TECHNICAL FIELD

The technical field generally relates to vertical excavation inspection, and more particularly relates to techniques for inspecting mine shafts, wells and the like.

BACKGROUND

The electrification of transportation is associated with an increasing pressure on the mining industry. Indeed, the mining industry is responsible for the production of the metals, ore and various materials needed for the development of batteries, power systems, as well as related products. Ore tends to be less and less abundant on the surface of the planet. As a result, mining operations now aim at increasing operating depths. In order to be able to collect metals and materials at such depths, it is generally required to set up vertical infrastructures, such as mine shafts. Mine shafts are like elevators which allow workers to access their workplace safely, and also allow for the transportation of the ore extracted underground. This process, which is called hoisting, is essential for mining production.

Underground mines and their production capacity are limited by the hoisting capacity of their associated shafts. As mines from all around the world try to optimize their performance, there is a need for techniques, systems, apparatuses, devices, and methods for inspecting the state of the vertical excavations.

SUMMARY

The present techniques generally relate to three-dimensional reconstruction of a mine shaft (or at least a portion thereof) and, more specifically, to techniques combining at least some of imaging, LIDAR technologies and a tracking system to perform mine shaft inspection and monitor changes that may affect the operation of the mine shaft. In accordance with one aspect, there is provided a system for inspecting a vertical excavation, the system including: a reconstruction module including at least one depth detector, said at least one depth detector being configured to obtain data associated of a portion of the vertical excavation; an imaging module, including: at least one illumination device for irradiating the portion of the vertical excavation; and at least one imaging device configured to produce a representation of the portion of the vertical excavation, based on the data associated of the portion of the vertical excavation; a position-tracking module including: at least one light source operable to irradiate at least one reference target disposed in the vertical excavation; and at least one light detector adapted to collect light reflected by said at least one reference target to spatially locate the system in the vertical excavation; and an attachment module attachable to a cage cable provided in the vertical excavation.

In some embodiments, the position-tracking module may be embodied by one or more inertial measurement units (IMU).

In some embodiments, the reconstruction module and the imaging module are integrated into a single module.

In some embodiments, the data associated of the portion of the vertical excavation is a point cloud. In some embodiments, said at least one depth detector includes a LIDAR.

In some embodiments, the system has a bottom portion, and the LIDAR is mounted near or at the bottom portion of the system.

In some embodiments, said at least one depth detector includes a first LIDAR and a second LIDAR, each disposed at an angle of about 45 ° one from another.

In some embodiments, the system has a bottom portion and each of the first LIDAR and the second LIDAR is mounted near or at the bottom portion of the system.

In some embodiments, the representation of the portion of the vertical excavation is a 360-degrees reconstruction of the vertical excavation.

In some embodiments, the representation is a visual representation.

In some embodiments, the illumination device includes a LED array.

In some embodiments, said at least one imaging device has an integration time, the integration time being related to a speed of descent into the vertical excavation of the system.

In some embodiments, the integration time is about 15 milliseconds.

In some embodiments, the representation of the portion of the vertical excavation has a grayscale value included in a range extending from 0 to 255.

In some embodiments, said at least one light detector is configured to measure at least one of a polarization, divergence and spectral content of the light reflected by said at least one reference target.

In some embodiments, the position-tracking module further includes a rotating mechanism for orienting said at least one light source and/or said at least one light detector. In some embodiments, the system further includes at least one of an accelerometer and a gyroscope to measure angular rate, orientation and/or specific force of the system.

In some embodiments, the system further includes a power module for providing energy to the system.

In some embodiments, the power module includes at least one battery.

In some embodiments, said at least one battery has an autonomy of at least about two hours.

In some embodiments, the reconstruction module further includes at least one time-of-flight cameras, collectively configured to image the portion of the vertical excavation.

In some embodiments, the reconstruction module further includes at least time-of- flight cameras, collectively configured monitor an alignment of guides presented in the vertical excavation.

In accordance with another aspect, there is provided a method for inspecting a vertical excavation, the method including: obtaining data associated of a portion of the vertical excavation with a reconstruction module including at least one depth detector; irradiating the portion of the vertical excavation; obtaining a representation of the portion of the vertical excavation with an imaging module, based on the data associated of the portion of the vertical excavation; and tracking a position of the reconstruction module and the imaging module, said tracking including: irradiating at least one reference target disposed in the vertical excavation with at least one light source; and collecting light reflected by said at least one reference target with at least one light detector adapted to spatially locate the system in the vertical excavation.

