SymBotic Relationship

Monday, June 21st, 2010

Via CIM Magazine
by D. Zlotnikov
In the complex, harsh world of mining, the SymBot, a new equipment monitoring platform that communicates by satellite, cellular network and Wi-Fi, is built tough and, as the name suggests, SymBot plays well with others.

The SymBot platform, designed to comply with open standards for industrial automation and systems interoperability, is a durable, energy-efficient hardware/software device that can be applied to monitor equipment information such as location, pay load data and emissions or operating environments.

The device hails back to 2008 when its parent company, Symboticware, received grants from the Ontario and federal governments to develop what was an R&D project into a full-fledged commercial product.

Above ground, a partnership was formed between Symboticware, junior mining firm Baffinland Iron Mines, the Centre for Excellence in Mining Innovation (CEMI) and Laurentian University. The project centred on a weather monitoring system on north Baffin Island. The challenge was not just extreme weather; the company’s co-founder and president, Kirk Petroski, explains that the monitoring stations are accessible by helicopter only, which makes in-person site visits difficult, costly, and subject to the vagaries of the local weather.

Hands on/hands free

To make site visits as infrequent as possible, Symboticware managed to cut power consumption on the SymBots down to as little as 10W, and used solar panels to keep the batteries topped up, making the unit almost completely self-sufficient. Also, SymBots’ satellite uplink means that the customers no longer have to visit the station to retrieve the collected data. But most important is that the satellite connection provides two-way communications and the SymBots’ operational parameters can be remotely controlled.

“SymBots allow the researchers or industry personnel to check the status and conditions around the station in real time and to change the parameters as needed,” explains Symboticware’s marketing and sales manager Bora Ugurgel. “So, if you’re sampling every five seconds, you can change that to every two hours in the winter months.”

The utility of up-to-the-minute information provided by these weather stations is clear, says Baffinland Iron Mines’ manager of sustainable development Matthew Pickard. “The data is important to us because it can tell us if we are expecting weather up there, but it can also be useful from the operational side. We have proposed mine infrastructure across a 250 kilometre strike width, so you don’t want a helicopter taking off and then turning around and coming back because it ran into bad weather. That can amount to thousands of dollars in costs to no useful end. Once we confirm the SymBots can work independently in the long, dark, cold winters of North Baffin Island, we hope to expand their use into other remote monitoring functions such as water quality monitoring.”

The Baffin Island project — which has since expanded to include Peregrine Diamonds, another advanced-stage exploration company — is going to be revisited this summer with a second phase. This time, Symboticware will be introducing a hybrid solar-wind power generation system to keep the SymBots charged up, but the software side will also see enhancements.

“We’re trying to reduce costs for our customers,” says Ugurgel. “Satellite data transmission costs are about $2 per kilobyte. With our in-house data compression system, we’d be able to compress the data by 70 to 80 per cent, significantly reducing airtime costs.”
In its underground projects, Symboticware sought out what Petroski describes as early adopters — mines in which a wireless communications infrastructure has been set up.

“The timing was paramount to the success of where we are today,” he adds. “Given that there was a decline in the economy and mining really took a hit, there was a period when a lot of the automation guys, for example the automation superintendent at Vale Inco, were looking for ways to do business better and to bring in a lot of new technologies.”

The SymBots are currently being used by both Vale Inco and Xstrata Nickel to monitor mobile equipment — most notably the two companies’ load-haul-dump (LHD) vehicles. Since the SymBots can draw power directly from the LHD machines they are monitoring, power management is not as much of an issue in this context, says Petroski. On the other hand, connectivity and constant vibration were a concern. There were also more direct threats to effective operation — being hit by large rocks, for instance.

“When you’re placing the SymBot on an LHD, you have to look in hard spots to keep your sensors safe and lasting as long as you can,” explains Ugurgel.

Enhanced information exchange

The need for mobile equipment monitoring is not new, and Symboticware had to contend with a wide range of existing solutions and devices already in place, which, in fact, was an advantage for the SymBot. As operator needs for data collection grew over the years, so did the number of specialized solutions in the driver’s cab — each with its own display, control system, and proprietary data standard. The growing trend for crowded cabs led to a push for open standards — common data formats that would allow for greater interoperability between all the disparate systems. When Symboticware approached them, both Vale Inco and Xstrata were already moving towards greater use of IREDES — the International Rock Excavation Data Exchange Standard designed to smooth the transfer of information between mining machines and office computers. It is no coincidence that the SymBots supported IREDES, along with OPC UA — a complementary, communication interface.

