And the winner is: Spectral Industries

Rockathon, a co-creation and open innovation event, was arranged by Sandvik in cooperation with EIT RawMaterials on September 5 in Tampere, Finland. During the Rockathon, technology and software development companies, as well as subject-matter experts, collaborated intensively on an onboard analysis project.

This was the first hackathon organised by EIT RawMaterials and its partner, Sandvik. The challenge was to create and design a workable and compatible system for onboard ore analysis for mining equipment. A collaboration agreement with Sandvik was awarded to the winning team.

Rockathon participants were asked to contribute via brainstorming, ideation exercises and co-creation design thinking to real-time and onboard analyzing system for moving mining machines. The analysing system should “see” inside the rock utilizing mining equipment with a new intelligent rock mass analyser. It should also measure ore grade to define ore boundaries and avoid mining and processing of waste material.

Research Manager, Sirpa Launis made the following statements by providing further clarifications on the matter: “We are always trying to figure out how to enable customers to be more productive and effective without compromising safety. The Rockathon challenge is a good continuation for our research work. At the end of the Rockathon, we set out concrete next steps with the winner of this challenge to follow up the discussions, agreements and further development of the prototypes. Participants are given comprehensive feedback in the form of reports and recommendations”.

Sandvik Rockathon challenge champs were crowned Spectral Industries with their cross-disciplinary idea of onboard analysis.

If you want to learn more on Sandvik click here.