Mining remains one of the most hazardous industries, with workers constantly exposed to life-threatening conditions such as toxic gases, high temperatures, and confined spaces. To address these concerns, we propose the design and development of an autonomous Miner’s Safety Bot aimed at enhancing underground safety through real-time environmental monitoring and intelligent navigation. The system is built around the ESP32 microcontroller, integrating critical sensors including the MQ7 gas sensor for detecting carbon monoxide and methane, the DHT11 sensor for measuring ambient temperature, and an ultrasonic sensor for obstacle detection.
These components work to monitor hazardous parameters and assist the bot in navigating through narrow mine shafts. A servo motor connected to a remote-controlled chassis adjusts the bot's direction when obstacles are detected. The bot employs the ESP32-CAM module to transmit live visuals from the mining site to external observers. Furthermore, sensor data including temperature and gas levels is transmitted wirelessly and displayed on the Blynk IoT platform, enabling continuous remote monitoring. Safe gas thresholds are set according to international standards to trigger alerts in case of danger.
Inspired by previous research on gas detection and robotic navigation in hazardous environments, our solution advances miner safety through autonomous mobility, real-time data sharing, and affordability. The entire prototype is cost-effective. Testing confirmed the bot’s ability to detect harmful gases, avoid obstacles, and transmit sensor data and visuals efficiently. The design offers vast application potential in underground mining, disaster rescue, industrial toxic gas detection, and remote environmental monitoring. This project presents a scalable and practical solution to reduce miner casualties by minimizing human exposure to dangerous conditions, demonstrating the promising role of embedded systems and IoT in ensuring occupational safety.