Design of a portable IoT robot with azure machine learning for monitoring mine workers’ health

Abstract

The mining environment exposes workers to physical, environmental, and health risks. The lack of effective real-time health monitoring systems leads to delayed medical responses. Hence, this paper discusses developing a portable Internet of Things (IoT) robot with advanced machine learning and cloud computing to monitor mine workers’ health and send out alerts. The system is equipped with IoT sensors that monitor parameters continuously, such as heart rate, body temperature, blood pressure, and environmental factors (gas concentrations, air quality). Data collected in real-time is transmitted to a cloud-based platform for analysis using advanced machine learning algorithms. MQ-135 detects harmful gases, and DHT11 measures humidity and transmits data to the Arduino UNO. The HC-SR04 sensor measures object distances by emitting ultrasonic waves and detecting their echoes, aiding in obstacle detection. The NEO-6M GPS with GSM SIM900 modules transmit location data and emergency alerts via the GSM network, enabling responses to potential dangers. Simulation via Proteus validates the robot’s transceiver connectivity, mobility, and sensing functions. To enhance monitoring precision, the system adopts XGBoost, which classifies mine conditions, and the training model achieves 96.77% accuracy with high precision and recall. The system with Azure Machine Learning improves detection accuracy, raising temperature, CO, NH₄, and NO₂ precision by 7.25%, 15%, 17%, and 18%, respectively. Thus, the system features an intelligent alert mechanism to notify users of emergencies, enhancing worker safety and minimizing health-related risks in mining operations.