The Vision of the Digital Miner

config.style.backdrop: "#303030" config.style.page.color: "white on #424242" config.style.googleFont: "<link href=\"https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Nunito:ital@0;1&display=swap\" rel=\"stylesheet\">" config.style.page.font: "Nunito/sans-serif 18" config.style.page.link.color: "white" config.style.page.link.lineColor: "#70f1d9" config.style.page.link.active.color: "white on #303030" config.footer.center: "{back link, label: 'Back'}" -- Welcome to, ~~[[The Vision of The Digital Miner]]~~

In this vision you will play the main character in a story of how it could be to work as a digital miner in the [[_not-too-distant_ future]].

Throughout the story you will encounter several instances of the following symbol: <img src="assets/information-line.png" alt="Read the commentary for this scene." /> [[Proceed]]

The vision uses an interactive story telling approach. Over at Wired you can [[read an article->https://www.wired.com/story/environment-climate-change-storytelling/]] about the merits of storytelling. [[Get started with the story]]

This is your first official day as a digital miner of the future. If you are ready to enter the workplace, you can do so directly. If you are not ready, you can stop by the coffee machine in order to clear your mind and fresh'n your spirit, and maybe have a chat with some collegues. [[Go to the future workplace]] [[Go to the coffee machine]]

After drinking a cup of freshly brewed java with great enjoyment together with your collegues you now feel ready to: [[Go to the future workplace]] [note] En ide är att här ha ett värde / variabel på hur mycket medvetandet och själen har blivit 'cleared' och 'freshe'nd'. Detta för att bekanta spelaren med ett liknande scenario när den ska uppskatta hur säker den är på drönarens säkerhetsbedömning senare i storyn.

{embed image: "assets/sb1.jpg", alt: "The work place"} <span class="commentary" commentary="A visualization of an open and collaborative workspace where high-technological solutions are paired with open discussions and team-based interactions. An agenda walkthrough, discussions regarding statistics and a small group of operators collaborating using extended reality (XR) can be seen. "><img src="assets/information-line.png" alt="Read the commentary for this scene." /> After meeting up with your colleagues in the collaborative workspace, you head over to the control room in order to get fully updated on the production flow. [[Go to the control room]]

{embed image: "assets/sb2.jpg", alt: "A control room"} The control room functions like the brain of the entire mining operation. From this room travels commands to the autonomous machines about what to do and when to do it. The machines are artificially intelligent. They therefore need no instructions on _how to do the things they do._ Everything seems to be running smoothly. But then, you suddenly feel a buzzing alarm at your smart tablet. [[Check the alarm on your smart tablet]] [[Ignore the alarm on your smart tablet]]

Your boss is not going to be happy about this. It is advisable to: [[Check the alarm on your smart tablet]]

{embed image: "assets/sb3.jpg", alt: "A smart tablet"} <img src="assets/information-line.png" alt="Read the commentary for this scene." /> You check the tablet in order to see what the fuzz is about. It tells you that an ~unexpected disturbance~~ has occurred somewhere in the mining operation and that maintenance is urgently required. Panicking does not help. You will need to examine the problem further in order to know exactly what to do. [[Examine the problem further]]

The tablet is handy when you are out on missions. But sometimes, the system is not that user-friendly. You have two ways to examine the problem: Either on your smart tablet, or by talking to your colleagues in the control room which have more information about the disturbance. [[Examine the problem on your tablet]] [[Talk to your colleagues]]

Your colleague tells you that one of the autonomous trucks have encountered a problem which _it does not know how to solve._ At this moment, it is unclear why the disturbance has occurred. Tele-remotely taking over the system from the control room is not possible. You will have to get dressed for an _underground mission._ [[Go to the changing room]]

[after 2 second] Lets see... [after 5 second] How to find the right menu? [after 8 second] Hmmmm... [after 12 second] [[Continue examining the problem on your smart tablet]]

~~Enough of this!~~ After clicking around on the tablet for some time, you realise that it is more convenient to talk to your collegues instead, since they are in the same room. [[Talk to your colleagues]]

{embed image: "assets/sb4.jpg", alt: "Geared up for going down"} <img src="assets/information-line.png" alt="Read the commentary for this scene." /> The suit used for underground mining operations have been updated with the latest technology. It has sensors that measures health and positioning. The suit is comfortable and most importantly, it is tempered in order to _keep the worker cool_ in the sometimes hot underground environments. The helmet is also technologically advanced and ergonomic. Put it on and close the visor for _a first person experience:_ [[Put the helmet on and close the visor]]

