Scientists from the University of Sheffield have designed a micro-robot that can inspect water pipes, diagnose their cracks, and fix them without involving any humans.
According to the scientists, these robots, Pipebots, could revolutionise how water infrastructure is managed and help save some of the three billion litres of water that is lost through leaky pipes every day in England and Wales.
The UK’s water network dates back to the Victorian era and creates a maze of pipes that is around 350,000 km long. Since this infrastructure has outlived six monarchs, cracks and faults are causing water to leak continuously.
“At this rate, that is enough to fill 1,200 Olympic swimming pools”, says the report.
At the moment, in order to find leaks, workers have to dig and locate the leak in a huge maze of pipes. This can take days of searching, resulting in high costs and road closures that affect businesses and residents nearby. The UK spends at least £4 billion per year on utility street works.
Professor Kirill Horoshenkov, Programme Director and Professor of Acoustics at the University of Sheffield, said: “The Pipebots project is a great example of the importance of collaboration between universities and industry.
“Our research has demonstrated how effective the technology can be and partners from industry are helping us to make it relevant to the end-user needs, test, advance and ultimately deploy it to help tackle a key challenge the water industry faces.”
The robots are going on pipe patrol
Imagine an engineer lowering a whole swarm of Pipebots into a water pipe. The tiny patrollers would then explore the area, scan for faults, and relay data back to the engineer above ground.
The Pipebots are designed to avoid any restricted areas, such as customer connections, and pass on important information within a short range. The robots are also equipped with all-terrain legs, which allow them to navigate through any difficult paths like sewers, gas pipes, and dangerous sites that are inaccessible to humans.
The smallest robot is as big as a toy car – it’s about 40mm wide. It’s equipped with high-spec acoustic sensors and cameras, which enable it to navigate and detect faults easily.
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