In accordance with another aspect, there is provided a system for inspecting a vertical excavation, the system including: a reconstruction module including at least one depth detector, said at least one depth detector being configured to obtain data associated of a portion of the vertical excavation; an imaging module, including: at least one illumination device for irradiating the portion of the vertical excavation; and at least one imaging device configured to produce a representation of the portion of the vertical excavation, based on the data associated of the portion of the vertical excavation; and an attachment module attachable to a cage cable provided in the vertical excavation.

In some embodiments, the system further includes a position-tracking module, the position tracking-module including: at least one light source operable to irradiate at least one reference target disposed in the vertical excavation; and at least one light detector adapted to collect light reflected by said at least one reference target to spatially locate the system in the vertical excavation.

In some embodiments, the position-tracking module may be embodied by one or more inertial measurement units (IMU). In some embodiments, the reconstruction module and the imaging module are integrated into a single module.

In some embodiments, the data associated of the portion of the vertical excavation is a point cloud.

In some embodiments, said at least one depth detector includes a LIDAR.

In some embodiments, the system has a bottom portion, and the LIDAR is mounted near or at the bottom portion of the system.

In some embodiments, said at least one depth detector includes a first LIDAR and a second LIDAR, each disposed at an angle of about 45 ° one from another.

In some embodiments, the system has a bottom portion and each of the first LIDAR and the second LIDAR is mounted near or at the bottom portion of the system.

In some embodiments, the representation of the portion of the vertical excavation is a 360-degrees reconstruction of the vertical excavation.

In some embodiments, the representation is a visual representation.

In some embodiments, the illumination device includes a LED array.

In some embodiments, said at least one imaging device has an integration time, the integration time being related to a speed of descent into the vertical excavation of the system.

In some embodiments, the integration time is about 15 milliseconds.

In some embodiments, the representation of the portion of the vertical excavation has a greyscale value included in a range extending from about 150 to about 200.

In some embodiments, said at least one light detector is configured to measure at least one of a polarization, divergence and spectral content of the light reflected by said at least one reference target. In some embodiments, the position-tracking module further includes a rotating mechanism for orienting said at least one light source and/or said at least one light detector.

In some embodiments, the system further includes at least one of an accelerometer and a gyroscope to measure angular rate, orientation and/or specific force of the system.

In some embodiments, the system further includes a power module for providing energy to the system.

In some embodiments, the power module includes at least one battery.

In some embodiments, said at least one battery has an autonomy of at least about two hours.

In some embodiments, the reconstruction module further includes at least one time-of-flight cameras, collectively configured to image the portion of the vertical excavation.

In some embodiments, the reconstruction module further includes at least one time-of-flight cameras, collectively configured monitor an alignment of guides presented in the vertical excavation.

In accordance with another aspect, there is provided a system for inspecting a vertical excavation, the system including: a reconstruction module including at least one depth detector, said at least one depth detector being configured to obtain data associated of a portion of the vertical excavation; and an attachment module attachable to a cage cable provided in the vertical excavation.

In some embodiments, the system further includes a position-tracking module, the position-tracking module including: at least one light source operable to irradiate at least one reference target disposed in the vertical excavation; and at least one light detector adapted to collect light reflected by said at least one reference target to spatially locate the system in the vertical excavation.

In some embodiments, the system further includes an imaging module, the imaging module including: at least one illumination device for irradiating the portion of the vertical excavation; and at least one imaging device configured to produce a representation of the portion of the vertical excavation, based on the data associated of the portion of the vertical excavation.

In accordance with another aspect, there is provided a system for inspecting a vertical excavation, the system including: a reconstruction module including at least one depth detector, said at least one depth detector being configured to obtain data associated of a portion of the vertical excavation; a position-tracking module including: at least one light source operable to irradiate at least one reference target disposed in the vertical excavation; and at least one light detector adapted to collect light reflected by said at least one reference target to spatially locate the system in the vertical excavation; and an attachment module attachable to a cage cable provided in the vertical excavation.

In some embodiments, the system further includes an imaging module, the imaging module including: at least one illumination device for irradiating the portion of the vertical excavation; and at least one imaging device configured to produce a representation of the portion of the vertical excavation, based on the data associated of the portion of the vertical excavation.

Other features and advantages of the present description will become more apparent upon reading of the following non-restrictive description of specific embodiments thereof, given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figures 1 to 8 are different views of a system for inspecting a vertical excavation, in accordance with one embodiment.

Figures 9 to 11 illustrate different configurations in which the system of Figures 1 to 8 can be used.

Figures 12 to 14 show an example of raw data obtained with two LIDAR, using the system of Figures 1 to 8.

Figure 15 shows images obtained with different camera having been positioned and calibrated.

Figure 16 illustrates a spherical reconstruction of the images collected with the data.

Figure 17 shows an example of the techniques that may be used to obtain the representation of Figure 16.

Figure 18 shows an example of a reconstruction achieved with the techniques herein described. Figure 19 shows a nonlimitative example of the results that can be obtained with the techniques herein disclosed.

Figure 20 shows a nonlimitative example of the results that can be obtained with the techniques herein disclosed.

Figures 21A-G illustrate raw data obtained with seven imaging devices, embodied by cameras.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description, similar features in the drawings have been given similar reference numerals, and, to not unduly encumber the figures, some elements may not be indicated on some figures if they were already identified in one or more preceding figures. It should also be understood herein that the elements of the drawings are not necessarily depicted to scale, since emphasis is placed upon clearly illustrating the elements and structures of the present embodiments. The terms “a”, “an” and “one” are defined herein to mean “at least one”, that is, these terms do not exclude a plural number of elements, unless stated otherwise. It should also be noted that terms such as “substantially”, “generally” and “about”, that modify a value, condition, or characteristic of a feature of an exemplary embodiment, should be understood to mean that the value, condition or characteristic is defined within tolerances that are acceptable for the proper operation of this exemplary embodiment for its intended application.

In the present description, the terms “connected”, “coupled”, and variants and derivatives thereof, refer to any connection or coupling, either direct or indirect, between two or more elements. The connection or coupling between the elements may be acoustical, mechanical, physical, optical, operational, electrical, wireless, or a combination thereof.

It will be appreciated that positional descriptors indicating the position or orientation of one element with respect to another element are used herein for ease and clarity of description and should, unless otherwise indicated, be taken in the context of the Figures and should not be considered limiting. It will be understood that spatially relative terms (e.g., “outer” and “inner”, “outside” and “inside”, “periphery” and “central”, “top” and “bottom”, and “left” and “right”) are intended to encompass different positions and orientations in use or operation of the present embodiments, in addition to the positions and orientations exemplified in the figures.

In the context of this disclosure, the expressions “mine shaft”, “mining shaft”, or “well”, synonyms and derivatives thereof refer to vertical, substantially vertical, or near-vertical tunnels, as well as tunnels including at least one substantially vertical portion, to provide access to an underground ore body in the context of the operation of an underground mine.

Context

In Canada, and in many other countries, the electrification of transportation adds a great stress on the mining industry to produce ore and metals required for the development of batteries, power systems and related products. As ore is less and less abundant on the surface of the planet, mining operations aim at finding new ways of more effectively extract ore at ever-increasing operating depths. Underground mines, and more particularly their production capacity, are typically limited by the hoisting capacity of their respective mining shafts. In an effort to optimize their performance, mines may try to reduce their downtime, for example during safety inspections.

Several laws require mining companies to carry out periodic inspections to monitor the condition of their wells. These periodic inspections are typically performed on a weekly basis. For example, in Quebec, the regulation on occupational health and safety in mines requires that any compartment served by a motorized installation for the transport of persons should be inspected on a weekly basis. On average, the inspection of a well having a depth of about 1 km and having two compartments requires a hoisting stoppage of more than about 8 hours per week, which represents a weekly loss of about 4 % of the maximum hoisting that a well can produce.

Existing techniques rely on the visual inspection of the mine shafts. For example, miners or inspectors can subjectively analyze the state of the pit by going down into the mine shaft while illuminating the walls thereof. This characterization is not only time consuming, but it may also be unreliable in some circumstances. The deformation stresses of the rock mass, the numerous hoisting cycles and the accumulation of wear are the main causes of the well deterioration, and these symptoms may not be observable or adequately characterized through visual inspection. The rudimentary monitoring tools available to the miners, inspectors or workers make the detection of anomalies difficult and strictly based on the analysis and experience of the workers.

The techniques that will be herein described allow for a more precise monitoring of the mine shafts condition, which may be advantageous or desirable to ensure the integrity of the infrastructure, as well as the safety of the workers. The techniques presented herein are also less time consuming than existing techniques.

