RockMass Eon Handheld LiDAR Underground Mapping Device

RockMass Eon is a handheld LiDAR-based underground mapping device designed for geotechnical engineers to capture structured geological data at the rock face with less physical strain, faster field workflow, and reduced post-shift transcription.

The Challenge:

RockMass was evolving an existing underground mapping platform into a more usable and commercially credible field device.

Earlier generations of the mapper could capture valuable data, but the physical interaction model was still working against the user. The device was heavy, often required two-handed operation, and could demand extended use at chest height or higher. Over the course of a shift, that introduced fatigue, repetitive strain, and reduced precision.

Field conditions make everything harder

Those issues were amplified by the environment itself. Geotechnical engineers were not using the system in clean lab conditions. They were operating underground, wearing PPE, carrying other equipment, navigating uneven terrain, and working within conditions where time at the face matters. The product had to function inside that reality, not outside it. This was also why portability, ruggedness, and carrying method mattered just as much as sensing performance.

The workflow was fragmented too

The workflow itself also needed improvement. Geolocation, face mapping, sub-feature capture, battery management, portability, and general ergonomics were all identified as problem areas early in the program. What existed was not a blank-sheet opportunity, but a real device with real constraints, and the commercial risk was clear: without rethinking how the mapper was held, carried, and operated, improvements in sensing capability would still be limited by the way the product behaved in the field.

The Approach:

Start with the human experience, not the object

Inertia approached the work as a workflow, human factors and system-architecture problem rather than a packaging exercise.

The first step was to understand how geotechnical engineers actually worked underground. Through workshops, journey mapping, benchmarking, concept ideation, and direct exposure to mine conditions, the team translated field realities into a more structured set of user needs. That work clarified the areas that mattered most: effortless geolocation, reliable face and sub-feature mapping, improved battery management, rugged packaging, portability, and better ergonomics.

Diverge before you converge

From there, the team explored a broad range of architectures. Concepts included integrated handheld devices, belt-mounted scanner arrangements, tripod-based configurations, trolley concepts, and backpack-tethered systems. Each one represented a different answer to the same question: how should sensing, display, power, and carrying method relate to one another in actual field use?

Those concepts were not left at the level of sketches. Inertia moved quickly into build-test-learn loops, using mock-ups and progressively higher-fidelity prototypes to evaluate posture, carrying modes, cabling, reach, visibility, and hand position. This helped rule out attractive but impractical directions. Cable-dependent concepts introduced workflow friction. Fully tripod-dependent concepts improved stability but restricted mobility. Chest-mounted or body-mounted arrangements created strain or interfered with how users already carried tools and materials.

Converge on the least compromised system

The program ultimately converged on an integrated architecture driven by a few hard truths: the system needed a larger tablet, cabling had to be minimized, and the device needed to remain compatible with tripods without depending on them. That direction created a more coherent handheld system while preserving flexibility for different underground conditions.

Refine the physical interaction model

As the form matured, the work became more detailed. Tablet angle was evaluated geometrically and empirically, with 30 degrees emerging as the best balance between neutral head position, reach, and overall bulk. Handle geometry was iterated to improve wrist ergonomics and rotational freedom during scanning. Harness interfaces were assessed for support and stability, while still allowing quick repositioning and tripod transition. Button layouts, switch types, and indicator placement were repeatedly refined to improve discoverability and reduce awkward finger travel in use.

A hidden constraint shaped the form

A major technical constraint sat underneath all of this. Magnetic interference between the tablet and the AHRS/IMU had direct implications for packaging and form. The team developed variants around safe clearance requirements and continued refining internal layout around those realities rather than forcing a compact form that would compromise sensing performance.

The Outcome:

The result was a substantially more resolved underground mapping device built around how the work is actually performed.

Inertia delivered integrated packaging architecture, detailed CAD, and supporting documentation to guide next-stage engineering and manufacturing planning. The system was materially lighter and better aligned to field use than earlier mapper generations, with improved handling, more considered support options, and a more coherent relationship between scanner, tablet, controls, and carrying method.

From ergonomic complaints to design decisions

Just as importantly, the program converted a loose set of ergonomic complaints into concrete design decisions. Tablet angle, handle orientation, strap configuration, button placement, sensor packaging, and internal clearances were all resolved through repeated physical evaluation rather than assumption. The output was not simply a cleaner enclosure. It was a more usable interaction model for LiDAR-based underground mapping.

A clearer path to launch

By grounding the work in real mine conditions and iterating against physical strain, workflow interruption, and packaging constraints, RockMass moved from an unwieldy earlier platform toward a more field-ready system with a clearer path to launch.

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