美国煤炭局采煤机自动化研究中英文翻译、外文文献翻译、外文翻译

翻译英文原文UsBureauofMinesCoalMiningAutomationResearchJHWELSHandJEBEVANABSTRACTTheUSBureauofminesisconductingresearchtoimprovethehealthandsafetyforundergroundcoalminers,andtheefficiencyoftheminingsystemsthatareused.In1986,theBureaubeganamajorresearcheffortonthetechnologyforcomputer-assistedminingsystemsforundergroundcoalmines.Theinitialtargetwastechnologyforcontinuousminingmachinesthatwouldallowthemtoextractcoalbycomputer-assistedoperation,Technologyareasbeinginvestigatedincludeguidancesystems,computersystems,machinecontrol,human-machineinterfacesandplanning.Ineachoftheseareas,individualsystemdevelopmenthasprogressedtowhereundergroundtestingofthesesystemswillbeginin1991.Inadditiontocoalextraction,theBureauhasalsobegunresearchforthedevelopmentoftechnologyforcomputer-assistedroofbolting.TheBureauisdevelopingtechnologyfora“smart”roofbolterthatwouldbeabletosenseandanalyzestrataconditionstodeterminethelocationofthehole,drilltheholetolength,andselectandinstalltheappropriatebolt.Theresearchonthecontinuousminingandtheroofbolterarewelladvanced.INTRODUCTIONWorkinginundergroundcoalminescontinuestobeoneofthemosthazardousofoccupations,Between1984and1989,14181accidentsoccurredatthefaceareaofcontinuousminingsectioninUSundergroundcoalmines.Thiswas18percentofallinjuriesand21percentofallfatalitiesandpermanentdisabilities.Inaddition,faceworkersareexposedtohealthhazardssuchasequipmentnoise,wherein1988,6981newblacklungcaseswerefiledintheUS.Thetraditionalapproachtohealthandsafetyproblemsinmineshasbeentoreducethehazardthroughgroundcontrol,dustcontrol,methanecontrol,andnoisecontrol.Whilethisapproachhasbeenverysuccessfulinthepastinreducingthehazardsinmines,healthandsafetyhazardsstillexist,andaccidentsandhealthproblemsarestilloccurring.Tomakeafurthersignificantreductioninthenumberofaccidentsandexposurestohealthhazards,anewapproachisneeded.In1986,theBureauofMinesinitiatedanewapproachthatwouldallowworkerstoberelocatedfromthefacetoasafe,healthfulenvironment,wheretheycouldperformtheirjobs.Althoughthisapproachhadbeenthoughtofearlier,onlyrecentadvancementsincomputerandsensortechnologyhavemadeitaviablealternative.Whilehealthandsafetyisamajorconcern,technologythatwouldalsoprovideforimprovementsinminingefficiencywasalsodesirable.Recentstatisticsshowthatcontinuousminersonlyextractcoalabout32percentoftheavailableshifttime.Thismeansthatevensmallimprovementsinminingefficiencycouldresultindramaticinproductivity.Overthelastseveralyears,aBureauofMinesprogramforcomputer-assistedmininghasbeendevelopedthatiscenteredaroundacomprehensivelong-rangeresearchplanthattargetsthegoalsoftheprogramandprovidesacoordinationofresearch.ThisresearcheffortinvolvesmultipleprojectsandresearchersatdifferentBureaucenters.Inthenearterm,researchtargetscurrent,commerciallyavailableminingequipmentoperatingintypicalminingsection.Thetargetisfurtherdefinedtoacontinuousminingsectionwithroom-and-pillar,longwalldevelopment.ThisscenariowasselectedbecauseithaswideapplicabilitytoUSmining,andstandstomakeasignificantimpactonthehealth,safety,andefficiencyoftheUSminingindustry.Researchforcomputer-assistedminingsystemsincludescoalextractionwithacontinuousminingmachine,roofbolting,haulage,andventilation.Forthelongerterm,researcherswillinvestigateminingsystemsandconceptstodetermineifnewminingsystemsthatcantakeadvantageofadvancesinroboticstechnologyshouldbepursued,and/orifchangesintheminingmethodsshowpromiseofhealth,safety,andefficiencyimprovements.COMPUTER-ASSISTEDMININNG,DEFINEDAtypicalcontinuousminingsectionconsistsofacontinuousminingmachine,aroofboltingmachine,andoneortwoshuttlecars.Thefaceareawherethisequipmentisoperating,andwhereunsupportedroofisexposedduringtheextractionprocess,posesthegreatestthreatintermsofhealthandsafetytotheworkers.Withcomputer-assistedmining,sensorsandcomputertechnologywouldbeaddedtothefaceequipmenttoallowtheoperatortoberelocatedtoacontrolroompositioned150to180metersoutbytheface.Thecontrolroomwouldbepositionedinfreshair,andtheenvironmentwouldbecontrolledtoprovideahealthfulworkareawithlittleornodustandnoise.Variouslevelsofcomputer-assistedminingexist,fromteleoperationtocomputer-assistedoperation,andaredescribedintheremainderofthissection.Tooperateminingequipmentatthefacefromacontrolroomwhichisnotimline-of-sightviewoftheequipment,theoperatormustrelyoninformationfromsensorsandvideocamerasinstalledontheequipment.Initialresearchwillinvolveteleoperation,wheretheoperatoressentiallyperformsthesamejobashe/shewouldwhenoperatingtheminingequipment,onlyataremotelocation.Theoperatorwillrelyoninputfromthevideocamerasinstalledonthemachineand/orintheareaofoperation,sensorsthatprovidethepositionofthemovableparts(cuttingboom,gatheringpan,conveyor,etc.)ofthemachine,guidancesensorsthatprovideinformationthatanoperatorwouldnormallyhaveavailableattheface,suchasfacenoise.Acomputersystemwillcollectthedatafromthesensors,presenttheinformationtotheoperatorthroughahumaninterfacesuchasgraphicsordialsandgauges,andcontrolmovementsofthemachinebasedonoperatorinitiatedcommands.Asmoresensorsareinstalledontheequipmentandmoreintelligentcomputersoftwareisdeveloped,themachine-controlscenariowillevolvetocomputer-assistedoperation.Thecomputercontrolsystemwillprogressivelymakemoreoftheroutinedecisionstowheretheoperatoronlyinterveneswhenanabnormalsituationarises,suchaswhenacompletelynewsituationisencountered.Machineactionsareautomaticalllyinititedbythecontrolcomputerbasedonsensorinputandsoftwareanalysisanddecision-making.Forthistypeofoperation,additionalsensorsandintelligentsoftwarearerequiredthanforteleoperation.Sensorsformachinepositionandheading,machinecondition,thepositionofthemoveablepartsofthemachine,andthetypeofmaterialthemachineiscuttingareneeded.Thesoftwaremustguidetheminingmachinefollowingaplanthatcanbealteredbylocalconditionsandeventsasdeterminedfromreal-timesensorinput.Thehumanelementformachineoperationisalwaysexpectedtobeneededinundergroundcoalminesbecauseofthevariabilityofconditionsthatareencounteredandthedifficultytodevelopsensorsandcomputersoftwarethatcanprovidethesamelevelofintelligenceandperceptionasahuman.Theobjectiveofthisresearchistoevaluateanddeveloptheenablingtechnologyforcomputer-assistedcontinuousminingandroofboltingmachines.Workisalsoon-goinginotherareassuchasventilationforcomputer-assistedmining(Volkwein,GoodmanandThiemens,1990)andcontinuoushaulagesystems(Bhatt,1990).Theremainderrelatedtothesetwomachines.Additionaldetailsonthecomputer-assistedminingprogramcanbefoundinthereferences(Schnakenbenberg,1988,1989,1990).COMPUTER-ASSISTEDCONTINUOUSMININGMACHINETechnologycomponentsThetechnologycomponentsrequiredforanyintelligentmachinesystemaretheguidancesystem,machineconditionsystem,computersystem,machinecontrol,human-machineinterfaceandplanning.Foracomputer-assistedmachine,thesamelistapplies,wherethebasicmachineisadrum-typecontinuousminingmachine.Guidancesysteminvolvebothhorizontalmovementsoftheminingmachineintheminespaceandverticalmovementsofthecuttingboom.Forahorizontalguidance,acomputer-assistedminingmachinemustnotonlybeabletoguideitselfwhileitisextractingcoal,butalsowhilemovingthroughouttheentiremine.Thisrequiressensorstoprovideinformationonmachinelocationcoordinates(x,y),machineyaw(heading),andthelocationanddistancetominewallsandobstacles.Thecomputersystemmusttotakethissensorinformation,andusingstoredknowledge,planmachinemoves,positionthemachineatthefacesocuttingcanoccur,andconstructorupdatemaps,allinreal-time.TheBureauhasdividedthehorizontalnavigationproblemintothereareas:theface,thesection,andthewholemine.Thefacenavigationproblemisbeinginvestigatedfirst.Oncethisproblemissolved,navigationinthesectionandthewholeminewillberelativelyeasy.Acomputer-assistedminingmachinemustalsobeabletokeepitscuttingboomwithinthecoalseamandmineonlycoal,ortosomeotherparticularpatterndependingontherequirementsandgeologyattheminesite.Forverticalguidanceofthecuttingboom,asensorsystemisneededthatcandeterminethethicknessofcoalleftontherooforfloor,orthatcandeterminewhenthecuttingactioncrossestheboundaryfromcoaltorock.Thisresearchisknownascoal-rockinterfacedetection(CID).Machineconditioninvolvesthedetermination,inreal-time,oftheconditionofthemajorelectricalandhydrauliccomponentsofacontinuousminingmachine,toaidintheefficientandtimelyrepairofthemachinewhenafailureoccurs.Ultimately,thissystemshouldbeabletopredictacomponentfailureinadvanceofitsoccurrencesothatmaintenancecanbescheduledduringnonproductiontimes.Sincemachinedowntimeisasignificantfactorinthelowproductiontimeexperiencedwithcontinuousminingmachine,anincreaseinmachineavailabilitywillhaveasignificantimpactonefficiencyandproductivity.Computersystemsprovidethebackboneforcomputer-assistedmining.Thecomputermustinterfacetoavarietyofinternal(machinesystem)andexternal(surroundingenvironment)sensors,gatherdatafromthesensors,makedecisionbasedonthereal-timesensordata,andinitiateandcarryoutmachinecontrol.Machinecontrolinvolvesestablishingaccuratecomputer(Sammarco,1988a)ofthemovingpartsoftheminingmachineincludingcuttingboom,gatheringpan,conveyor,stabilizerjack,andlocomotiontracks.Closed-loopcomputercontrolorcontrolbasedonsensorfeedbackmustbeestablishedwhichisaccurateandstable.Toestablishclosed-loopcontrol,thefollowingtasksarerequired:selectasensorthatprovidesthepositionofthemachineparttobecontrolled;developthecomputer-sensorandmachine-sensorinterface;testthemachineandsensorsystem;analyzethedata;formulatecontrolalgorithms;testthecontrolinfreespace;testthecontrolunderminingconditions(cuttingsimulatedcoal);analyzedata.;repeattheabovestepsasnecessary.Human-machineinterfacearerequiredsothatanoperatorcaninteractwithacomputer-assistedmachinetoprovideefficientmachinecontrol.Anoperatormayinteractwiththemachinethroughaninterfacetoprovidenewinformation,changeprioritiesorplans,orintervenewhenanewconditionorsituationisencountered.Planningreferstothesoftwarethatisnecessarytocontrolthewholemachineprocess,tomakeaminingmachineoperateaccordingtosomepredeterminedsequence.Inarobotfactoryfloorapplication,wherearobotisperformingaroutine,repetitiveaction,softwaretocontroltherobotissimple.However,withaminingmachine,thesituationismuchmorecomplex.Theenvironmentcanchange;andtheminegeometrychangesascoalismined.Theplannersoftwaremustbeabletoreacttochangingconditionsandinitiateanappropriateactionfortheconditionencountered,allinreal-time.Thesearetheareasinwhichresearchersareevaluatinganddevelopingtheenablingtechnologyforcomputer-assistedmining.Thestatusofthisdevelopmentisdiscussedinthenextsection.TechnologyevaluationanddevelopmentSincethestartofthecomputer-assistedminingprogram,significantprogresshasbeenmadeineachofthetechnologyareasrequired.Anavigationschemeforhorizontalguidance(Anderson,1989a)wasdefinedforacomputer-assistedminingmachineoperatinginaroom-and-pillar,two-passminingscenario.Thenavigationscheme,makesuseofbothon-and-offmachinesensorsthatworktogethertoprovidetheinformationneededfornavigation.Sensorsselectedforevaluationanddevelopmentarealasergyroscope,ultrasonicrangers,amechanicallinepullsystem,andclinometers.(Note:Afluxgatecompasswastestedearlyintheprogramandwasdeterminedtobeunsuitableforminingmachinenavigation,Sammarco,1990).Thelaserscannersystem(Anderson,1989b)usescommerciallyavailablelaserunitsthataremountedonanoff-machinereferencestructure.Itscansahorizontalplaneforretroreflectivetargetswithinits11mrangeand105°fieldofview.Theretroreflectivetargetsaremountedontheminingmachine.Thelaserscannersdeterminetheangularpositionofthedetectedtargets.Inthepresentconfiguration,twolaserscannersandtwotargetsareused.Whenthetargetsareplacedinaknown,fixedgeometryontheminingmachine,thex-ypositionandyawoftheminingmachinearedeterminedbytriangulationbytheanglesreportedbythelaser.Anothernavigationsystem,similartothelaserscannersystem,isamechanicalpositionandheadingsystem(Jobes,1990).Itusesline-pulllinertransducersmountedontheminingmachine(twotransducersoneachcorner),withtheendsofthetransducerpaircordsconnectedtotheribsonoppositesidesofanentryortooppositesidesofareferencestructure.Throughtriangulationthismechanicalline-pullsystemalsoprovidesx-ypositionandyawoftheminingmachine.