Scalable and Modular robotic tools for pipeline inspection and repair

The European water network distribution is plagued by leaks that cause a staggering 20% of drinking water to go wasted. This is an environmental disaster given that water and sanitation sector is currently estimated to contribute up to 5% of global GHG emissions. Water utilities are struggling with this problem however the deadalic nature of water networks make manual inspections and repairs completely non-viable. Technology-based solutions have significant limitations in terms of measurement accuracy and leak localisation. Most importantly they do not encompass repair.

TUBERS sets forth a new paradigm by creating the world’s first combination robotic platforms allowing for 24/7 inspection and targeted in-situ repairs, greatly reducing the costs of regular inspection and maintenance.

The system will comprise: (a) A snake-like resident robot which can operate over long distances and negotiate pipeline-junctions to navigate large parts of the water network, (2) A modular soft-robotic platform capable of moving using an “inchworm” movement technique, for inspections and repairs of pipe segments featuring a novel repair deployment mechanism (3) A High-accuracy inspection system that can detect leaks and, most importantly, measure corrosion based on coded excitation, an advanced technique that greatly improves Signal-to-Noise ratio, (4) A Decision Support System powered by Explainable Machine Learning algorithms incorporating a Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis framework for holistic planning of inspection and maintenance.

The TUBERS solution will be validated in real water network pipelines operated by 3 of the most prominent water utility companies in the Netherlands.

Once it reaches the market, our solution is poised to revolutionise inspection and repair of drinking water networks, providing the operators with powerful tools to eliminate waste, facilitating savings of an estimated 158GWh of energy and reduction of 79.000 tonnes of CO2 emissions within a 5-year period.