Mining, a long-standing activity with a strong traditional profile, has experienced the greatest changes in its history in past 100 years, particularly in efficiency and safety.

This transformation culminated in recent years when technologies associated with Industry 4.0 began to be implemented in the sector.

Automation, Artificial Intelligence, and the use of drones are just some examples of the progress being made toward Mining 4.0, which aspires toward sustainable, safe, and productive operations.

Mining industry and digital transformation

In this context, the technologies for automation, digitalization, connectivity, and data analysis will play a fundamental role in the new model. 

All the technology involved in the new processes of digitalization, including exploration and research, dynamic distribution of machinery, mining topography, use of tele-operated controls, process automation, big data studies, etc., are used for an activity that was beyond imagination a few years ago.

Such digital transformation is mandatory for the mining sector to keep the safety of the workers at the highest level, and restore the productivity margins. Despite a huge effort of automatization, the mining industry still heavily depends on the competencies and skills of the field and front line workers.

The digital transformation is not an evidence for the workers in the mine. Where the management expects more data from the field, the workers sees a waste of time and efficiency.

To be efficient and succeed in its digital transformation, the mining industry needs to solve this paradox: get more data from the the people on te field.

The role of voice experience for mining

Based on the constraints of the workers in the mining industry alternative solutions are required to help the workers in their digital interactions. Voice Assistance solutions like Spix from SPIX industry are good candidates:

• Most of the tasks are complex and some have high criticality level,
• They are based on the collection of a high volume of very precise data from the field, whether it is the continuous extraction, processing and transport of minerals,
• Workers are busy, they have their hands full, and spend too much time on non-added value task as data collection from the field.

The role of a smart voice assistant like Spix for a field operator in the mining industry is :

• to be able to quickly and accurately trace detailed information on assets,
• to be able to simply search through work orders, history and inventories to troubleshoot and maintain equipment on site,
• create and update work orders in real time for maintenance
• to follow routine checklists specific to inspection, quality control, material consignment or inventory management

As an example, the Spix conversational agent integrates an NLU (Natural language Understanding) brick allowing a field operator to request information from his IT system.

For transport operations, this may be information on truck arrival times, waiting times, number of vehicles en route, types of loading, etc.

The whole constituting a real decision support system for supervisors, empowered by more data coming from the field.

Spix seamlessly integrates to any ERP, CMMS, QMS, WMS and FSM systems used in the mining industry.

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What is the solution from SPIX industry?

For the first time ever, Spix replies to this situation and provides the quality controllers in harsh environment an operational mean to interact with their digital tools. The use of an embedded, offline and robust voice assistant helps them solve their equation!

Spix brings together two types of complementary voice technologies:

• Robust speech recognition technology capable of translating voice into text in industrial environments in the highest possible performance, even under noisy conditions,
• Smart voice assistance technologies also called conversational agent to manage a dialogue between the quality controller and his digital tool to help him to achieve his goals.

The voice assistant Spix is fully embedded, works offline, and interfaces with the default MES and FSM software already used by the mining workers. This enables the operators to benefit from the power of voice in their reporting business tools, compatible with their working conditions.

With Spix, no need to remove the gloves, the protection helmet to generate a quality control report. Spix can be used without any visual feedback, the smartphone can be in the pocket. This help the worker to be safe and focus on his tasks and environment.

The idea behind this disruptive innovation consists in radically changing the user experience of workers in the mining industry, help them use their digital tools.

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Press contacts
André JOLY – Managing Director
Phone. : +33 (0)6 25 17 27 94
Email: andre.joly@spix-industry.com

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