The drain bots are coming!
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Imagine sending a squadron of robots into the sewers to clean, repair and maintain pipes. While this may sound like science fiction, the technology for this actually exists.
Drain bots are autonomic robots that go into pipe systems to perform cleaning, repairs and maintenance, reducing human risk. They could navigate pipe systems using infrared and can locate cracks, blockages and leaks using ultrasound.
These bots can clear sewer pipes without the use of jetters, reducing the use of water on clean ups and unblocking. At the same time, these mechanical plumbers can relay important information back to the operator, such as where blockages are situated, what area of pipes need maintenance and give operators an indication of when and how often maintenance needs to occur, through Internet of Things (IoT). This gives operators and tunnel owners access to data remotely, so there is no sending a plumber down the hole in the ground to check things out.
Drain bots are not the only robotic instruments that can assist in tunnel maintenance. There are other robots that provide precision jetting. They identify obstacles and can remove them remotely through the use of cameras. The operator simply guides the robot, monitors the information and selects the solutions – without having to get his own hands dirty.
There is a great deal of ambivalence surrounding the use of AI currently, however there are great benefits to the technology too. The use of robots in sewer cleaning could mean far less risk to a plumber’s health. These could also result in cost saving for the owners of the tunnels in the long run.
References
- The Ultimate Tool For Pipeline Maintenance – Sewer Robotics
- An army of sewer robots could keep our pipes clean, but they’ll need to learn to communicate (theconversation.com)
- Technology – DrainBot