{embed image: "assets/sb4.5.jpg", alt: "First person view from helmet"} <span class="commentary" commentary="With this suit and helmet with AR technology build in HUD in the visor we want to illustrate that technological solutions for humans has to be developed alongside the technology used for autonomous production. "><img src="assets/information-line.png" alt="Read the commentary for this scene." /> The helmet uses a augmented reality (AR) in a head up display (HUD) built into the visor. The display is synchronized with your smart tablet making it easily controlled. You can also change the settings, choose which information to display and make customizations from the tablet. The helmet automatically connects to the build in oxygen tube, which autonomously supplies extra oxygen, [[_if required_]].

The new autonomous machines has reduced the number of people underground, which has decreased the need for ventilation in certain areas of the mine. Ventilation is required in areas close to production in order to clear blasting fumes, and to control the temperature in the mine. [[However,]]

In areas where there are little activity, there is also less need for ventilation. In these areas, oxygen levels are sometimes below the threshold value for healthy work environments. It is a good thing that the smart tablet system alerts you to close the visor when the threshold value is reached. [[Go to the elevator]]

{embed image: "assets/sb5.jpg", alt: "Heading into the elevator"} The elevator will take you to the underground station about 1500m below ground level. Your tablet also has an hologram function displaying useful information about the mission, or social media if you like. <img src="assets/information-line.png" alt="Read the commentary for this scene." /> Next stop: [[The underground station]]

{embed image: "assets/sb6.jpg", alt: "A underground station"} <span class="commentary" commentary="An illustration of how an underground station could look. A clean underground environment where all vehicles are electric. Maintenance arrive at the station via the elevator."><img src="assets/information-line.png" alt="Read the commentary for this scene." /> The underground station has all the necessary tools and you will need for the mission. You will also need to pick up a drone to use for safety inspections. This is standard procedure. After everything is loaded onto the electric vehicle, you are ready to enter the mine. [[Drive into the mine]]

After driving some time in the mine you reach the point where you will have to do an autonomous drone inspection for safety reasons. The drone will inspect the area for blasting fumes, measure the oxygen level and scan for loose rocks that could potentially jeopardize your safety. [[Start the autonomous drone inspection]]

The drone is autonomous. Yet, you still have to place the drone in the starting position and select the route to inspect on your smart tablet and initiate the inspection. [[Initiate the inspection]]

{embed image: "assets/sb7.jpg", alt: "Drone inspection"} [after 3 seconds] After some time, the drone returns with fresh data on safety. [[Check the data]]

~~Green Thumbs Up~~ The drone tells you that it is safe to enter the area. The data for this evaluation is 90% certain. 10% uncertainty in the data is normal for these inspections. Do you trust the result provided by the drone given this level of certainty? Yes, it seems reasonable. [[Continue your mission]] [[No, I am not sure]] <span class="commentary" commentary="With this we want to emphasise the sometimes problematic issues of trust in human-technology interactions. The fact that the system can be trusted and that it is trusted by its users is essential for the entire mining operation to function. "><img src="assets/information-line.png" alt="Read the commentary for this scene." />

After contemplating the results for some time you decide to call your colleagues in the control room using the build in communication system in your helmet. [[Call your colleagues in the control room]]

From the control room you are told that the gas explosive value is in line with the expected value given the time since the last explosion in the area. You are also told that an extensive reading for loose rocks were performed in the area some time ago. There has been little siesmic activity in the area since then. It is therefore _likely to be trustworthy._ This is as good as it gets in terms of these inspections. <img src="assets/information-line.png" alt="Read the commentary for this scene." /> <span class="commentary" commentary="How about the certainty evaluation? Do you trust that it really is 90%? What if the system that evaluates certainty is incorrectly calibrated? Better not think about that."><img src="assets/information-line.png" alt="Read the commentary for this scene." /> [[Continue your mission]]

{embed image: "assets/sb8.jpg", alt: "Mine truck"} You have now reached the machine where the urgent _maintenance is required._ There seems to be some form of software issue. You decide to try the universal solution to software issues, i.e., restarting the system. [[Restart the system]]

~~Voila~~ _Fantastic!_ [[Now it works as it should]]

{embed image: "assets/sb9.jpg", alt: "Illustration showing that work is completed"} Great job! The underground mission is completed for this time. ~~End of story~