RockSigma and NorrSpect had the most promising innovative ideas 2024
RockSigma and NorrSpect – these are the names of the SMEs behind Sweden’s best innovation ideas for sustainable mining in 2024 and the final winners of Swedish Mining Innovation’s Innovation Idea Competition.
The presentations were of exceptionally high quality this year, making it challenging for the jury to rank the ideas, says Lotta Sartz, Chair of the jury. Ultimately, the jury chose two winners whose ideas stood out as having the potential to make a significant impact on the mining industry globally. They will receive SEK 600,000 each to take their idea further. The two winners and their ideas are:
RockSigma AB – “Next Generation Processing for Distributed Acoustic Sensing” Title in application: Nextgen Microseismic Processing for Distributed Acoustic Sensing Data.
Motivation from the jury
“This is a very strong and innovative team with an idea that has the potential to revolutionize the mining industry with its cutting-edge solutions. In the future, we need to mine smarter and deeper, and since safety is always our highest priority, this seismic processing solution, which enables safe operations at greater depths, was very appealing to the jury. The combination of its potential high impact on the global mining industry made this idea a true success”.
NorrSpect AB – “Visual Inspection”
Title in application: Real-Time Camera Detection, Classification and Analysis of Rocks in Mining.
Motivation from the jury
“This idea is very interesting as it is a software tool that can be used together with existing equipment. It enables the use of regular cameras for process analysis in mines, positively impacting efficiency, safety, sustainability, and environmental responsibility. It utilizes technology and data-driven insights to create a more efficient and safer mining industry. The team is very driven, with innovative solutions that would be highly valuable to the mining industry. They have experience working with large companies before but are new to the mining industry”.
Thank you for all the fantastic entries we have received this year but also since the start of this competition 10 years ago. Thank you to everyone who has been on the jury and produced such great winners over the years and the whole team behind the event. Finally, we would like to thank the eight companies that pitched their ideas this year. Keep up the good work and thank you for having such great ideas that can make a difference!
Thank you for all the fantastic entries we have received this year but also since the start of this competition 10 years ago. Thank you to everyone who has been on the jury and produced such great winners over the years and the whole team behind the event. Finally, we would like to thank the eight companies that pitched their ideas this year. Keep up the good work and thank you for having such great ideas that can make a difference!
In the picture (above): The team behind RockSigma (at the top) Magnus Stenfelt, Wille Törnman, Emil Svanberg, Elliot Huber, Suad Huseynli & Jesper Martinsson. (not in picture; Ivan Sedelkin & Olivia Norberg).
The team behind NorrSpect (the bottom picture): Ulrik Söderström & Aman Malhotra
Erik Ronne, Research Manager Sustainability at Boliden, talks about the event.
The Jury of 2024
Lotta Sartz, Chairman of the jury.
I´ve been involved in the innovation idea competition before, but this is my first time as chairman of the jury, which I think is super exciting and I feel very honored. The Innovation Idea Competition is one of the program´s flagships, a real enabler for innovation that contributes to development of new technologies and new ways of thinking”.
Lotta Sartz, Swedish Mining Innovation Bergslagen (Chairman of the jury)
Théo Berthet, Business Development Manager, EIT Raw Materials
Susanne Eriksson Rostmark, External FoI Collaboration manager, LKAB
Katarina Öquist, R&D Manager Technology and Innovation Underground Division, Epiroc
Lars Wallgren, Acting Environmental Manager and Development strategist, Kaunis Iron
Anders Sand, Research Manager, Boliden Mines
Keith Taylor, Global Program Manager, Business Sweden
Previous winners
Matt Baida and Frida Holst, VAST. (image at the top). Björn Ohlsén, Magnus Ivarsson, Kristoffer Palmgren and Oona Snoeyenbos-West.
VAST and MycoMine – these are the companies behind Sweden’s best innovation ideas for sustainable mining. It is Swedish Mining Innovation’s Expert Jury that annually selects the winners through its innovation idea competition, which was recently held in Luleå.