The idea is not to replace existing, proprietary systems, says Petroski, but to step in where these systems have gaps. Two projects currently being worked on at Symboticware are being demonstrated on Caterpillar 1700G LHD machines, “based on Caterpillar’s proprietary data system,” says Petroski. “In the context of these projects, we’re developing a protocol translator — taking Caterpillar data, running it through a translator and pushing it up to the surface in the format that the clients wanted; in this case an IREDES-based format.”

An open-platform solution

Look inside the SymBot enclosure and you are not going to see much in the way of custom parts. Symboticware tries to use as many commercial off-the-shelf parts as it can, says Petroski. In a marked contrast to the proprietary trend, Symboticware’s software OPIS(TM) (Open Platform for Intelligent Systems) facilitates an open platform environment, meaning anyone with the skill and desire can alter the programming, or write their own application for the platform.

This was the factor that compelled CEMI to partner with Symboticware, explains Allan Akerman CEMI’s R&D program director: “With closed systems you are tied in with one supplier; with open systems you can use the best of any supplier.” Added to that, he says there is also a cost advantage to meeting the single IREDES requirements rather than multiple standards. “The majority of mining equipment manufacturers are now on board with IREDES,” he says, and more and more mining companies are committing to the single standard as well.

“If I could use the analogy, we’ve developed the iPhone for the mining industry, and you’re loading applications onto this device,” says Petroski. “The money is in the applications. So we’re developing our own applications, but we’re also integrating third-party applications into our system and providing that to our users as per their needs.”

With five SymBots operating “in the wild” and 16 already on order for this summer’s projects, Symboticware is still a young, but clearly growing, company. Petroski says he expects the company’s eight-person roster to grow to 12 within a year, mostly adding technical sales and support staff. Capitalizing on the platform’s flexibility, the company has a number of new applications planned for the SymBot, ranging from an open WiFi-RFID (radio-frequency identification) reader and tracking system to a portable environmental monitoring station, which can be moved from spot to spot as needed, without requiring costly installation of fixed equipment.

For the time being, Symboticware is not looking to expand into other industries, although Petroski readily acknowledges that there are many other promising areas for the SymBot. “We want to succeed and excel in these two markets before we tackle others,” he says

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North Baffin Island Monitoring Project

Tuesday, March 23rd, 2010

This CEMI funded research project between Symboticware Incorporated, Baffinland Iron Mines Corporation, and Laurentian University established an embedded network for weather monitoring across North Baffin Island.

Mining and other operations in Canada’s far north must deal with not just extreme weather but a climate in flux because of global processes. Weather monitoring is especially important for day-to-day operations, for seasonal planning, and for evaluating weather-related risks. However, in such an extreme and remote habitat, collecting environmental data is a daunting task.

Automated sensors are an ideal solution as they can survive and operate under extreme conditions. However, existing monitoring equipment has not kept up with modern needs for on-site, intelligent decision making, interoperability of components from different sources, the ability to create multi-habitat monitoring hubs, and the need for bi-directional satellite communication. In the summer of 2009 Symboticware addressed a number of these needs by installing new technology which greatly enhanced the functionality of existing “traditional” monitoring equipment. Specifically, Symboticware installed “SymSats” at three existing weather stations located in a north-south transect across north Baffin Island, at the sites of operation of Baffinland Iron Mines, Inc. The SymSats enabled data retrieval via satellite and set up the cyber-infrastructure that will allow researchers and industry to now build a broad-ranging environmental monitoring network.

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Symboticware Pioneers Real-Time Monitoring

Tuesday, December 1st, 2009

Via Sudbury Mining Solutions Journal
by Norm Tollinsky
Symboticware Incorporated, a Sudbury-based technology company, has teamed up with Vale Inco, the Centre for Excellence in Mining Innovation and Cast Resource Equipment Ltd., a heavy equipment sales and service company, to develop, demonstrate and commercialize an open information management platform for mobile underground mining equipment.

