{"id":12081,"date":"2026-03-17T19:10:06","date_gmt":"2026-03-17T19:10:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/northamericanmining.com\/?p=12081"},"modified":"2026-03-17T19:10:08","modified_gmt":"2026-03-17T19:10:08","slug":"crossing-the-line","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/northamericanmining.com\/index.php\/2026\/03\/17\/crossing-the-line\/","title":{"rendered":"Crossing the line"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Hexagon, already active in the mine safety space, has been working with great focus on its mission to take collision avoidance underground. The company recently spoke with NAM about getting to the crucial juncture and what\u2019s ahead.<\/h6>\n\n\n\n
by Donna Schmidt<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n
\nHexagon has been working for some time to transition its collision avoidance system technology for use underground.<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
Hexagon has been working for some time to transition its collision avoidance system technology for use underground.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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\u201cAt Hexagon, everything we do in mining is grounded in one non-negotiable principle: people must go home safely at the end of every shift,\u201d according to mining president David Goddard. Therein lies the core of Hexagon\u2019s work, boosting safety even further for all miners through its systems.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
It is that, too, which served as a jumping-off point for its continued work in the area of miner safety related to the company\u2019s collision avoidance system and taking that underground. That work went into high gear last July when it set what it called a benchmark for mine safety with a world-first system integration: the launch of its Operator Alertness System (OAS) 7.5, which integrated operator alertness monitoring with the company\u2019s Collision Avoidance System (CAS 10) to deliver insights into vehicle interactions and operator behavior.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The new release featured numerous enhancements expanding upon the existing capabilities of OAS. Last summer, Hexagon said integration with CAS 10 would enable the automatic capture and display of predicted collision event videos, giving safety personnel a real-time window into critical events and operator performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The system was tested in a field deployment at Whitehaven Coal\u2019s operations in Australia; the trial spanned an entire fleet and ran for more than a cumulative 10,000 operating hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the field, the integration worked with exceptional processing efficiency, averaging just 5.8 seconds for event videos to be remotely available for review, and all with minimal network impact due to advancements in edge-based video data handling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Whitehaven Coal called the trial \u201ca significant step forward\u201d for operational safety and data-driven learning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhitehaven has concluded a successful trial that integrated Hexagon\u2019s OAS and CAS technologies, providing a step forward in vehicle interaction and collision awareness learnings. This successful trial was achieved through genuine collaboration, innovation, and a shared drive to make mining operations safer.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n
\nWhitehaven, where Hexagon\u2019s OAS and CAS technologies were tested, said a successful trial came from genuine collaboration, innovation, and a shared safety drive.<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
A key step forward: MTU<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Hexagon\u2019s work took another giant leap forward in December 2025 when the company signed an agreement with Montana Technological University, granting access to the university\u2019s Underground Mine Education Center (UMEC), including its training drifts and specialised equipment. Under the agreement and pact, Hexagon gained real-work environment capabilities for its testing of underground technologies, particularly collision avoidance, operator safety, and advanced simulation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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\u201cAs mines expand deeper in pursuit of scarcer deposits, operators face tightening spaces, reduced visibility, and rising safety risks. Hexagon\u2019s solutions already address fatigue, situational awareness, and underground development challenges,\u201d the company said in December.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
Goddard stressed that the work with the university offers an unprecedented proving ground to accelerate life-saving innovation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAt the same time, we\u2019re helping future miners engage directly with the tools reshaping their industry. It\u2019s a partnership that advances safety, technology, and talent,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
