Low-Cost LoRaWAN-Based Smart Helmet System for Underground Mining Safety in Peru

Mataqque R.J.L.; Beltrán E.A.G.; Mamani S.P.; Espinoza G.A.E. · SSRG International Journal of Electrical and Electronics Engineering (2025) · DOI: 10.14445/23488379/ijeee-v12i7p122

Resumen

Safety in underground mining remains a challenge due to the limited coverage of current monitoring technologies. This study addresses the following research question: Can a portable, low-power, multisensor system based on LoRaWAN improve the detection of critical events in real underground mining environments? The hypothesis proposed is that such a system is capable of detecting falls, verifying helmet usage, and transmitting alerts with acceptable latency, even under adverse conditions. The main objective was to design and implement a smart modular system adaptable to standardized helmets, integrating inertial, barometric, and infrared sensors, and using LoRaWAN to transmit events to a remote base. Field tests were conducted in a real mining site located in Caylloma, Arequipa, Peru, where performance was evaluated through simulated real-life events. The proposed system achieved an event detection accuracy of 88%, with an effective range of up to 200 meters and an operational autonomy of 10 hours. The results suggest that this system could represent a viable alternative to enhance safety in mining environments, improving emergency response and offering a practical, low-cost, and easily integrable solution in the workplace.

Instituciones: Universidad Nacional de San Agustín de Arequipa