Innovative Wireless Technologies, Inc (IWT), an engineering solutions provider, will develop a tool called the Mine Safety Data Analytics Engine (MSDAE) as part of a broader study into how big data analytics and machine learning solutions can improve risk management in mining operations.

The company announced the project after being awarded a funding opportunity by National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) as part of the ‘Development of Mine Safety and Health Technology' initiative.

The goal of the project is to push the mining industry towards a more proactive, data-led approach to risk management and health and safety.

The company said the MSDAE will analyse a multitude of data sources ranging from Sentinel tracking and sensors data to shift reports and third party from PLC networks.

The data passed to the analytics engine will run through machine learning algorithms to predict potential safety and risk scenarios. The results will be presented to end users in visualisation tools on tablets, smartphones and laptops.

To do so, IWT will collaborate with mines to test and deploy the software, where the visualisation tools will enable decision makers to identify risks and patterns using charts, graphs and dashboards.