Robotic Mine Rescuers

Coal miners may soon have new guardian angels in China in robotic form. Given the rather dismal safety record of Chinese mines this is seen as a positive move. A factory in north China is going to begin producing coal mine rescue robots that will enter the hazardous areas of mining accidents to collect data.

Kaicheng Electronic Co. Ltd has designed the robot which is equipped with blast proof armour and chained wheels. The company located in Tangshan in north china's Hebei province had received permission to commence industrial production.

They are hoping to produce about 1,800 robots per year by 2012 when the factory operates at full capacity. The robots are a good initiative to improve the safety conditions of Chinese mines which have claimed more than 2,600 lives in accidents in the last year alone.