Systems and methods for inspecting a vertical excavation

The present description broadly relates to techniques, including systems and methods, enabling a three-dimensional representation or inspection of a vertical mine shaft or a nearly-vertical mine shaft. The system is configured to produce a representation of the mine shaft. In some embodiments, the representation may be a visual representation. The system is configured to be attached or mounted to a cage cable already present in the mine shaft. In operation, the displacement of the cage is associated with a displacement of the system, and more specifically a downward displacement when accessing the mine and an upward displacement when going out of the mine. As it will be described in greater detail, the system includes an onboard computer, an imaging module, a 3D reconstruction module, and may include, in some embodiments, a tracking module. The system is preferably energetically autonomous and may be powered by a battery with sufficient battery life or autonomy to perform an entire scan of the mine shaft, which can last more than 1 hour. The technology and its advantages will become more apparent from the detailed description and examples that follow, which describe the various embodiments of the technology.

With reference to Figures 1 to 8, there is provided a system 10 for inspecting a vertical excavation. Of note, the expression “vertical excavation” could, for example and without being limitative, refers to a mineshaft or the like, but also any apertures or openings formed or present in any structures, such as a building (e.g., elevators or staircase). The system 10 includes a reconstruction module 12, an imaging module 14, and an attachment module 16. In some embodiments, the system 10 may include a position-tracking module 18. Each of these modules will now be described in greater detail. Nonlimitative embodiments of the system are illustrated in Figures 1 to 8.

The reconstruction module 12 includes at least one depth detector 20, configured to obtain data associated with a portion of the vertical excavation. It should be noted that the depth detector 20 may be embodied by one or more devices allowing to produce or generate the representation of the portion of the vertical excavation. Of note, in the context of the current disclosure, the expression “depth” refers to a dimension extending along a direction substantially normal to a surface of the vertical excavation (or a portion thereof). As such, the expression “depth detector” does not relate a measurement of how deep the system 10 in the vertical excavation is. In some embodiments, the data is representative of the entire vertical excavation, which may be obtained through the collection of data from a plurality of portions of the vertical excavation. In some embodiments, the data associated with the portion of the vertical excavation is a point cloud (/.e., a set of data points in space which is typically representative of a three-dimensional object or portion(s) thereof). Of note, the depth detector 20 could be replaced or embodied by any appropriate detector(s), depth finder(s), depth measurer(s) and combination(s) thereof. In some embodiments, the depth detector(s) 20 may rely on LIDAR technologies. For example, and without being limitative, the depth detector 20 may be embodied by one LIDAR. In some embodiments, the system 10 has a bottom portion 22, and the LIDAR is mounted near or at the bottom portion 22 of the system 10. In other embodiments, the depth detector(s) 20 may include a first LIDAR and a second LIDAR, each disposed at an angle of about 45 ° one from another. In these embodiments, the system 10 may also have a bottom portion 22 and each of the first LIDAR and the second LIDAR may be mounted near or at the bottom portion 22 of the system 10. In some embodiments, the representation of the portion of the vertical excavation is a 360 degrees reconstruction of the vertical excavation. The LIDAR sensor may be selected to meet specific scanning requirements dictated by the targeted application, such as, for example and without being limitative, accuracy, range, scan speed and/or measuring rate. In another embodiment of the device, the depth detector may rely on visual patterns being projected onto the wall and captured via imaging devices. In another embodiment, the depth detector may be a single or a plurality of sensors that measures the time-of-flight of light sources for multiple pixels at the same time.

In some embodiments, the reconstruction module 12 may be referred to as a “3D reconstruction module” and may use a plurality of LIDAR sources for a relatively precise 3D reconstruction of the mine shaft being inspected. In one implementation, two LIDAR sources may be positioned with a 45 degrees angle underneath the system to enable a 360-degree acquisition. Positioning the LIDAR sources near or at the bottom portion 22 of the system 10 prevents debris and other light-obstructing items from entering in contact with the optical window and enables a more complete coverage of the mine shaft. This positioning may also prevent from contaminating the scan with particles. In some embodiments, the two LIDAR can be driven by a synchronization module or mechanism provided within the system 10, in order to enable a constant acquisition of the point cloud during the downward displacement of the system in the mine shaft and along the cage cable provided within the mine shaft. The imaging module 14 includes at least one illumination device 24 and at least one imaging device 26. The illumination device 24 is configured and positioned for irradiating the portion of the vertical excavation during inspection of the same. The imaging device 26 is configured to produce a representation of the portion of the vertical excavation, based on the data associated with the portion of the vertical excavation.

In some embodiments, the illumination device 24 includes LEDs. For example, and without being limitative, the LED array may include a ring of LEDs located around the imaging device. In another embodiment, the illumination device may be multiple large LEDs positioned around the system. In some embodiments, the illumination device 24 may include seven light sources, for example, and without being limitative, real-time environment adaptive lighting sources, radially disposed respect with a body of the system 10.

