UK Unleashes New Miniature Robots to Detect and Control Water Leakages

We need to have the presence of robots so they can continuously collect data before the onset of faults.

Scientists in the UK have now invented new miniature robots to supervise and monitor the pipe network, control leaks and minotaur faults. As per a report of the water industry economic regulator Ofwat, over three billion liters of water are wasted via leaks across scores of thousands of miles of water pipe in England and Wales on a regular basis. Now, maintaining or rather controlling that wastage is impossible without robots, feels Ofwat researchers.

According to an exclusive report of BBC, the water industry regulatory body opined to media that several companies are already investing billions of dollars in controlling the leakage, but Ofwat on the other hand, stated that the water companies are not investing largely to solve this issue. BBC reported that "letting down customers and the environment" by not spending enough on improvements. Water UK responded saying that leakage was at "its lowest level since privatization.”

Tethered robots are already utilized by some firms to monitor the water leakage and to investigate pipes that are not easily accessible. A vast majority of the network is currently inaccessible devoid of digging. This is the area where the artificial and automated machines step in. A new generation of underground robotic pipe patrollers is being tested at the Integrated Civil and Infrastructure Research Centre (ICAIR) at the University of Sheffield, says BBC. Pipebots are miniature, mobile robots with cameras for eyes and all-terrain legs. They are being developed in collaboration with the water industry to patrol pipes and find cracks and weaknesses before they develop into leaks.

"Companies only respond reactively to faults at the moment, not proactively," explains Prof Kirill Horoshenkov. "We need to have the presence of robots so they can continuously collect data before the onset of faults." "Companies only respond reactively to faults at the moment, not proactively," explains Prof Kirill Horoshenkov. "We need to have the presence of robots so they can continuously collect data before the onset of faults."