On April 15, the Honourable Andrew Parsons, Minister of Industry, Energy and Technology, announced a non-repayable investment of $650,000 from the Research and Innovation Fund to develop a virtual research and training facility that uses digital twin technology at College of the North Atlantic (CNA), in partnership with GRi Simulations.
The project will establish a virtual research and training facility at the college that is tailored to the mining industry and employs data from key mine sites. Over the next two years, GRi Simulations will use data obtained by CNA's reality capture team to develop software and build a platform that reflects key real-world mining assets.
A physical space at CNA will be set up for research on how to remotely operate machinery, employing the software and simulators developed by GRi Simulations. Real-time accessibility will be enabled to evaluate operations and equipment, thereby reducing risk, emissions, and costs across the spectrum of mineral production. Populating the simulator will be surface and subsurface assets that are based on both generic and real-world models.
A digital twin is a virtual model of a physical object, system, or process that mimics its behavior and performance in real life. Digital twins enable and expedite the advancement of autonomous operations developments in offshore intervention technologies such as autonomous underwater vehicles and autonomous surface vessels. This project will help apply those technologies to mining.
This project aligns with the broader goals of enhancing efficiency and safety in the mining sector and will contribute to the development and implementation of cutting-edge technologies and best practices in Newfoundland and Labrador. The facility is poised to position CNA as a pivotal player in the development and implementation of remote operations.
The Research and Innovation Fund Program provides non-repayable contributions to non-commercial entities for the development and implementation of research and development and innovation projects to support economic development in Newfoundland and Labrador. The goal is to support highly qualified people, research, innovative programming and infrastructure in priority areas that have the potential to strengthen R&D and innovation ecosystem capacity in the province. This project will result in a total of eight new positions.
Quotes
"The integration of digital twinning and remote operations within the mining sector offers benefits ranging from safety and efficiency to sustainability and resilience. These technologies represent a significant advancement in the way mining operations can be planned, monitored, and executed, reflecting the ongoing digital transformation across industries. We are pleased to support this initiative, as it will have many benefits for both industry and academia."
Honourable Andrew Parsons, KC, Minister of Industry, Energy and Technology
"This collaboration between Applied Research and Innovation at College of the North Atlantic and GRi Simulations represents how the Newfoundland and Labrador ecosystem works together to truly advance digitization and data integration for impact. The Mining Simulation Lab emerging from this work will result in both advanced simulator development for mining operations and state-of-the-art training capacity to foster next generation operators in the industry."
Dr. Michael Long, Dean of Applied Research and Innovation, College of the North Atlantic
"GRi is excited to be creating the Mining Simulation Lab with the College of the North Atlantic, made possible by the contributions of IET and CEMI. This unique facility will advance collaboration, innovation and training to help position Newfoundland and Labrador and Canada as leaders in the mining sector's digital transformation and adoption of remote operations, automation and artificial intelligence."
Steve Dodd, Vice President Operations & Business Development, GRi Simulations Inc.
Learn more
For more information
Prince Phillip Drive
St. John's Newfoundland
Canada A1B 4J6
www.gov.nl.ca
