An “optimal automatic blasting-design system”—which automatically generates optimal blasting patterns from rock hardness and softness data acquired during drilling by a computer-controlled drill jumbo— was developed. Based on this blasting-design system, the computer-controlled drill jumbo performs the drilling operation automatically. As the number of holes and the volume of explosives are optimized, the amount of overbreak is reduced by 60% and the cycle time by 20% compared to the manual operations.

By creating a map of the tunnel based on measurement data from a LiDAR device installed on the wheel loader and utilizing SLAM technology to estimate the loader’s position in real time, it is possible to automate the loading, transportation, and unloading of excavated debris even inside tunnels on non-GNSS environments. By combining the wheel loader with a remotely-controlled backhoe, we have demonstrated complete unmanned operation in the vicinity of the face during mucking operations.

We developed an “automatic shotcreting system” for automatically generating a shotcreting plan based on measurements of the rock surface obtained by 3D laser scanner and program-controlling two nozzles on the left and right sides of the shotcreting machine. The tunnel support is carried out using a “erection guidance system” that remotely controls the erector according to the calculated position of the attached target. As a result, it is possible for a single operator to carry out shotcreting and erection from the driver’s seat and without having to enter the area near the work face.