Theon-boardnavigationsystems(Sammarco,19988b)includeagyroscope,clinometers,andultrasonicrangingdevices.Thegyroscopeidusedforshort-termcontrolofmachineheadingrelativetoapreviousheading.Clinometersprovidepitchandrollofthemachine.Ultrasonicrangingdevicesareusedforindicatingthepositionofribsandcorners,andlocatingobstacles.Atpresent,eachofthenavigationsensors,excepttheringlasergyroscope,hasbeenindividuallytestedandevaluatedonthesurfaceforperformanceandaccuracy.UndergroundtestingisscheduledtobegininFebruary1991.Sinceeachoftheindividualsensingsystemhaslimitations,thepresentnavigationconceptforminingmachineguidancewillinvolvethefusionofdatafromeachofthesystems,utilizingthemostaccuratereadingstoupdatereferencesfortheothersystems.Forverticalguidanceofthecuttingboom,coal-rockinterfacesensorsarebeingdeveloped.Aswithhorizontalguidance,multiplecoalinterfacesensorsystemsarebeinginvestigatedandwillworktogetherthroughfusionofsensordata,thisisnecessaryinmostUScoalseamsbecausegeologyvarieswidely,evenlocally,tosuchanextentthatasinglesensorsystemwillnotabletoprovideaccurateguidance.Techniquesbeinginvestigatedincludemachinevibration,in-seamseismicvibration,naturalgammaradiation,infraredthermography,radar,andx-rayfluorescence.Theapproachformachineandin-seamseismicvibrations(Mowrey,1990a)aresimilar.Accelerometersareusedtosensevibrationsignalsgeneratedastheminingmachineiscuttingcoalorrockmaterial.Inonecasetheyareattachedtotheminingmachinetosensemachinevibration,andintheothertheyareattachedtothecoal,roof,and/orfloor,tosensein-seamseismicvibration.Differentsignalsaregeneratedwhentheminingmachineiscuttingcoalversuswhenitiscuttingrock.Powerful,intelligentsignalprocessingsoftware,calledadaptivesignaldiscriminationnetworks,areusedtodiscriminatethedifferenceinsignals,inpractice,foragivengeology,thesystemisinitiallytrainedbypurposelycuttingcoal,andthenrock,toshowthesystemwhatthevibrationsignalslooklikeineachcase.Thesystemthendevelopsasetofclassifiersthatareusedtodeterminewhataccuracyachievedsofaris65to75percentcorrectlyclassified.Effortsarefocusedonwaystoimprovetheaccuracytobetterthan90percent.Naturalgammaradiationsensorsystems(MaksimovicandMowrey,1990)havebeenusedsuccessfullyinEuropetodetermineremainingroofcoalthicknesstoguidetheverticalcuttingoflongwallshearers.ThesesensorsarealsocommerciallyavailablefromtwoUSsuppliers,andhavebeenusedinseveralminesintheUSwithsomesuccesses.Tousethissensorsystem,theimmediateroofmaterialmustbeshale-type,whichtypicallyhashighernaturalgammaradiationthandoescoal.BureauresearchfornaturalgammaradiationsensorsisinvestigatingthegeologyofthemajorUScoalseamstodeterminehowwidespreadtheapplicabilityofthistechniqueis.Inaddition,sensorplacement,rangeofaccuracy,andguidanceofftheminefloorarebeinginvestigated.Infraredthermographysystem(Mowrey,1990b)areabletodetectchangesinthermographyenergyproducedasaminingmachinecutsmaterialsofdifferenthardness.Forexample,asaminingmachinecutscoal,acertainamountofthermalenergyisproduced.Asthecuttingpicksbegintostrikeahardersandstoneroof