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MARCH 2016 • E&MJ; 51 www.e-mj.com S A F E T Y S Y S T E M S vehicle-to-vehicle collisions, operator fatigue, hazard awareness, and speed violations. The MineAlert suite now includes Modular's fourth-generation Collision Avoidance System (CAS), which monitors and notifies operators of potential vehicle-to-vehicle collisions based on intelligent path-prediction algo- rithms, thus increasing operator awareness while helping to prevent equipment damage. Modular's CAS, which will be commer- cially available later this year, focuses on vehicle-to-vehicle collision prevention through the use of a redundant, multilayered sensing approach that utilizes ranging sen- sors and GPS receivers. These work together to determine a vehicle's collision risk based on the travel speed, instantaneous direction, predicted path, and other factors. The criti- cal communications between vehicles is based on a high-speed, low-latency peer-to- peer communications standard, which allows for timely warning and information messages to reach operators without delay. Its peer-to- peer technology also enables the system to operate in an environment with no wireless network infrastructure. The system addresses more than 100 of the most common vehicle collision scenar- ios, including forward path (front-to-rear and head-on), take-off, speed limit violations, overtaking, and intersections. Multiple lev- els of alarms notify operators of potential hazards; if an operator doesn't take correc- tive action after the first notification, more urgent, audible warnings will sound. Unlike systems that focus solely on proximity, Modular's CAS differentiates between actual and artificial collision threats by utilizing an intelligent filtering system to drastically eliminate false alarms (alarms that alert the driver when no colli- sion danger exists; for example, a normal maneuver such as passing along separate lanes). These artificial alarms not only pro- vide a constant source of distraction; they also reduce the effectiveness of the warn- ing system by desensitizing the operator to truly dangerous situations. "Compared with other Collision Avoid- ance Systems on the market today, we believe that our approach significantly reduces nui- sance alarms," said Lucas Van Latum, direc- tor of product strategy at Modular. "Our fourth-generation collision avoidance system is designed to predict potentially hazardous situations while reducing the false alarm inci- dents, helping the operator react appropriate- ly to real alarms when they happen." As a fully functioning stand-alone appli- cation, Modular's CAS doesn't rely on ex- ternal applications or central servers. Instead, an operator interface notifies oper- ators of any potential hazards, and a dedi- cated in-vehicle CPU stores sensor data, which can be downloaded for use in analy- sis, reporting, and training. When inte- grated with Modular's DISPATCH Fleet Management System, data is transmitted directly to the DISPATCH central server for immediate and future use. As part of the MineAlert safety suite, Modular also offers OEM interfaces to lead- ing, commercially available fatigue manage- ment systems to help combat the effects of operator fatigue. When integrated with Modular's DISPATCH FMS, the MineAlert system sends the OEM data directly to the central server, to support reporting or inte- grate with other systems in real time. Modular also offers the following addi- tional safety-focused technologies: • The FastFeedback module, when com- bined with other DISPATCH system mod- ules or data from OEM alarms or other external sources, provides the backbone for immediate, actionable input to opera- tors. Onboard sensors or GPS events trigger real-time alarms and send config- urable notification messages to opera- tors, supervisors, and/or dispatchers, alerting them to hazardous road condi- tions or improper equipment usage. • The Speed Management module helps mines reduce potentially dangerous over- speed events. When equipment units pass through GPS-based monitoring zones, the equipment's speed is compared with the configured speed limitvalues for the loca- tion. If a violation occurs, supervisors and dispatchers receive real-time event notifi- cation. When the FastFeedback module is present, operators are also notified via their in-cab display. • The Active Tire Management system builds upon a field-proven Tire Manage- ment module, giving mines a greater abil- ity to actively manage tire temperature and pressure in real time, thus reducing the likelihood of premature tire damage. The system interfaces with tire moni- toring systems such as the Michelin Earthmover Maintenance System (MEMS) to mitigate the risk of tire failures. Inte- gration with OEM monitoring systems automates a number of actions previously performed manually, saving time, effort, and money, while simultaneously increas- ing operator safety. • The Prestart module ensures that opera- tors are accountable for systematically ver- ifying all necessary safety and mainten- ance items. A variety of unique Prestart checklists can be configured for each equipment model. At system login, opera- tors are prompted to complete a Prestart checklist; the results of which are pro- cessed in real-time and recorded in the central database. If a failed checklist item falls within the "Do Not Operate" or "Con- tact Dispatcher" category, a failure excep- tion immediately displays on the dispatch- er's screen, enabling rapid operator reas- signment. A failed "Do Not Operate" item will also cause a notification, such as: "Do Not Operate Equipment! Contact Dispatch or Maintenance." to appear on the opera- tor's mobile device screen. Stand-alone vs. Integrated Wenco, another fleet management system developer, highlighted in a recent blog post what it considers some of the main benefits Modular Mining Systems' Collision Avoidance System is designed to avoid common causes of vehicle accidents.