ABSTRACT

The monotonous heavy duty trucks driver working conditions at open mines could lead to a situation where the driver relaxes and falls asleep. In order to prevent such accidents a Sleep Detector that activates an alarm when the truck driver falls asleep has been developed. The detector monitors the driver’s eye status using an infrared scanner.

Very often these trucks use a dual source of energy: a Diesel to drive in the loading area and an overhead electrical power line for the load haulage. The steering of the truck under the line should be performed fairly accurately otherwise the pantograph could be damaged. A Steering Monitor provides the driver with information on the true position of the truck under the line and warns him when the truck goes out of alignment. The monitor uses the magnetic field created by the load current in the overhead line to determine the truck’s orientation. The use of the monitor increases electrical line availability time and provides a significant saving on diesel fuel.