In some embodiments, at least one imaging device 26 has an integration time, and the integration time is related to a speed of descent of the system (/.e., the downward displacement of the system) into the vertical excavation. In some embodiments, the integration time is about 15 milliseconds. Of course, other values may be selected, based on the specific needs related to the inspection of a given mine shaft. The integration time is correlated or at least partially associated with at least one characteristic or property of the mine shaft or vertical excavation being inspected by the system 10, and real-time or near real-time adjustment of the integration time may be carried out during the displacement of the system 10.

In some embodiments, the representation of the portion of the vertical excavation has a greyscale value included in a range extending from about Oto about 255.

In some embodiments, the imaging module 26 includes multiple imaging devices configured to add texture to the point cloud obtained by the 3D reconstruction module, and to enable the visualization of details that would be otherwise invisible to the 3D reconstruction. The imaging devices may provide RGB images (or any other images) and may enable a colorized 360-degree reconstruction of the vertical excavation or the mine shaft. Complementary to the imaging devices, the imaging module 26 also relies on an illumination system, which may be integrated into the imaging module 26. The illumination system may use LED to provide sufficient light for high-frequency image acquisition. Since the images are taken during the descent (/.e., the downward displacement) in the mine shaft, the synchronisation of the different modules and 3D reconstruction is adjusted to the speed of descent. Hence, depending on the acquisition parameters used for the imaging devices26 (e.g., a camera), the illumination system can provide sufficient irradiance to have images with enough brightness. In some embodiments, realtime adaptive lighting may be integrated to fully exploit the dynamic range of the imaging devices and adapt to surfaces with different reflectance properties. In some embodiments, an adaptive lighting algorithm may use reflected signal from the LIDAR and prior calibration to adapt the light intensity in real time.

In some embodiments, the reconstruction module 12 and the imaging module 14 may be integrated into a single module, collectively performing the individual functions of the two modules 12 and 14.

The position-tracking module 18 includes at least one light source and at least one light detector. The at least one light source is operable to irradiate at least one reference target disposed in the vertical excavation, as exemplified in Figure 10. The at least one light detector is adapted to collect light reflected by said at least one reference target to spatially locate the system in the vertical excavation. It should be noted that the expression “spatially locate” refers to a position of the system 10 within the vertical excavation.

In some embodiments, said at least one light detector is configured to measure at least one of a polarization, divergence and spectral content of the light reflected by said at least one reference target.

In some embodiments, the position-tracking module 18 further includes a rotating mechanism for orienting said at least one light source and/or said at least one light detector. The rotating mechanism may also cooperate with a tilting mechanism configured to adjust a tilt angle of said at least one light source and/or said at least one light detector.

In some embodiments, the position-tracking module 18 enables four degrees of freedom to determine an absolute positioning of the system 10 during the whole descent. It relies on light-emitting sources and custom reference targets, which may be placed, for example and without being limitative, at a top portion of the vertical excavation or shaft to monitor at high frequency and with high precision the position of the system as it goes down in the vertical excavation or the mine shaft. Light receiving devices may also be integrated to the module to sense reflected light from the target. The system 10 may rely on inherent properties of light, such as, for example and without being limitative, polarization, divergence and wavelength, in order to evaluate the distance traveled by the system. A rotating mechanism that orients the light enables the position of the scanner to be known at all points. The use of multiple light sources enables additional precision of geolocalisation. In addition to optical positioning, electronic devices that combine accelerometers and gyroscopes to measure angular rate, orientation of the body and the body’s specific force might be used. The reference targets being used are designed in such a way that the presence of obstruction in the light path does not affect the performance of the position-tracking module 18. This approach requires redundant specific patterns, hence if at least one of the light-emitting devices interacts with the target, the information is sufficient for referencing the position.

In some embodiments, the position-tracking module 18 may be embodied by one or more inertial measurement units (IMU).

The attachment module 16 is fixed or attachable to a cage cable present in the vertical excavation, for example a steel rope to which the cage is mounted. The attachment module 16 enables tight and stable attachment to the cableof the skip, and quick installation. The attachment module 16 is designed in such a way that it can be used on any given rope, and so the attachment module is a “universal attachment module”. The system 10 is designed without any mobile pieces, a critical factor in a vertical excavation or a mine shaft. It also requires the capacity to be installed in a couple of minutes at maximum to minimize interruption time.

