NAUTILUS TC-POWERCAM Radio Remote Control with Video System

The Nautilus TC-Powercam Teleremote System is a combination of Thumb Controller (TC), Remote Vehicle Unit (RVU) and Video System. Three cameras are mounted on the remote vehicle and the selected video picture is transmitted back to the operator's colour TV.

In Australia and New Zealand, contractors are using a Toyota Landcruiser as a comfortable underground base from which the operator can remotely control the LHD. Normally the mine will supply a fold-up table, chair, television and 110vac power for the TV. If 110vac power is not available then a 12v car battery can be used to power a 19” TV.

The Thumb Controller (TC) has 'Cruise Control' which operates just like an automobile. The operator has full proportional control of the tramming speed so he can set a suitable speed and then the cruise-control will maintain that speed for him provided he always keeps at least one finger on a 'deadman' button. He can increase or decrease the 'cruise' speed at any time to compensate for changes in the tunnel eg. rough ground conditions.

For applications where remote operators need to monitor the front and rear of the remote vehicle at the same time because of unstable ground conditions or very tight corners, the Powercam System supports two TV's of any size. They can be standard TV's, plasma, LCD or any other type and they are usually selected and purchased locally by the customer. Nautilus supplies an 8" (20cm) flat-screen TV (shown above left) which is very useful during installation and testing.

Between 1995 and 2001 Nautilus used to provide large, comfortable control chairs with the joysticks built into the arms. This looked good and in 2001 it was very good but now we have moved to an even more comfortable but a lot less expensive system.

Now our Powercam Teleremote System do not need a formal Control Room because all of our new equipment can fit onto a small table or the passenger seat of an SUV. The SUV is especially convenient for contractors who need to frequently move their Powercam System from one area of the mine to another but a small table shown below on the next page is preferred by most mines.

Operator’s Equipment

To make sure that the operator is very comfortable while tele-operating the loader we have made the wireless “Thumb-Controller” Unit extremely small and very, very light (1.2lbs or 0.5kg). Since the operator will have to control the loader for hours at a time we use ‘zero-force’ touch buttons and ‘cruise-control’ to make his life as comfortable and as easy as possible. This means happier operators and more productivity for the customer.

The only other Nautilus unit the operator needs is the TCM unit which is shown on the table (shown below to the left of the TV). The TCM will support virtually any type of TV which has a fast recovery time after a loss of signal. A typical TV would be a 20" plasma or LCD depending on the operator’s preference and local availability. For those customers who need dual screens so the operator can see the view in front of and behind the loader at the same time the TCM will support dual TV’s.. The second TV can be added at any time.

Tunnel Equipment

System components:

Thumb Controller (TC)

One TC in the SUV used by the operator

Colour Camera

Three used on each LHD

LCD 8" TV

Normally only used for testing

To transmit the radio and video wireless signals between the operator and the loader requires some equipment to be mounted in the mine tunnels. Nautilus has managed after many years of research to reduce this equipment to the absolute minimum. All that is required is a Nautilus “Super-Amp” every 120m plus inexpensive coaxial cable. This Super-Amp will handle the two-way radio and wireless video signals.

LHD Equipment

There will be three colour cameras on the loader. These 3 cameras will be connected to a Video-Tx. The Video-Tx has a Video-Antenna to transmit the wireless video pictures to a mating Video-Antenna located on the roof of the tunnel which may be up to 150m away.

There will be a Remote Vehicle Unit (RVU) on the loader. This is a standard Nautilus RVU unit which controls all of the functions on the loader as directed by the operator’s Thumb Controller

Video Antennas

TCM unit

One is used on the table next to the operator

Remote Vehicle Unit (RVU)

One is used on the LHD

Video-TX Unit

Usually there will be just one unit on the LHD but if the operator wants dual TV screens then there will be two Video-Tx units.

The first Video-Tx will transmit wireless video pictures from the front two cameras. The 2nd Video-Tx will transmit wireless video pictures from the rear camera.

(TC).

