an established technology in guidance systems for aircraft, marine vessels, and other vehicles. The introduction of Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) has allowed the miniaturization of the sensors that provide the position tracking functions of Inertial Navigation Units. MEMS-based Inertial Navigation Units are now sufficiently small and power efficient to be worn by a person. These devices use accelerometers and gyroscopes to monitor a person’s velocity and heading as they walk. This technology has been proposed by several organizations for coal miner tracking applications.
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