In some embodiments, the system 10 further includes at least one of an accelerometer and a gyroscope to measure angular rate, orientation and/or specific force of the system.

In some embodiments, the system 10 further a power module for providing energy to the system. In some embodiments, the power module includes at least one battery. In some embodiments, at least one battery has an autonomy of at least about two hours.

At least one of the modules having been herein described may include one or more processing units (sometimes referred to as “processors”). The processing units can be configured to determine and/adjust operation settings for each one of the modules. The different operation settings may either be stored on a memory provided on system or obtained from a calibration database, which may be stored on a server or in the cloud. As it will be readily understood, the processing unit may be implemented as a single unit or as a plurality of interconnected processing subunits. Also, the processing unit may be embodied by a computer, smartphone, a microprocessor, a microcontroller, a central processing unit, or by any other type of processing resource or any combination of such processing resources configured to operate collectively as a processor or processing unit. The processor may be implemented in hardware, software, firmware, or any combination thereof, and be connected to the components of the system via appropriate communication ports.

In some embodiments, at least one of the modules having been herein described may be constructed with standardized dimensions.

Figures 12 to 14 show an example of raw data obtained with two LIDAR, which may have been calibrated and positioned. Figure 15 shows images obtained with a camera having been positioned and calibrated.

Figure 16 illustrates a spherical reconstruction of the images collected with the data. Figure 17 shows an example of the techniques that may be used to obtain the representation of Figure 16.

Figure 18 shows an example of a reconstruction achieved with the techniques herein described.

Figure 19 shows another nonlimitative example of the results that can be obtained with the techniques herein disclosed.

Figure 20 shows a nonlimitative example of the results that can be obtained with the techniques herein disclosed.

Figure 21 illustrates raw data obtained with seven imaging devices, embodied by cameras.

In accordance with another aspect, there is also provided a system for inspecting a vertical excavation, including a reconstruction module including at least one depth detector, said at least one depth detector being configured to obtain data associated of a portion of the vertical excavation; and an attachment module attachable to a cage cable provided in the vertical excavation. In some embodiments, the system includes a position-tracking module, the positiontracking module including at least one light source operable to irradiate at least one reference target disposed in the vertical excavation; and at least one light detector adapted to collect light reflected by said at least one reference target to spatially locate the system in the vertical excavation. In some embodiments, the system further includes an imaging module, the imaging module including at least one illumination device for irradiating the portion of the vertical excavation; and at least one imaging device configured to produce a representation of the portion of the vertical excavation, based on the data associated of the portion of the vertical excavation.

In accordance with another aspect, there is provided a system for inspecting a vertical excavation. The system includes a reconstruction module including at least one depth detector, said at least one depth detector being configured to obtain data associated of a portion of the vertical excavation; a position-tracking module including at least one light source operable to irradiate at least one reference target disposed in the vertical excavation and at least one light detector adapted to collect light reflected by said at least one reference target to spatially locate the system in the vertical excavation; and an attachment module attachable to a cage cable provided in the vertical excavation. In some embodiments, the system further includes an imaging module, the imaging module including at least one illumination device for irradiating the portion of the vertical excavation; and at least one imaging device configured to produce a representation of the portion of the vertical excavation, based on the data associated of the portion of the vertical excavation.

There is also provided a method for inspecting a vertical excavation. The method includes a step of obtaining data associated of a portion of the vertical excavation with a reconstruction module including at least one depth detector. The method also includes a step of irradiating the portion of the vertical excavation. The method also includes a step of obtaining a representation of the portion of the vertical excavation with an imaging module, based on the data associated of the portion of the vertical excavation. In some embodiments, the representation is a visual representation. In some embodiments, the method may also include a step of tracking a position of the reconstruction module and the imaging module. This step includes irradiating at least one reference target disposed in the vertical excavation with at least one light source, and collecting light reflected by said at least one reference target with at least one light detector adapted to spatially locate the system in the vertical excavation. The method may be implemented using at least one of the embodiments having been herein described. Several alternative embodiments and examples have been described and illustrated herein. The embodiments described above are intended to be exemplary only. A person skilled in the art would appreciate the features of the individual embodiments, and the possible combinations and variations of the components. A person skilled in the art would further appreciate that any of the embodiments could be provided in any combination with the other embodiments disclosed herein. The present examples and embodiments, therefore, are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive. Accordingly, while specific embodiments have been illustrated and described, numerous modifications come to mind without significantly departing from the scope defined in the current description and the appended claims.