A CQUniversity research team has leapt into a mining industry project - boots and all - to improve safety in Australian mines.

In a first for CQUniversity, the Federal Government has funded a research team to be entrenched in the mining industry to find a unique workable solution to a complex safety problem.

CQUniversity academic Dr Ashley Holmes dons his work boots to take his knowledge into the field.Funding has been sourced from the Government's $50 million Enterprise Connect initiative, where businesses have the opportunity to source advice and support from the university and research sector.

CQUniversity's research team are working hand-in-hand with global engineering and mining systems company Nepean to help streamline the coordination of emergency response to potentially hazardous conditions and events such as a roof collapse or underground fire.

"We've been working at the coal face, so to speak, with sleeves that would have been rolled up if it wasn't against safety regulations," quipped Dr Ashley Holmes, who hails from CQUniversity's School of Creative and Performing Arts.

It may seem an unusual fit for a ‘creative arts' academic to be working in a mining environment, but it was just what the industry needed, according to the School's Dean Matthew Marshall.

"Ashley is hugely respected for his work in multimedia and web-based systems and it just goes to show how there is a huge demand for people who can give creative solutions to technical problems," Professor Marshall said.

The collaborative team, which also involved staff from the School of Information and Communication Technology, are adapting a real-time, risk management system called Nexsys, originally developed by CSIRO, so that it responds to actual conditions at Peabody mine sites. The North Wambo Underground Coal Mine at Singleton in NSW will be the first site to trial the system.

The project's objective was to adapt the system to suit the needs of the ultimate users - the control room operators (CROs); hence Dr Holmes - a user interface design expert - was the first port of call for the project.

"The control room for an underground coal mine constantly receives data from a large array of sources.  Currently this data is presented to a mine's control room across a number of separate screens. It is difficult for the CRO to interrogate and interpret this amount of data and then implement the appropriate response in an emergency," explained Dr Holmes.

He said it was necessary to make this process more streamlined so that the CROs were given the information they needed quickly and succinctly.

Dr Holmes talked with the mine's staff and observed processes to identify priorities for the interface and has since designed a user-friendly, system interface.

His proposed solution is a significant departure from the original user interface configuration; and the design has been enthusiastically received by the North Wambo Underground Mines' staff.

As the project progresses, other CQUniversity team members will be required to assist in the development of the rule base that will perform the risk management; to customise the Nexsys rule engine to meet Peabody's requirements; and to comply with the new interface design.

Dr Holmes said the Enterprise Connect scheme not only provided businesses with access to researchers, but also opportunity for academics to meet the complex real challenges significant to those businesses.

"It is a reassuring reality check to be placed in a position where the principles and skills we teach are put to practical test; and the up-to-date experience feeds back into both undergraduate teaching and research. It's a win-win-win scenario!"

CQUniversity Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research, Scholarship and Industry) Professor Jennelle Kyd said Enterprise Connect was a fabulous way in which businesses can draw on the many and varied expertise at CQUniversity.

"We have a bank of researchers willing and able to help develop new ideas and procedures for business and industry," Professor Kyd said.

"The initiative really endorses the philosophies of our University in regards to engaged research. CQUniversity endeavours to work with and alongside industry and business to see real benefits for the people in Central Queensland and also around the globe; and Enterprise Connect provides an opportunity to make this happen."