Smart mine evacuation and rescue system
Official title: Design and demonstration of intelligent mine evacuation and mine rescue system
Funded at New Mexico Inst of Mining & Technology · NIH-11419437 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project will build and demonstrate a smart evacuation and rescue system to help miners and rescue teams find and reach people faster during underground emergencies.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | New Mexico Inst of Mining & Technology NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Socorro, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2021 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2022 |
| Award (this year) | $1,500,000 |
| NIH project number | 6U60OH012351-04M003 |
| Project ID | NIH-11419437 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants are underground miners, mine rescue personnel, and mine operators who can take part in system demonstrations or training exercises.
✕Less likely to help
People who do not work in or near underground mining operations are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this project.
What this research studies
You're being asked about work to design and demonstrate a smart system that helps evacuate and rescue people from underground mines. The team will combine sensors, underground communications, mapping, and automated tools to track locations, guide escape routes, and support rescue teams. Researchers will build prototypes and run demonstrations in realistic mine environments to see how the system performs in real conditions. The focus is on improving communication, navigation, and coordination during emergencies to speed rescues and reduce harm.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the system could shorten the time to locate and evacuate trapped miners, reducing injuries and fatalities.
How similar studies have gone: Related technologies such as underground communications, sensors, and robotics have improved some emergency responses, but combining them into a single intelligent mine evacuation and rescue system is still relatively new.
Where this research is happening
-
New Mexico Inst of Mining & Technology
Socorro, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mojtabai, Navid — New Mexico Inst of Mining & Technology
- Study coordinator: Mojtabai, Navid
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Creating a smart system for mine evacuation and rescue.
This study is working on a smart system to help keep miners safe during emergencies by quickly figuring out the best ways to guide them to safety when they need to evacuate or get rescued.
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.