,morethermalenergymaybeproduced.Aninfraredthemographysystemthatcandetectthermalenergyproducedcanbeusedtodeterminewhenthecuttingactionhascrossedtheboundaryfromcoaltoroofstrata.Researchersareusingbothaninfraredthermalcamerathatcanviewthewholefacearea,andaninexpensivepointthermalsensorthatcanbeaimedataparticularbit,todeterminethermalenergyproduced.AnothertechniqueforCIDisaradarcoalthicknesssystem.Anon-contactingradarsensorthatmeasurethecomplexreflectioncoefficientatthesurfaceofanymaterial,asameanstodeterminethethicknessofcoalleft,isbeingdeveloped.Anetworkanalyzerisusedtoresolvesub-wavelengthdimensionsbymakingmatrixmeasurementsinthefrequencyandapacedomains.Researchisconcentratingondevelopingthecomputermodelsandantennafixturesforthissystem.Preliminaryundergroundteststomeasureroofcoalandribthicknessproducedgoodresults,wherecoalthicknesswasmeasuredwithin6mm.AnX-Rayfluorescencesystemforcoal-rockinterfacedetectionisinpreliminarystagesofinvestigation.Thebureauisaddressingtheproblemofmachineconditionandfailuresbyapplyingcomputerandsensortechnologytothehydraulicandelectricalsystemsofacontinuousminingmachine.Forhydraulicsystemdiagnostics(Mitchell,1990),asensor-basedexpertsystemtechniqueisbeingusedtoassistinthedetectionanddeterminationofthecauseoffailuresinhydrauliccomponents.Theknowledgeofmaintenanceandhydraulicsexpertisincorporatedintotheknowledgebaseofanexpertsystem.Thisknowledge,alongwithreal-timeinformationsuppliedbyhydraulicsystemsensorsontheminingmachine,areusedbytheexpertsystemtodetectanddiagnosecomponentfailures.Sensorsincludetemperature,flow,pressure,fluidlevel,andcontaminentsinthehydraulicfluid.Agraphicinterfaceisbeingdevelopedtoassistinsystemoperationanddiagnosis.Afutureadditionwilladdprognosiscapabilitysodegradationofhydraulicsystemcomponentscanbedetectedinadvanceoffailuretoavoiddowntimeduringproductiontime.Adiagnosticsystemhasalsobeendevelopedfortheelectricalcontrolcircuitofacontinuousminingmachine.Acomputer-based,algorithmictechniquewasselectedforthissystem.Thisapproachwaspossiblesincetheinformationrequiredtodiagnoseacontrolcircuitfailurewasobtainablefromsensors,andsimplemathermaticalrelationscouldbeestablishedbetweensensorinputsandfailures.Thesystemdiagnoses19commonlyoccurringfailuresofacontinuousminingmachinecontrolcircuitbymeasuring35voltagepoints.Adisplayontheminingmachineidentifiesthecauseoffailure.Thecomputertiesthesensorandmachinecontrolsystemstogethertoformacomputer-assistedminingsystem.Atthelowestlevelithandlestheclosedloopcontrolofthevariousappendages.Inthisroleittakesdatafromthesensorsprovidingthepositionofthemovablepartsofthemachine,comparesthesevaluestothedesiredtargetvalue,andinitiates,maintains,orstopsmovementofthemovablepartsasnecessary.Athigherlevels,ithandlestheplanningandmachinemovementsrequiredtoextractcoalaccordingtoaminingplan.Allofthetechnologydiscussedhasbeenthoroughlytestedandevaluatedinthelaboratory.