UMEC\u2019s full-scale mine environment enables rigorous testing of sensors, algorithms, and operator-machine interactions. Hexagon will use the site for simulation, validation, training, and demonstrations, helping bridge the gap between laboratory development and operational deployment while strengthening industry-academic collaboration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hexagon\u2019s broadening role<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Goddard told NAM<\/em> that collision avoidance is not a standalone feature; it is foundational. It is the starting point for building trust in connected systems and for creating operations where digital intelligence actively protects people in real time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cFrom that safety foundation, we help customers optimise the entire mining value chain \u2013 every drill hole, blast, bucket movement, and processing step generates data, but too often that knowledge is siloed across fleets, vendors, and departments,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBy connecting workflows across geology, planning, operations, and processing, we ensure that insight flows as seamlessly as material does. We are working towards a living, continuously evolving digital representation of the mine that links long-term plans with day-to-day execution, enabling better decisions that improve not only productivity and recovery, but also risk management on the ground.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Both he and Hexagon are proud of the fact that its changing system is OEM-agnostic and open, as it is the reality of many mines today. Mines operate mixed fleets and diverse technology ecosystems, and safety systems must work across all of them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBy connecting technologies without imposing walled gardens, we enable consistent collision avoidance, situational awareness, and decision support across equipment types and vendors. The result is an operation that does not have to choose between safety and performance \u2014 where protecting people and optimising value are part of the same integrated system.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When it came time to integrate ahead of last July\u2019s announcement, it all simply made sense and was what Goddard called a \u201cdeliberate step\u201d to creating a more unified and contextualized safety ecosystem. It was also a goal of Hexagon to put the system into a field test with a customer, so a perfect opportunity came to light with Whitehaven.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Since July, over 10 customers across different regions (including Australia, Colombia, Chile, and Canada) have followed suit and upgraded to OAS 7.5.<\/p>\n\n\n
\nCollision avoidance is not a standalone feature; it is foundational.<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
Making it all work: an inside look<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Goddard pointed out that the integration went to the inside and worked outward; that is, rather than adding further hardware into already complex cab environments, the integration was executed at the server level. There was no need for mines to acquire additional onboard equipment, as systems already installed in the fleet are able to be connected remotely with minimal disruption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHistorically, collision avoidance and operator alertness have often operated alongside each other as separate systems. The integration changes that dynamic. It allows mines to move beyond viewing safety technologies as parallel tools and instead manage them as a single, cohesive operator safety platform,\u201d he noted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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\u201cCollision avoidance events can now be understood in the context of fatigue, operator behavior, overspeeding, and GNSS-related data. In practical terms, this elevates CAS from being primarily an alert-based system inside the vehicle to becoming part of a broader, contextual safety framework that supports both real-time decision-making and longer-term risk reduction.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
A key opportunity created by the integration, then, lies in the depth of insight it provides. Historically, collision data was analyzed through trends, heat maps, and event counts to establish KPIs and identify high-risk zones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, combining CAS data with OAS video footage makes events tangible and easier to interpret. Said Goddard: \u201cSafety teams can review predicted collision events alongside visual context, helping them understand root causes, validate alarms, tune system settings, and conduct more informed investigations. The result is a shift from reacting to isolated alerts towards proactively managing systemic risk.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At the same time as the integration, mine safety was at the heart of another crucial move for Hexagon: the launch of ArcSAR Neo system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In January of this year, IDS GeoRadar, part of Hexagon, launched the ArcSAR Neo system to strengthen slope-risk management and mine safety.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Unlike other existing GB SAR systems, which map two-dimensional radar data into three-dimensional models, ArcSAR Neo captures three-dimensional information directly during monitoring operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Between radar data clarity with reduced interference and clarity in monitoring results, operators gain greater confidence in alerts and trend analysis, supporting faster, more reliable safety decisions and reducing unnecessary operational interruptions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
ArcSAR Neo\u2019s 360-degree camera with HDR imaging offers high-quality, georeferenced panoramic imaging synchronized with 3D radar data, permitting valuable visual context to support the interpretation of monitoring data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
ArcSAR Neo can function entirely on solar energy thanks to its photovoltaic panels. However, for continuity in situations where sunlight is less available, users can choose to run the system on diesel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