The so-called Pando Project will allow for the near real-time collection of mobile equipment data via a mine’s Wi-Fi network. A hardware device called a SymBot, a low power, high performance micro industrial computer built to withstand the harsh operating conditions of an underground mine, captures data from proprietary mobile equipment systems, processes it for decision support and transmits it through the network when the equipment is within range of a Wi-Fi access point.

The technology captures data on engine performance, fluid temperature, LHD payloads and equipment location to improve productivity, optimize equipment utilization and enhance worker safety.

The Pando platform is designed in compliance with the OPC Unified Architecture specification and makes use of the IREDES standard for mine equipment communication.

Most equipment manufacturers currently provide access to engine performance data, but it has to be manually downloaded, said Symboticware product manager Bikash Agarwal. “In most cases, the data is not being used in the way that we want to use it – to predict failure and for decision support.”

The SymBots feature a software platform called OPIS, short for Open Platform for Intelligent Systems. Described as a modular software framework for implementing intelligent monitoring and control of industrial automation applications, OPIS applies rules to the raw data, refines it for decision support purposes and transmits alarms to operators and other selected personnel in the event of an equipment performance issue.

Symboticware president Kirk Petroski likens it to General Motors’ OnStar technology. Prompt notification of dangerously high fluid temperatures, for example, can avoid a major equipment breakdown, along with the resulting downtime and loss of productivity.

“If it’s only the raw data that you’re looking at,” said Symboticware research and development manager Lorrie Fava, “you could miss it.” If you have a decision support system in place with rules hard coded into the system, you’re much more likely to take action.”

Alerting maintenance staff and supervisory personnel to a potential problem is important because equipment operators focused on production in a dark and noisy environment may not notice a flashing light on their dashboard.

The SymBots will also be used to capture and transmit LHD load weight data via a mine’s Wi-Fi system. Currently, said Bishant, operators determine the load weight by raising the bucket to a certain height and measuring the hydraulic pressure. The process takes 10 to 15 seconds per load and detracts from the operator’s productivity.

Symboticware is looking at inertial measurement unit technology used in iPhones and Nintendo Wii controllers to eliminate distortions of the weight data caused by bucket vibration.

“The main reason the LHDs need to stop now to do the bucket weighing is because the roadbeds are pretty rough,” said Agarwal.

“There’s a lot of vibration, a lot of bouncing and that interferes with the measurement. Our thinking is to have sensors on the equipment to measure the vibration and the bumps in the road. Then we can eliminate that from the final measurement. By doing it on the go, you save about 10 to 15 seconds per truck, which adds up over a period of time.”

Symboticware also plans to use its technology to automate equipment activity data collection and monitoring, freeing operators from manually documenting circle checks and diagnostic information.

Instead, the operator would use a touch screen and that data, too, would be transmitted through the Wi-Fi network.

RFID controller

The SymBot can also be used as an RFID controller.

“If a mine has a lot of Cisco access points already installed, it can use the SymBot both to read RFID tags and, at the same time, control and manage the routing in the network,” explained Agarwal. “One option is to go to Cisco and buy a location controller, but that would require them to upgrade every access point.”

The SymBot would serve as a network controller and an RFID tag reader at the same time, relieving the mine of the need to upgrade its Wi-Fi network.

The Pando project will be deployed at Coleman Mine’s 153 Orebody as soon as the current strike is settled.

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Weather Data Beamed from Baffin Island

Tuesday, December 1st, 2009

Via Sudbury Mining Solutions Journal
by Norm Tollinsky

Underground mines aren’t the only harsh environments in which there is a need for near real-time data.

The northern tip of Baffin Island, where Baffinland Iron Mines Corporation is proposing to develop an 18 million tonne per year open pit mine, is 1,000 kilometres northwest of Iqualuit in Canada’s Arctic.

The Toronto-based junior mining company operates three weather stations logging data required for environmental baseline studies.

Using Symboticware technology, the company is able to access the data in Toronto via satellite. A two-way satellite transceiver runs on very low power drawn from a solar collector, allowing Baffinland staff to collect data and reconfigure the instruments without an expensive site visit. Dr. Charles Ramcharan of Laurentian University’s Living with Lakes Centre is also able to access data from the weather stations for climate change research.