This year’s innovation idea competition attracted record interest as 25 entries were received. The jury selected eight entries to pitch in front of them and the audience in Luleå on March 15. The jury, which this year included international members, has chosen to appoint two winners.
Ida Rehnström, COO Flasheye and
Lukas Crisp, CEO and co-founder of Radchat
Flasheye uses 3D technology to detect and prevent faults and accidents. – Winning this award is a testimony that we are doing the right thing at the right time. The prize money enables us to proceed with IP and product development. We have high ambitions and are planning to scale globally from the start, says Ida Rehnström, COO Flasheye.
With the help of radar and sensor technology, Radchat offers high precision positioning, ultimately to eliminate accidents and making mines an even safer environment. – We’re thrilled to be one of this year’s winners in competition against innovative and driven companies. Now we look forward to taking the next step together with industry partners, says Lukas Crisp, CEO and co-founder of Radchat.
Thomas Gustavsson, CEO, Hypex Bio Explosives Technology AB and Jesper Martinsson, CTO, RS Solutions AB
Hypex Bio Explosives Technology AB, “Biodegradable and Nitrate Free Civil Explosives” Nitrate-free explosives can become a game changer in mining by replacing ammonium nitrate with hydrogen peroxide as an oxidizer. The benefits include lower emissions of nitrogen compounds, significantly reduced CO2 emissions and reduced need for ventilation of the gases produced.
RS Solutions AB, “Bayesian Estimation of Mine Induced Seismicity (BEMIS)” Mining for ore in underground mines gives rise to seismic activity. BEMIS is a calculation system for seismic events. BEMIS provides fast and accurate information about seismic events, predicts seismic activity based on production plans, creates tomographic images that show changes in the rock mass. BEMIS self-learning algorithms provide a good opportunity to increase safety in the mine and at the same time increase production.
Iman Vakili och Iman Mohajeri, Sencept AB Sencept AB, “Intelligent Radar Sensor for Autonomous Mining”
Jury’s motivation: AI and intelligent sensors have a rapidly growing importance for the development of Sweden’s mining industry. Sencept AB has developed a 4D radar sensor that can detect an object’s position in three dimensions and furthermore the speed. AI is used to identify different types of objects such as machines and people. This solution increases productivity while providing a safer and more attractive work environment which contributes to increased gender equality in the long run. It is also positive that there is a well-composed team behind the idea and that there is potential to reach an international market.
SIP STRIM’s winner – Atium AB, “Innovation for more efficient and sustainable purification of water from mercury”
Jury’s motivation: Mercury is one of the ten most dangerous substances for human health, according to WHO. At the same time, it is an extensive global problem. Many industries, including the mining industry, handle mercury in process and waste water. Atium AB develops a more efficient and sustainable technology to selectively clean water from mercury with a reusable filter. The method can clean low concentrations in an energy-efficient manner. The idea has a great development potential because purification of mercury is a global need, and there are also opportunities to develop the method for purifying water from other heavy metals.
EIT RawMaterials winner – ReVibe Energy, “Wireless recording and analysis of vibrations and shocks for monitoring equipment in mining and industrial environments”
Jury’s motivation: An innovation that will enable new capabilities for EIT RM value chain in improving maintenance and efficiency by detecting and collecting data with higher accuracy and capacity in a mobile and battery driven environment.
Winners 2018
Winner SIP STRIM – MBV Systems, “3DPM”
Jury motivation: A well performed pitch presenting an idea that addresses an important challenge – real time measurement of granular materials fragmentation. The winning team is highly qualified and the idea has potential to increase both resource efficiency and energy efficiency.
Winner EIT RM – ReVibe Energy AB, “Powering the Industrial Internet of Things”
Jury motivation: A well preformed pitch and highly qualified team with an innovative and potentially power saving technology of high interest for the EIT RawMaterials value chain.
For us at Luleå university of technology, it is important that you feel confident about the way we manage your personal data, according to the General Data Protection Regulation, GDPR. We collect data about how you browse our website, via Google Analytics, to improve and analyze how our services are being used, in order to create the best possible experience for you.I agreeNoRead more
