Zeitschrift für Informatik und Systembiologie

A Review on the Use of Ultra-Wide Band Sensors in Mineral Exploration

Abstract

Morgan Powell*

Ultra-wideband (UWB) sensors use radio frequency technology to precisely determine position by wireless communication between devices. The most recent applications concentrate on locating and collecting sensor data from mobile phones, car keys, and other similar devices. However, this technology is still underutilised in the mining industry. This viewpoint provides implementation options and solutions to bridge this gap. It also assessed the advantages and disadvantages of using ultra-wideband for mining. The provided measurements were made with QORVO two-way ranging sensors and compared to theoretical and existing technological solutions. To ensure that UWB sensors are used optimally, special emphasis was placed on influencing factors such as UWB location methods and factors affecting measurement accuracies such as line of sight, multipath propagation, the effect of shielding, and the ideal measurement setup. An experiment revealed that when there is no multipath propagation and the arriving signal travels directly from the transmitter to the receiver, the results are the most accurate. Ultra-wideband (UWB) is a radio technology that allows for short-range, high-bandwidth communications at very low energy levels while covering a large portion of the radio spectrum. Even though it was introduced in 1901, this technology has many applications today. It is not linked to any frequency, unlike other similar technologies. UWB can also send data by utilising unused frequency capacity and a very wide frequency range. The minimum frequency range for UWB is 500 MHz. In general, the frequency response and pulse width of a signal determine the accuracy that can be achieved. The response frequency of UWB can range between 10 and 40 MHz, and the pulse width can be as short as one nanosecond, giving it a theoretical accuracy of one millimetre.