Laser Barriers

Nautilus normally supplies optional Laser Barriers to protect all entrances to the Teleremoting area. If a person or vehicle penetrates a Laser Barrier, the Powercam System will automatically shut down all loaders that are being remotely controlled in that area. The operator’s TC will show the operator which barrier was penetrated and will not allow him to continue using the TC until that barrier has been manually reset. Naturally the operator must not reset the barrier without first making sure that all persons and any unauthorized vehicles have been removed from the tramming area.

Testing and Trouble-shooting

The Powercam has been designed so that the operator’s TC controls the loader by communicating with the TCM (by radio) which is only a metre away on his table. The TCM is responsible for communications with the RVU on the loader using the Super-Amps which are attached to the roof of the tunnel.

During testing or trouble-shooting the operator can change the way the system operates by pressing the “LHD Direct” button on the TC. This mode of operation bypasses the TCM, coax cable and Super-Amps and allows the TC to communicate directly with the RVU on the loader. This is very useful during the initial installation and commissioning phase because the operator can stand close to the loader and using his TC he can test every LHD function. Once all of the remotely controlled functions are operating correctly he can then check each camera picture before returning to the SUV (or his table, chair and TV) which could be more than 1000 feet from the loader.

Nautilus supplies a small 8” colour TV with each system which can run from any 12V battery. No other wiring to this TV is necessary. 12V batteries are readily available in most countries, if not Nautilus will supply a small 12V 12Ah battery and charger. This small TV can be placed on the loader to show the colour picture from the selected camera. It picks up the wireless video transmitted by the video antenna on the loader which allows the installer to align the cameras and make sure each camera view is exactly the way he wants it.

Automated Guidance System (AGS)

Installation of Equipment in tunnels

Nautilus has been working on it’s guidance system for many years and has come up with a very unique solution that doesn’t use any optical equipment or ultrasonic systems. The beauty of this system is that once the AGS equipment has been installed in the tunnels where the AGS loader travels you won’t be able to see it. More importantly, there is no way for anyone or any vehicle to damage it which means it will be very, very reliable.

Installation of Equipment on Loader

The AGS equipment that is installed on the loader is very small and will be hidden from sight underneath the loader. This has the advantage that the equipment that is located at the front of the loader cannot be hit by any rocks or boulders that fall out of the bucket and onto the loader or fall on the loader while it is in the stope so we expect this equipment to also be very reliable.

Factory Testing

Nautilus built it’s own small, battery powered, stainless steel loader more than 10 years ago and uses this vehicle to test all of it’s Teleremote and AGS systems.

Radio Whip Antenna

The 50 Ohm, VHF data whip antenna is used to transmit wireless commands received from the Thumb Controller to the Whip antenna on the loader.

This antenna has a powerful magnet bolted to the bottom which allows it to be instantly attached to any suitable roof bolt plate in the tunnel or any metal surface on the loader.

Usually this antenna is turned upside down and magnetically attached to the underside of the loader’s ROPS canopy where it is well protected.

Super Amplifier

No Place to sit down?

For those operators who don't have the luxury of an SUV or a table and chair Nautilus provides a tripod, a TV and a small 12v battery which will power the TV for more than 8 hours.

TC-Powercam Thumb Controller

You can see that the label on the TC already has all of the extra functions required for the new Automated Guidance System (AGS) that Nautilus has been working on for a long time.

This small, light (1.2 lbs, 0.54kg) rugged Thumb Controller (TC) remotely controls and monitors all of the functions of the loader. Even complex Blockholers and twin-boom Jumbos can be easily operated from a safe, remote location using the excellent quality video from the 3 colour cameras mounted on the machine.

The TC’s internal battery will operate continually for 32 hours before it needs re-charging.

The two stainless steel deadman buttons at the front of the unit provide safety and flexibility. These are 'zero force' touch buttons and therefore they are very comfortable for an operator to use, even for long periods.

Built into every Teleremote Powercam System is the ability to monitor all of the status information and feed this data back to the operator’s TC. This information is updated 8 times a second.

The TC is supplied with “Cruise Control’ which allows the operator to remotely control the loader for long periods without getting tired. The Cruise Control feature operates in a similar way to the cruise-control on an automobile except the operator can select cruise and cancel it

without taking his hands off the joysticks.

