In a landmark collaboration, the National Institute of Technology Rourkela (NIT-R) and IIT (ISM) Dhanbad have jointly launched a Centre of Excellence (CoE) to transform India’s mining sector through cutting-edge automation, cyber-physical systems (CPS), and digital technologies. The initiative, supported by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), aims to build a safe, smart, and sustainable mining ecosystem.
FTBI–TEXMiN Mining CPS Centre: A Hub for Innovation
The CoE, inaugurated on June 20, 2025, at NIT-R’s Foundation for Technology and Business Incubation (FTBI), is being developed in partnership with TEXMiN, a not-for-profit tech company under DST housed at IIT Dhanbad. The centre will focus on:
- Smart wearables and AI-based risk alerts for miner safety
- Digital twins and sensor-driven platforms for real-time hazard detection
- Drone, LiDAR, and geo-intelligence tools for precision exploration
- Blockchain-based governance for mineral logistics and licensing
- AI-powered platforms for centralized decision-making
₹2 Crore in Grants and Fellowships
Over the next four years, the CoE will disburse ₹2 crore in research grants and fellowships, offering innovators access to state-of-the-art labs, mentorship, and incubation support. The goal is to bridge the gap between academia, startups, and industry to modernize mining operations and tackle long-standing issues like poor safety standards, low productivity, and environmental degradation.
Leaders Speak
Prof. K. Umamaheshwar Rao, Director of NIT-R, emphasized the role of digital innovation in modern mining, while Prof. Sukumar Mishra, Director of IIT (ISM) Dhanbad, highlighted the importance of applied research in scalable, sustainable technologies.
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