The benefits of artificial intelligence (AI) are being seen in the mining industry in various forms such as in automated trains, automated drills, and the algorithms that enable predictive maintenance.
With Edge AI – which marries edge computing with AI – AI is feasible at a much larger scale in mining than ever before. This is because the AI is working via machine learning algorithms located and stored locally, as opposed to relying on constant communication with the cloud.
The four benefits of Edge AI include:
1. Speed
Edge AI can help mining companies process large amounts of data at the edge of their networks – closer to where the data is being generated.
Devices make near-instant decisions without having to upload or download data from the cloud or data centre. This reduces latency and enables real-time decision-making, which can improve operational efficiency, productivity, and safety.
2. Savings
As the AI is located on the ‘edge’ the network costs for running AI applications are significantly lower as they require less internet bandwidth. This amplifies other savings that mining companies can see from adopting AI to optimise operations and minimise waste.
For instance, edge AI can be used to enhance the performance of drilling and blasting operations, reducing the amount of energy and resources required. It can also be used to optimise the routing of mining vehicles to reduce fuel consumption and wear and tear on equipment.
3. Smart
The AI gains knowledge by tapping back into the cloud-based network whenever it can’t adequately answer or perform a task, meaning it will keep learning, but only when it needs to. This makes AI for predictive maintenance more viable on a large scale – predictive formulas can be hosted on the edge, but the AI will continue to get smarter.
4. Secure
As Edge AI devices analyse real-world information and store confidential data locally without uploading to the cloud, they offer a mining operation more security and privacy of data.
Additionally, AI can be deployed to detect and prevent cyberattacks or breaches.
Thinking about integrating Edge AI technology? Choosing the right platform is key to performance in a mining environment. The Australian-owned Backplane Technology Systems has been providing Australian mining companies with industrial computing systems for over 30 years. The company is exclusive suppliers of the Neousys Edge AI GPU (Graphics Processing Units) which are designed to function in industrial and extreme conditions.
“Our lineup of Neousys embedded edge AI GPU platforms are powered by NVIDIA GPUs and share common features such as a patented thermal design to ensure wide working temperatures, a patented damping bracket to withstand serious shock and vibration and an adaptive GPU bracket to support various cards in the system,” Backplane chief executive officer Kristy Comb said.
“These embedded GPU systems have been optimised to support complex deep learning computations and ensure efficient and effective AI training. In particular, our Neoysys SEMIL series have certain features that make them ideal for mining environments.”
The Neousys SEMIL series is an Edge AI platform specifically engineered for the rugged environmental conditions experienced in mining sectors.
Key features and benefits of Neousys SEMIL series:
- Water, dust, and corrosion proof
- Perfect fit for rugged environments where shock, vibration and humidity are experienced.
- Fanless GPU computers
- MIL-STD-810G and EN 50155 certified
- Highly power efficient
- Can operate in temperatures that range from -25°C to 70°C
Interested to understand the value that Edge AI can bring to your mining operation in more detail? Download the free white paper ‘Harnessing the benefits of AI in mining’.