An automated alarm system warns the operator if the system has a problem. Many other readings are also displayed for the operator to keep him updated on the status of the remote vehicle.

The Powercam System monitors the optional Laser Safety Barriers which will detect any person or vehicle that enters the area reserved for the teleoperated loader. If a barrier's laser beam is penetrated, the Powercam System will automatically shut down the loader and show the operator which barrier was tripped.

Thumb Controller (TC) dimensions: 188mm x 102mm x 25mm (7.4" wide x 4" across x 1" thick)

Weight: 540g (1.2 lbs) including both batteries.

KEY BENEFITS: - Light - Rugged - Water-resistant - Illuminated LCD Display

LHD Cameras

The operator will have fingertip control of the three cameras installed on the loader. The two cameras at the front are used when the loader is tramming forward. The third camera is used for tramming in the reverse direction.

The “front-side” camera is deliberately offset to one side so the camera view is not obscured as the boom is raised and lowered. Lenses with a 90° viewing angle are used for all three cameras to ensure the operator receives the best possible view when remotely operating the vehicle.

Underwater connectors with gold plated pins ensure that corrosion is not a problem and the unit is completely water resistant. The cameras have excellent resolution and function very well in poor lighting conditions. Nautilus uses only the finest CCD colour cameras which meet IP68 standards (submersible) and produce excellent pictures.

The base of the camera is a powerful magnet which means the camera can be instantly attached to almost any part of the loader.

The mounting bracket is made from stainless steel for maximum strength and to ensure no problem with corrosion.

The small size of these tiny cameras makes them so easy to pack and ship. Our previous Powercam System used to require two large wooden crates to contain a single complete system. Now one reasonably sized reinforced cardboard box can easily contain all of the Powercam equipment.

● Dimensions: Camera: 47mm x 47mm x 40mm (1.85" x 1.85" x 1.57"); Magnetic base: 52mm diameter x 8mm thick (2" diameter x 0.32" thick) ● Image device: Hi Resolution 1/3" Sony EXview CCD ● Effective pixels: NTSC: 768(H)x494(V); PAL: 752(H)x582(V) ● Scanning system: NTSC: 525 lines; 60fps, PAL: 625 lines; 50fps ● Resolution: NTSC: 480TVL; PAL: 520TVL ● Viewing angle: 90° ● Illumination Sensitivity @F:2.0: D:0.5Lx; N:/0.05Lx) ● Power supply: DC12V 130mA ● Operating temperature: -10°C~+50°C

KEY BENEFITS: - Rugged - Operates on 12V - Water-Resistant - Excellent colour picture

8" LCD Monitor

The 8" LCD TV (shown left) can be specially equipped with any standard tripod, but it is normally mounted on a small plastic base as shown below on the right. This 8” TV is normally used for testing purposes only.

It is very convenient to place this 8” TV on the loader during installation or testing because it shows the installer the picture from each of the three cameras as he adjusts or checks each one.

SPECIFICATIONS: Screen Size: 8" Resolution: 640 x 480 pixels Viewing angle: 60° (H) and 50° (V) Contrast ratio: 300:1 (max) Brightness: 300 Cd/m2 (max)

Backlight life: 10,000 hours (min) Colour system: PAL and NTCS Voltage Input: 11.5vdc to 13.5vdc. Current draw approximately 1.5A Weight (TV monitor only): 1.1lbs (0.5kg)

KEY BENEFITS: - Small and very light. - Can operate from a small 12v battery - Excellent picture, good for on-the-loader testing. - Remote Control provided to change the channel, brightness, colour, contrast, tint and sharpness. - Can be used as a back-up TV if the cutomer’s large TV ever fails.

Video-Rx Antenna Video-Tx Antenna

The Video-TX Antenna is shown on the right. It is used only on the LHD to transmit (TX) video wireless signals from one of the three colour cameras.

