The Department of Natural Resources and Mines' Safety In Mines Testing and Research Centre (SIMTARS) at Redbank will develop the robot in conjunction with the US Navy Space and Naval Warfare Centre (SPAWAR).

SIMTARS director Stewart Bell clinched the deal during a recent visit to SPAWAR in San Diego.

Robertson said it was appropriate to announce the development agreement on the day which marks the 8th anniversary of the 1994 Moura Mine disaster which claimed the lives of 11 miners.

"Exploring underground mines following fires or explosions for rescue and recovery purposes has always been a difficult and very dangerous task," he said. "New generation artificially intelligent mini-robots may provide a safe answer to this problem."

Robertson said the Queensland project would be a first because robotic mine emergency exploration devices are currently not available in Australia.

"In recent years, however, significant developments in digital communications and computing systems has meant that semi-intelligent small-scale robots have become a reality.”

He said the September 11 World Trade Centre disaster, and more recently the war in Afghanistan, had accelerated the development of small surveillance and security robots, which have been used to examine areas under the rubble of the World Trade Centre site and to enter suspected terrorist caves in Afghanistan.

These small types of robots would be of use to explore an underground coal mine after a fire or explosion. The devices are currently small enough to be lowered down an existing borehole, but need to be equipped to provide gas monitoring information and pictures.

In conjunction with SPAWAR, SIMTARS will develop a low cost robotic device capable of being lowered down a borehole to investigate flammable gas and oxygen levels in the mine and produce digital photographs of the area being investigated.

SIMTARS will be provided access to the US Navy's recently-developed robotics research database and be loaned a small robot platform for trial purposes.