Case Study: LKAB improves mine safety and inspection with Boston Dynamics Spot

LKAB - Customer Case Study

The customer, LKAB, a major European mining company, faced significant challenges in safely inspecting its vast, complex, and dangerous underground iron mine. Its existing wheeled robots were prone to critical failures on the difficult terrain, and its aerial drones had limitations with battery life, connectivity, and dust. LKAB partnered with Boston Dynamics to test and implement its quadruped robot, Spot, for remote inspection and data collection in these hazardous environments.

The solution from Boston Dynamics involved deploying the Spot robot equipped with gas sensors and a lidar scanner, operated remotely via the Orbit software. Boston Dynamics provided crucial software updates to improve Spot’s traction and WiFi connectivity, enabling it to navigate the treacherous mine terrain reliably. The results were transformative, allowing LKAB to conduct safe inspections in previously inaccessible areas, create 3D digital maps of tunnels, and lay the groundwork for future search and rescue operations, dramatically improving both safety and operational intelligence.

LKAB

George Nikolakopoulos

Chair of Robotics and Artificial Intelligence