The Video-Tx Antenna has a powerful magnet on the bottom which is used to quickly and easily attach it to the underside of the loader’s ROPS canopy. The Video-RX Antenna is shown on the left. It is only used in the tunnel to receive (RX) video wireless signals sent from one of the loader’s three cameras.

The Video-Rx Antenna has a powerful magnet on the bottom which is used to quickly and easily attach it to any convenient tunnel roof-bolt plate.

You can see that the Video-Rx Antenna also has a red LED at the bottom to show that power has reached the unit through it’s coaxial cable. These Video Antennas were specially designed to operate with the Nautilus extra long range Powercam Teleremote Control System which uses high resolution, low light ultra-small colour cameras. Every Nautilus Video Antenna is sealed against water and is resistant to most types of contaminants. Just like the rest of the Nautilus Powercam Units, the Video Antennas are very small and light which makes it very convenient to carry, install, packing and ship these units.

KEY BENEFITS: - Omni-directional for excellent flexibility and range. - Magnetically attaches to any tunnel roof bolt - Very small size for a long-range Video Antenna. - The Receiver Antenna (left) has a power-on LED.

Thumb Controller Mate (TCM) unit

The Thumb Controller Mate unit (TCM) is only used for extended range (XR) applications. The TCM is located very close to the remote operator. If the operator is using an SUV as his 'Control Room' he would normally sit in the front passenger seat with the TCM beside him on the driver's seat.

All of the extended range equipment and the operator's flat screen TV cables plug into the TCM. Since there aren't any cables connecting the Thumb Controller to the TCM the operator is free to move around and can comfortably control and monitor the remote vehicle.

Dimensions: 230 x 130 x 63 mm

KEY BENEFITS: - Rugged - Operates on 24V - Water-Resistant Remote Vehicle Unit (RVU)

The RVU is pin-for pin compatible with the Nautilus 120SSF and 140SSF systems which allows customers to quickly replace their existing radio control system with a Powercam Teleremote System.

The tough fibreglass housing is very rugged and impervious to vibration and shock. The enclosure has a full weather-tight “O” ring seal which prevents the entry of water and any other liquids or contaminants. A thick rubber pad in the lid holds the “plug-in” circuit boards firmly in place and acts as a giant shock absorber.

A standard Powercam System has three cameras, one for tramming forward, one for mucking and the other for tramming in reverse. All three cameras connect to this RVU and one is selected by the operator using his Thumb Controller.

There are two cables, one is used to control all of the functions on the vehicle and the second to monitor the status inputs..

KEY BENEFITS: - All of the Powercam 180SSF outputs are identical to the 120SSF and 140SSF. - The Powercam 180SSF uses the same cards (Cards-C/D/E) as the 120SSF and the 140SSF. - The Powercam 180SSF is physically identical in size and mounting dimensions to the 120SSF and 140SSF.

Dimensions: 299 x 266 x 140 mm Weight: 6.9 kg

Video-TX Unit

This unit is mounted on the loader. It has two very powerful magnets bolted to the bottom of the enclosure which ensures an instant attachment to any steel surface. Nautilus recommends that it is attached to the underside of the ROPS canopy because it is well protected there and no welding or drilling of the canopy is allowed. The Video-Tx accepts input video from the three cameras via the green, yellow and red cables, the fourth blue cable feeds in power (24V/Gnd) plus the camera selection wires. The last cable is the SMA connector which sends the wireless video output to the Video-Antenna (CPVA-Tx).

Dimensions: 230 x 130 x 63 mm

KEY BENEFITS: - Rugged - Operates on 24V - Water-Resistant

Super Amplifier

KEY BENEFITS: - Rugged

- Easy to install - Excellent receptive qualities

DIMENSIONS: 9"x5"2.5" (23cmx13cmx8.5cm)

Radio Whip Antenna

The whip antenna has a powerful magnetic base so that it can be quickly attached to any steel surface on the loader.Normally this would be mounted upside down and attached to the underside of the ROPS canopy where it will be well protected.

KEY BENEFITS: - Rugged - Easy to install - Excellent receptive qualities

DIMENSIONS: Height: 178mm (7.0”) Diameter: 81.3mm (3.2”) Weight: 400g (14 oz)