“The project started with a product we call a SymSat, a telemetry system adding satellite connectivity to what used to be just a data logger,” said Symboticware president Kirk Petroski. “There were weather stations in place and we just made it more real-time.”

In the next phase of the project, the Sudbury company will deploy SymBots with 16 MB of storage and processing capacity.

“Satellite transmission is expensive so the reason we have the processing power is to do some data reduction and data management on site,” said Symboticware product manager Bishant Agarwal. “If the customer decides the cost of transmission is too high, he can shut the device off for three months while it’s still recording data. After three months, he can turn it on and ask for reports for the past three months. He can ask for all the data, as well as averages, or highs and lows.”

The Symbots will also be capable of compressing photographs taken by motion-sensing cameras so they can be transmitted more efficiently.

Solar power is effective from May to August when the region experiences 24 hours of sunlight, but from November to January, the stations rely on battery power.

Wireless sensors are being considered for the next phase, said Petroski, because polar bears like to chew on the wires.

Symboticware also hopes to work with other companies in Canada’s Far North, including Peregrine Diamonds, a Vancouver-based junior mining company with six exploration targets on Baffin Island, as well as other properties in Nunavut and the Northwest Territories.

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Symboticware Digs Up Ways to Monitor Mines

Sunday, November 29th, 2009

Sudbury company technology used underground, Canadian Arctic
By: Northern Ontario Business staff

From the biting, frozen winds of Baffin Island to the grit of Sudbury’s underground, Symboticware Inc. is no stranger to some of the harshest climates inflicted on Canadian mining operations.

It’s this kind of environment that led the five-year-old Sudbury company to develop the Symbot, an “intelligent monitoring” modular hardware device consisting of a small industrial computer in a rugged casing.

Interest in the product has been such that it’s currently being adapted for use in large-scale Canadian mining projects such as the two year Pando Project in Sudbury and the Baffin Island mineral initiative.

With some late summer funding from FedNor and the Ministry of Northern Development, Mines and Forestry, the company has moved into a new office on Durham Street while adding even more staff to the current crew of seven.

The Symboticware team implements their SymSat telemetry and storage system at a Baffinland Iron Mines site at Steensby Inlet, on north Baffin Island.

“All the factors, from the macro to the micro level, have been lining up for us,””” says Kirk Petroski, president of Symboticware.

“We seem to be on the right path and everything’s going fairly well.

Much of the team’s current efforts are focused in Sudbury in collaboration with the Centre for Excellence in Mining Innovation, Cast Resource Equipment, and Vale Inco.

Together they are working on the Pando Project. It is in the development phase with plans to eventually test the company’s new, more flexible Symbot system at Coleman Mine’s 153 level, mounted on a load-haul-dump (LHD) machine.

The research will result in five separate applications, including condition monitoring of such factors as hydraulic pressures and fluid temperatures.

While many loaders have these scanners in place already, the Symbot allows for wireless transmission of information in real-time. This allows for trends to be analyzed, meaning staff will be able to predict failures before they happen, says Bikash Agarwal, product manager.

By installing an inertial measurement unit onto a LHD, the Symbot will also act as a mobile weighing system. Typically, measuring the content of LHDs requires the operator to stop and lift the bucket, and the hydraulic pressure will indicate the weight of the ore.

By filtering out the “noise” of the LHD travelling over uneven and rough terrain, the inertial measurement unit will allow the system to weigh the ore on the fly. This will shave off the 30-second weigh-period required per load of ore under the current system, benefiting the production cycle as a whole, says Petroski.

The project will also include the unit as part of the ongoing Ventilation On Demand project already underway by Vale Inco at the Coleman Mine as well as Xstrata’s Nickel Rim. It will help monitor engine condition and data so the management system will know where to activate or deactivate ventilation processes.

Although the goal is to provide much of this information in real time, there are complications as underground mining often involves so-called “dead zone” areas where no wireless transmission is possible. To ensure the communication remains relatively consistent, the desired data is stored within the Symbot, and then forwarded once the unit returns to an area with wireless capability.

