ESA Raises Safety Levels in Peru: El Brocal Mine

Like astronauts, heavy-equipment operators in remote mines can benefit from long-distance monitoring using space technology.

An ESA spin-off company has raised safety for dozens of drivers at the El Brocal mine in Peru by predicting their fatigue.

In far-flung mining operations around the world, drivers typically work 12-hour shifts, driving trucks and loaders of 160-180 tonnes - the size of a small apartment block.

Combine the gruelling schedule with even a small mistake, and you have a recipe for disaster.

"Sixty-five percent of serious accidents are caused by fatigue," says Jean Verhardt, founder and CEO of EstrellaSat.

Jean Verhardt

Truck driving made safer in Peru mine
Following an extensive high-altitude field trial of the Driver Fatigue Management System, in November 2012 EstrellaSat recently closed its first contract, and is now setting up the system covering 30 drivers operating 10 vehicles at a high-altitude mine in the Peruvian Andes.

"We saw during the field trial that keeping drivers aware of their fatigue status in real time substantially reduced fatigue levels," says Steve Dixon, Chief Operating Officer, Stracon GyM S.A.

"We expect that the fully operational fatigue service will result in a long-term reduction in driver fatigue levels at our mines,"

The next version of the system will draw even more on space technology.

Steve Dixon

Working with ESA's human spaceflight directorate, EstrellaSat is now developing a vest with sensors that measure temperature, heart rate and other physiological data to pinpoint risky fatigue in drivers even more accurately, and in time get them out from behind the wheel.

ESA's Technology Transfer Programme Office's Business Incubation Centres (BICs) have been set up to support the spin off of space technology to non-space applications and to foster new European business based on research and development in European space programmes.

The seven BICs in the Netherlands, Italy, Germany, the UK and Belgium are supporting over 60 start-ups every year, totalling more than 180 to date.