Mini Pipe Robots Could Help Stop and Prevent Leaky Pipes to Save Water

Leaks in pipes are responsible for an unimaginable amount of water lost all around the world every year. Now, these water pipe robots could be the ones to stop the billions of liters from leaking in England and Wales daily.

Source: Mark 1333/YouTube

Engineers have developed a miniature robot to patrol the pipe network and check for faults and prevent leaks. Water UK told BBC News that companies were already “investing billions” in leakage.

The water industry in the UK has already omitted a government target of cutting the amount of water lost in half by 2050. Water UK told BBC that they know it is a dire issue and that they need to “accelerate” their progress.

“We’re adopting the latest technology, including special in-pipe cameras; satellite imaging; thermal drone technology, high-tech probes, and artificial intelligence,” it told BBC News.

While many companies and governments are testing “non-dig” repairs like sealants that can be injected into pipes to repair cracks, many scientists believe that these mini robots will be the turning point.

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. The Pipebots can move around in all terrain and have cameras attached to them. They can move around pipes and find cracks and weaknesses before they develop into leaks.

Prof Kirill Horoshenkov told BBC News that the robots move along the pipes, take pictures, and have a microphone to listen to the pipe. “They’re designed to make decisions about whether the pipe is likely to develop a fault or not,” he said.

The team at ICAIR hopes that the first pipebots will patrol the water network within five years.

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