The flexible, modular nature of the unit means that specific uses can be swapped in, depending on demand. This was also demonstrated at the $4.6-billion Baffin Island mineral project, where advanced stage exploration is ongoing by the Toronto-based Baffinland Iron Mines Corporation.

Previously, Baffinland staff would travel to the site once a year to collect the environmental data being logged by the on-location units. With the use of Symboticware’s satellite-enabled technology, however, the information is relayed on a real-time basis.

Other advantages of this new technology use over the older style of systems used throughout the industry is the ability for Symboticware to develop artificial intelligence to handle the raw data. Rather than require client staff to have in-depth training to interpret reams of information, the artificial intelligence can drive down specifically what decision-makers need, says Lorrie Fava, manager of research and development.

These same high-level managerial types have started to pay more attention to technological developments like those at Symboticware now that the recession has led to a focus on improvement, says Petroski.

“There’s a real interest from industry right now to stop and pay attention to the innovations that are advancing right now. A year ago, this would not have happened, as you would not have got their attention because everybody was too busy with production when nickel was sitting at $20 a pound.”

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Bartolucci Announces Funds to Help Develop Environmental Technology

Wednesday, October 7th, 2009

“These types of investments are important to the diversification of our local economy,” says MPP.

Greater Sudbury – The McGuinty government is helping Symboticware Incorporated develop its unique monitoring technology by investing $50,000 through the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation’s (NOHFC) Emerging Technology program, Sudbury MPP Rick Bartolucci announced today.

“I am very pleased that the McGuinty government’s support is helping Symboticware undertake this innovative research and development in our community,” said Bartolucci. “This important step will help this company position itself as a future leader in specialized technology.”

Symboticware Incorporated is developing hardware and software specifically designed for monitoring climate, air and water qualities in arctic and remote Northern Ontario. The monitoring devices collect real time data and provide a cost-effective way for users to obtain information and help make better-informed decisions.

“Sudbury is an excellent gateway for Far North monitoring projects which makes it an ideal location to grow Symboticware.  We are very pleased to receive assistance from the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation to support the development of our innovative monitoring products,” said Kirk Petroski, President of Symboticware Incorporated.

“Our government is committed to investing in emerging technologies that will help diversify the northern economy and create jobs,” concluded Bartolucci. “We have an array of talented and innovative people here in Sudbury and I am happy to see them benefitting from these types of commitments.”

QUICK FACTS

• This investment is part of Ontario’s five point economic plan which includes a $1-billion commitment to support innovation across the province.

LEARN MORE

Learn more about the NOHFC’s programs

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Technology to Challenge Rugged North

Tuesday, September 15th, 2009

By HAROLD CARMICHAEL, THE SUDBURY STAR
September 12, 2009

Bikash Agarwal, Product Manager (left) and Kirk Petroski, Directory of Business Development (right) hold up the new SymBot device.

A little more than a year ago, Symboticware Inc. was a fledgling Greater Sudbury company operating out of a basement.

Today, it’s got an office in downtown Greater Sudbury staffed by seven very busy people.

Symboticware Inc.’s goal is to develop unique monitoring technology that can operate in harsh environments such as underground mines and the Canadian Arctic, but also stand out from existing monitoring/communication systems.

“In Sudbury, there’s a great need for technology, whether it’s environmental applications or harsh mining conditions,” explained Kirk Petroski, Symboticware Inc.’s director of business development.

“We wanted to develop something that’s more robust and versatile.”

What came about was the SymSat data collection and transmission system. And the product is now getting its feet wet.

Symboticware Inc. currently has two projects underway. Its Baffin Island Monitoring Project, which involves partners Laurentian University’s Living with Lakes Centre, Laurentian’s Centre for Excellence in Mining Innovation (CEMI), and Baffinland Iron Mines Corp., involves the collection of 21 types of meteorological data such as humidity, barometric pressure and rainfall.

Symboticware's Baffin Island Monitoring Project

The data is required for environmental impact purposes because the area where the monitoring project is located is being touted as the world’s richest iron ore deposit.

“They are at a stage where they are doing licensing and compliance,” said Petroski. “What they need to do is establish a baseline. (So) They have to do monitoring.”

A SymSat data recording and transmission site, which is solar powered and feeds its data to a satellite, was just set up in May. Three impact sites, including Steensby Inlet, will be monitored for one year.