ArcSAR Neo is available in three different configurations (Tactical, Advance and Performance) to suit the size and strategic requirements of slope monitoring operations \u2013 from small pits to the largest open-pit mines \u2013 with a simple license change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Transitional goals, looking ahead<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Goddard said the system\u2019s release fits squarely into Hexagon\u2019s broader transition toward integrated, proactive risk management.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhile CAS and OAS focus on vehicle interactions and operator alertness, ArcSAR Neo strengthens slope stability and ground risk monitoring by delivering faster, higher-resolution radar insights for early detection of movement. In both surface and underground contexts, the goal is the same: move from reactive response to predictive awareness,\u201d he noted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBy combining real-time vehicle safety, operator monitoring, and geotechnical intelligence into a connected ecosystem, Hexagon is building a safety architecture that addresses multiple risk layers simultaneously \u2013 from haul road interactions to pit wall stability \u2013 grounded in the same philosophy of early detection, contextual insight, and decisive action.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He also confirmed that the company\u2019s move into underground collision avoidance was not a sudden pivot, but the natural progression of work that has been underway for some time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As surface deposits mature and operators push deeper to access new resources, underground environments are becoming more complex, with tighter spaces, reduced visibility, and increased interaction between people and machines, and that shift demands a different safety architecture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThrough the acquisition of indurad and the continued development of its advanced, RTLS (real-time location system) based collision avoidance and personnel safety system, Hexagon has been investing heavily behind the scenes in radar-based, infrastructure-light technologies specifically suited to underground conditions,\u201d he noted. Its work since has built on those years of research and development, incorporating ultra-wideband capabilities, advanced tracking methods, and improved reliability to reduce false positives and increase operator acceptance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cImportantly, this development has not been theoretical. indurad\u2019s RTLS-based system has already been deployed in underground mines in Germany, operating peer-to-peer and often without requiring new infrastructure,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What\u2019s ahead for the next generation of its technology? The addition of contextual event replay and camera integration, allowing sites to see exactly what occurred around a machine during an event, which strengthens both safety management and learning.<\/p>\n\n\n
\nIn an optimal mine, Hexagon said, every movement of a machine is understood in context, in real time.<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
So, looking at the pieces in whole, what does the optimized mine look like using Hexagon\u2019s technology? Goddard said the optimal mine is one where every movement of material and every movement of a machine is understood in context, in real time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe operation is anchored by a living digital twin \u2013 not a static model, but a continuously evolving representation of geology, planning, equipment, and processing working as one system. Every block of material carries its digital identity forward as it moves through the value chain, and every interaction \u2013 from drill to blast to haulage to plant \u2013 refines that understanding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIn that environment, safety systems such as collision avoidance and operator alertness are not bolt-ons; they are embedded layers of intelligence that both protect people and enrich the broader decision-making framework.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It is key to keep in mind that, critically, the future must be equipment-agnostic and open by design, he stressed. Again, mines operate mixed fleets and diverse technology stacks, and value is lost when systems are confined to walled gardens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhen mining and processing are synchronized and informed by shared, trusted data, long-term planning and short-term execution align around the same economic, safety, and sustainability goals. Ultimately, it is about turning context into action \u2013 enabling safer operations, more resilient performance, and the ability to unlock value from resources that might otherwise remain uneconomic.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Whitehaven, where Hexagon\u2019s OAS and CAS technologies were tested, said a successful trial came from genuine collaboration, innovation, and a shared safety drive.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Hexagon, already active in the mine safety space, has been working with great focus on its mission to take collision avoidance underground. The company recently spoke with NAM about getting to the crucial juncture and what\u2019s ahead. by Donna Schmidt Hexagon has been working for some time to transition its collision avoidance system technology for use underground. \u201cAt Hexagon, everything…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":12085,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_themeisle_gutenberg_block_has_review":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[4],"tags":[1605,755,4401],"coauthors":[1632],"class_list":["post-12081","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-features","tag-collision-avoidance-system","tag-hexagon","tag-whitehaven-coal"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t
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