[Pocket Queries] Real-time Remote Control of Drill Jumbo via Internet Achieved with Video Transmission Latency under 0.4 Seconds

Pocket Queries Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Norihiko Sasaki; hereinafter "the Company"), in a joint project with Sato Kogyo Co., Ltd. and Furukawa Rock Drill Co., Ltd., has upgraded the "Drill Jumbo Wireless Remote Control System" using a Head-Mounted Display (HMD) and conducted a demonstration experiment for long-distance remote control via a general commercial internet line.

In this project, a remote control environment was constructed by combining existing communication infrastructure between a construction site in the Shikoku region (Anan City, Tokushima Prefecture) and a technology center in the Kanto region (Tsukuba City, Ibaraki Prefecture), covering a straight-line distance of approximately 550 km. The project succeeded in suppressing video transmission latency to within 0.4 seconds, which is within the practical range.

This is the first case in Japan (according to Sato Kogyo's research) of successful wireless remote control of a drill jumbo for mountain tunnel construction via the internet.

■ Overview and Technical Achievements of the Demonstration

This system was developed to reduce manpower and improve safety at mountain tunnel construction sites. In this demonstration, the effectiveness of remote control under conditions with communication environment constraints was verified using general network lines rather than dedicated lines.

Demonstration of Remote Control via Wide Area Network

The site side and the remote control side (technology center) were connected via the public internet, including optical lines and wireless communication networks. Stable operation of the system was demonstrated between points physically separated by 550 km.

Minimization of Transmission Latency and Communication Optimization (within 0.4 seconds)

Generally, remote control via public networks faced significant challenges with "operation latency" due to bandwidth fluctuations and packet jitter. In this demonstration, by combining the latest data transfer technology with precise tuning of encoder and decoder settings, low-latency transmission within 0.4 seconds was achieved, providing a natural feel even from a remote location.

High-Immersion UI/UX via HMD

Panorama video from a 180° fisheye camera, detailed zoom video, and video pass-through images for checking the hand-held operation unit are integrated in real-time on the HMD (Head-Mounted Display). Operators can visually obtain information equivalent to being in the on-site control room.

■ Pocket Queries' Contribution

The company was responsible for the integrated control of multi-system video sources and the implementation of a transmission stack optimized for the network environment in this system.

By introducing an algorithm that dynamically optimizes rendering according to communication conditions, visual support technology using HMD was maximized. This realized a user experience (UX) that reduces the cognitive load on operators and enables intuitive operation.

■ Future Outlook

The success of this demonstration showed the possibility of providing advanced construction support even in areas where it is difficult to build communication infrastructure or from remote bases.

In the future, while horizontally expanding this technology to all types of construction machinery and construction sites, we will contribute to solving challenges in the construction industry by promoting "centralization and sophistication of construction management," where skilled technicians support multiple sites from a single location.