The second — the Pando project — concerns an open information management platform for mobile underground mining systems and involves partners Vale Inco, CEMI and Cast Resource Equipment.

A two-year endeavour, Pando is just getting underway, with eight months of planning and preparation work scheduled before things start happening underground.

That project will use the “SymBot” system, a more-advanced data collection system now in the final stages of development.

“It’s remote and harsh, but it’s underground,” said Petroski.

What will happen with the Pando project, explained Petroski, is the collection of information from remote-controlled machines through wireless fidelity or WiFi. That information can then be analyzed by mine operators on the surface.

“As a piece of equipment passes an access point, we can read it,” said Petroski. “It can detect things. It’s an opportunity to rectify a situation. (And) You can study engine control unit data. (And) Now, we are getting into areas that were hard to get to.”

Petroski said the goal of the Pando project is to give a mine operating team a better picture of what’s going on underground.

“What makes us unique is we designed an open system as opposed to a closed system,” he said.

“The system can read other things. I think the idea is to have access to real-time data. That data gets right to supervisors and operation guys in real-time fashion.

“I think, in the future, where we are going with this is new mine optimization and scheduling.”

Symboticware Inc.’s slogan is Innovate, Integrate, Inspire.

In late August, Symboticware Inc. received a $114,300 loan from FedNor through FedNor’s Northern Development Program — Information and Communications Technology. The money will go toward the development and marketing of products for use in remote monitoring applications in Northern Ontario.

“It’s going to the development of OPIS — Open Platform for Intelligence Systems,” said Petroski. “It’s the software side of the system. SymBot is the hardware. OPIS is the software.”

Petroski is a big believer in research and development. Standing still in an ever-changing world, he says, is not healthy for any business.

“Companies need to invest in research and development for times like this,” he said.

“It’s planning ahead … We are not only competing locally, but nationally, as well. If we are going to start competing internationally, we have to be ready.”

One of the big advantages of Symboticware Inc.’s soon-to-be- introduced SymBot system is that it will have a 16-gigabyte data storage capacity. That’s 100 times the storage capacity of other systems, said Petroski.

“This is not just collecting data, but it has the ability to make decisions at the scene,” he said.

“It’s not just raw data.” Another advantage with the

SymSat and SymBot systems is that they can both be very easily updated.

“They are very modular,” said Petroski. “That’s one big advantage to it. We can swap computers (in them).”

Next summer, the plan is to return to the Baffin Island SymSat site and replace it with a SymBot system, added Petroski.

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Symboticware Incorporated Receives Funding from FedNor

Tuesday, August 25th, 2009

The Honourable Tony Clement, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for FedNor, today announced a multi-million dollar Government of Canada investment, aimed at providing a solid foundation for economic recovery and development efforts across Northern Ontario.

The Honourable Tony Clement, Minister of Industry Canada and Kirk Petroski, Director of Business Development, Symboticware

Through FedNor’s Northern Development Program – Information and Communications Technology, Symboticware Incorporated received $114,300 in funding to develop and market products for use in remote monitoring applications. Once completed the products will be used to collect real time data from remote monitoring sites and distribute the information to geographically dispersed stakeholders.

“I would like to thank the staff of FedNor for their assistance with our private sector application, I would also like to thank The Honourable Tony Clement, Minister of Industry and the Government of Canada for their support in these challenging economic times,” said Kirk Petroski, Director of Business Development, Symboticware. “Funding innovation projects, particularly Information and Communications Technology development will strengthen our economy and position us as industry leaders in specialized technology applications.”

Currently, Symboticware has remote monitoring projects underway for applications in the Canadian Arctic as well as underground in Sudbury. Both applications will provide the most rugged, harsh and demanding conditions in which to develop and demonstrate its state-of-the-art remote monitoring technology.

Symboticware Incorporated is a Sudbury-based technology company specializing in intelligent systems for industrial automation. Symboticware’s goal is to be known as an industry leader in advanced monitoring products for the harshest remote applications.

For more information about Symboticware please contact Kirk Petroski directly by phone or email at:
705-562-9317
kpetroski@symboticware.com

http://www.symboticware.com

http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/fednor-fednor.nsf/eng/fn03128.html

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