Western Australian mining technology firm Jevons Robotics has secured a A$1 million federal government grant to help it commercialise its autonomous blast-hole loading and stemming vehicle.
The Perth-based company is among 37 recipients of grants worth more than $20 million handed out by the Australian Government this month under its Accelerating Commercialisation grant program. Only two of the 37 received the maximum $1 million grant.
Jevons last month announced an alliance with UK-based ABD Solutions to integrate ABDS’ Indigo-Drive autonomy and communications software and hardware, and support, with Jevons’ automation-enabled industrial battery-electric vehicles.
Jevons CEO Todd Peate said competition for Australian federal Department of Industry, Science and Technology Accelerating Commercialisation grants was fierce.
“This funding will help commercialise our exciting ROEVA, a world-first, autonomous, battery-electric vehicle which will initially be used in the delivery of explosives, blast quality assurance and delivery of stemming,” Peate said.
“The grant is a notable example of the government’s commitment to innovation and investment in robotics.”
Jevons chief operating officer David Crosbie said the company had received interest from around the world in its first autonomous BEV.
“Worker safety, productivity and sustainability are still the most critical factors in effectively operating mines,” he said.
“The ROEVA will deliver on each of these but most importantly will remove human workers from dangerous zones.
“It will be a game changer in the delivery of explosives.”
