Based on an interview between Eric Beauchesne, President of Arkys Systems and Co-owner of Neuromines and Hélène Gey, Axceta’s CMO.
In today’s mining landscape, operational excellence is as much about data as it is about raw materials. As mines become more autonomous and data-driven, the need to bridge the communication gap between underground equipment and surface-level IT infrastructures becomes increasingly critical. That’s precisely the challenge NeurominesTM Connex set out to solve, and where Axceta stepped in as a key technology partner.
The Genesis of Neuromines Connex: Addressing a Common Pain Point
Neuromines Connex was born from a recurring issue observed by Arkys, a leading IT solutions provider in Quebec. While acting as IT consultants for a mining group, Arkys noticed that mining equipment manufacturers, especially smaller and mid-sized players, struggled to deploy their connected devices within mines due to stringent cybersecurity policies and limited access to underground networks.
The mining environment adds another layer of complexity: setting up a proprietary communications network underground is not only prohibitively expensive but also practically unfeasible. Equipment manufacturers often found themselves stuck between the security demands of mining IT departments and their lack of in-house IoT expertise. That’s when Arkys turned to Axceta.
Axceta’s Role: Operationalizing IoT with Edge AI
Axceta brought deep expertise in embedded systems, IoT, and edge AI to the table. From the outset, Axceta was more than just a service provider; it was a collaborative partner. Together, Arkys and Axceta developed a secure, scalable, and standardized platform that enables seamless integration of mining equipment into existing mine networks.
At the core of the approach was one guiding principle: move intelligence as close as possible to the equipment itself. This reduces the reliance on constrained underground telecom infrastructure, enhances data security, and ensures high-quality, actionable insights can be generated where they matter most: at the edge.
A Unified Gateway for All Stakeholders
One of Neuromines Connex’s major innovations is its ability to serve both equipment manufacturers and mining IT teams with a shared, centralized interface. Instead of reinventing the wheel for each deployment, Neuromines Connex provides a standard, validated cybersecurity infrastructure that is accepted by the mine once and then leveraged by multiple equipment vendors.
For mining companies, this means tighter control over what data exits their infrastructure. They can centrally manage access permissions, monitor telemetry in real time, and ensure compliance with internal policies. For equipment manufacturers, Neuromines Connex eliminates the steep learning curve of navigating mine-specific IT protocols, allowing them to focus on what they do best: delivering high-performance machinery.
Solving for Security, Scalability, and Interoperability
From a technology standpoint, Axceta played a pivotal role in designing a modular and flexible architecture. Neuromines Connex is designed to handle a wide range of communication protocols and can adapt to the various network technologies used in mines, including 5G, leaky feeder systems, and long-range Wi-Fi. This adaptability ensures that equipment can be deployed in virtually any mine configuration without compromising performance or security.
Scalability was another essential design goal. Whether a mine operates five or five hundred pieces of equipment, Neuromines Connex supports centralized device management, remote debugging, and secure over-the-air (OTA) updates, all while maintaining SOC 2-compliant cybersecurity standards.
Standardizing the Data Language
Another standout feature is the Neuromines Connex Common Data Model (CDM). In mining environments where multiple vendors operate concurrently, standardizing the format of telemetry data is a game-changer. By harmonizing data streams before they leave the mine, Neuromines Connex enables cross-equipment analytics, performance benchmarking, and easier integration into existing ERP systems.
This level of interoperability isn’t just a convenience; it’s a prerequisite for digital transformation in mining and something Axceta specializes in making a reality.
A Collaborative Culture, A Shared Vision
While the technical achievements of Neuromines Connex are impressive, what truly sets this project apart is the strength of the partnership behind it. As Eric Beauchesne of Arkys put it, “We had different working methodologies at first, but we made it a point to learn from one another. Axceta’s team was deeply knowledgeable and committed to doing things the right way.”
This spirit of collaboration allowed both teams to build a solution that wasn’t just functional; it was future-ready.
What’s Next: AI and the Future of Neuromines Connex
With the foundational architecture now deployed in pilot mines and with several equipment vendors, the Neuromines Connex platform is already showing its potential. The next step? Bringing AI into the mix.
By leveraging the high-quality, structured data collected through Neuromines Connex, Axceta and Arkys aim to develop advanced AI models that can provide predictive maintenance alerts, optimize equipment usage, and even interpret unstructured operational data. With a secure, scalable data pipeline in place, the possibilities are vast.
Conclusion: From Underground to Insight
The Neuromines Connex project exemplifies how deep domain expertise, paired with cutting-edge technology, can transform an industry. For mining equipment manufacturers and R&D teams, it offers a blueprint for how to integrate seamlessly into modern mine infrastructures, while future-proofing your technology stack.
At Axceta, we believe that operationalizing IoT and Edge AI isn’t just about connecting devices; it’s about unlocking real-time insights that drive smarter, safer, and more efficient operations. Neuromines Connex is just the beginning.