中文翻译美国煤炭局采煤机自动化研究JHWELSHandJEBEVAN摘要美国煤炭局正在进行研究改善地下矿工的健康和安全,和被用的采矿制度的效率。在1986年，煤炭局为地下的煤矿关于计算机辅助采煤系统开始了在技术方面的一个主要的研究努力。开始的目标是通过计算机辅助操作采煤的连续采煤机的技术，研究的技术领域包括引导系统,计算机系统、机器控制,人-机接口和计划。在这些每一个领域中，个别的系统的发展已经促进这些系统的地下测试在1991年将会开始。除了采煤之外，煤炭局对计算机辅助顶梁螺栓技术的发展也已经开始研究。煤炭局正在为"聪明的"顶梁螺栓发展技术，它能够感觉并且分析层情况以便决定洞的位置,钻孔的长度,而且选择并且安装适当的螺栓。关于连续采煤和顶梁螺栓的研究进行得很好。介绍在地下的煤矿中工作仍然是最危险的职业之一,在1984和1989年间,14181起意外事件发生在美国的连续采煤区段的工作面区域。18%的受伤，21%的致命和永久的残疾。此外，工作面工人还遭受健康危险，如设备噪音,在1988年,美国有6981个新的黑肺病案例。传统的解决煤矿健康和安全问题方式是是通过地面控制,除尘控制,甲烷控制,和噪音控制减少危险。虽然这方法过去已经在采煤时减少危险方面非常成功,但健康和安全危险仍然存在,意外事件和健康问题仍然正在发生。为了对意外事件和健康危险暴露的数字作进一步的重要减少，新的方法是不可或缺的。在1986年,煤炭局开始了让工人从工作面被重新配置到他们可以运行他们的工作的安全又有益健康的环境的新方法。虽然这方法很早就被想到了,但是只有在近来的计算机和感应器技术的进步下才使它成为可能的替代选择。健康和安全是主要的担忧，同时提供在采煤效率的进步技术也是令人想要的。最近的统计学表示连续的矿工只采煤可得的变化的大约32%的时间。这意味着在采煤效率很小的提高就可以造成巨大的产量。过去几年以来,煤炭局对计算机辅助采煤项目已经有了发展，它集中对准综合广泛研究计划，以项目目标为目的，而且提供研究协调性。这个研究涉及不同的煤炭局中心的多个计划和研究员。近期，研究对准在典型的采煤区段中操作的现在又商业化可得的采煤设备。目标更进一步被定义到一个连续的采矿区段，即硐室-支柱，长壁采煤的发展。因为它有对美国采煤的宽适用性,而且对于美国采煤业的健康、安全和效率有重要的影响，所以这一个情境被选择。对计算机辅助采煤系统的研究包括用一部连续采煤机、支架,拖曳、和通风进行采煤。在较长的一段时间里，研究员将会研究采煤系统和概念决定利用自动技术的新的采煤系统能是否值得追求，以及/或是否采煤方法的改变在健康、安全和效率有改善。计算机辅助采煤,定义一个典型的连续采矿区段有连续采煤机、顶梁支架、和一或两个运输机。这个设备正在运行的工作面区域,和在采煤过程中未支顶梁被暴露,对工人的健康和安全造成最大的威胁。由计算机辅助采煤、感应器和计算机技术会被加到工作面设备让操作员重新安置在远离工作面150-180米的控制室。控制室将安置在有新鲜的空气，而且环境将被控制以便提供一个简直没有灰尘和噪音有益健康的工作区域。各种不同水平的计算机辅助采煤的存在,从远程控制到计算机辅助操作,在这一个区段的剩余者方面被描述。为了从设备不在视线范围内的控制室的工作面操作采煤设备,操作员必须依赖来自安装在设备的感应器和录像机的信息。开始的研究将会包括远程控制,即只是在一个遥远的位置,当操作采煤设备的时候，操作员基本上运行和他/她一样的工作。操作员将会依赖来自安装在机器和/或在操作区上的录像机的输入，提供机器的可动部份(截割滚筒,挡煤板、运送装置等)的位置的感应器,指导感应器提供操作员可获得正常信息，如工作面噪音。计算机系统将会收集来自感应器的数据,经过人的接口，像是图形或者刻度盘和标准度量将数据呈现给操作员,以操作员的开始指令为基础控制机器的运动。随着较多的装置在设备上的感应器和更加智能的计算机软件发展，机器-控制的情节将会促进计算机辅助操作。计算机控制系统将进一步做出决定操作员只需干涉当一种不正常的情形发生时,像遇到一种完全新的情形时。由控制计算机基于感应器输入和软件分析和决策，机器开动自动开始。这类型的操作，对附加的感应器和智能软件的需要超过远程控制。感应器需要机器位置和方向，机器情况，机器的运动部份的位置和正在切的机器材料的类型。软件必须随当地情况改变的计划，和实时感应器所决定的输入事件引导采煤机。因为遇到的情况易变，发展感应器和能提供作为一个人类的相同程度的智力和知觉的计算机软件的困难，对机器操作来说期望人的要素在地下的煤矿中是不可或缺的。这个研究的目的是促进和发展计算机辅助连续采煤和顶梁支架机器的技术。这项工作在其他的区域如计算机辅助采煤(Volkwein,GoodmanandThiemens,1990)和连续的拖曳系统的通风(Bhatt,1990)也正在进行。计算机辅助连续采煤机技术组成部分任何智能机器系统必需的技术组成部分有指导系统,机器条件系统,计算机系统,机器控制,人-机接口和计划。对于一部计算机辅助机器，相同的目录应用,基本的机器是一部连续滚筒采煤机。指导系统包括在采煤空间中采煤机的水平运动和截割滚筒的垂直运动。对于水平的指导,一部计算机辅助采煤机不仅必须能够当它正在采煤的时候指导它本身,而且当穿过整个采煤空间移动时也能指导它自己。这需要感应器提供关于机器位置坐标(x,y)，机器偏航(方向)，煤壁和障碍的位置和距离的信息。计算机系统必须采用这个感应器的数据,而且使用储存的知识,计划机器动作,在工作面定位机器从而使截割发生，构造或者更新地图,所有是在实时情况下。煤炭局已经把水平的航行问题分为如下区域:工作面，区段和整个过煤空间。工作面航行问题正在首先被调查。一旦这个问题被解决，区段和整个过煤空间的航行问题相对地就容易了。计算机辅助采煤机必须能够保持截割滚筒在煤层里和采出的只有煤,或依据要求和煤矿的地质条的一些其他的特别情形。对于截割滚筒的垂直指导,一个能决定剩余煤的顶板或底板的厚度,或决定什么时候截割运动越过从煤到岩石的边界的感应器系统是不可或缺的。这个研究即是煤-岩石接口的发现(CID)。机器条件包括决策,在实时的,连续采煤机的主要电的或液压的情况,当失效发生的时候在机器的效率和及时修理方面援助。最后，这个系统应该能够预先预测发生的零件失效，以便在非生产期间能够按照预定计划维修。因为对连续的采煤机停工时间在低的生产时间内是一个重要的因素，机器有效的增加将会对效率和生产力有重要的影响。计算机系统提供后盾给计算机辅助采煤。计算机一定接口至多种内在的(机器系统)和外部的(周围的环境)感应器，收集来自感应器的数据,作出基于实时的感应器数据的决定,开始并且实行机器控制。机器控制包括建立采煤机运动部分包括截割滚筒，挡煤板，千斤顶，位置追踪的精确计算机(Sammarco,1988a)。闭环计算机控制和基于感应器反馈的控制必须被精确和稳定地建立。建立闭环控制,下列的工作被需要:选择一个提供机器零件位置的感应器;发展计算机感应器和机器-感应器的接口;测试机器和感应器系统;分析数据;制定控制运算法则;测试过煤空间的控制;在采煤情况之下测试控制(模拟采煤);分析数据。当必需时重复上述的步骤。人-机接口被需要，以便操作员能与一部计算机辅助机互动提供有效率的机器控制。当遇到一种新的情况或者情形的时候，一个操作员可能经过一个接口与机器互动提供新的数据、变化优先或者计划,或干涉。计划指需要时控制整个的机器程序的软件,使采煤机根据某些预定的顺序运行。在机