Tiny Pipebots May Help Solve The UK’s Leaky Water Problem
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Every day, the United Kingdom (UK) loses about three billion liters of water due to leaks in its aging pipe network. That is enough to fill over 1,200 Olympic-sized swimming pools or supply nearly 20 million people. Currently, the only way to check underground pipes is by digging up roads. This process take days and costs billions of dollars. It also disrupts nearby businesses and homes.
To fix the problem, engineers at the University of Sheffield have built tiny robots called Pipebots. Each is only 4 cm wide and can be placed into the water system through fire hydrants. Once inside, they crawl through the pipes, using sensors and cameras to find leaks. The information is sent to engineers above ground.
The intelligent bots work in groups, allowing them to cover large areas quickly. They can even handle simple repairs on their own. Besides water pipes, Pipebots can also be used to inspect sewer and gas lines. By finding problems early, they can prevent them from becoming big and costly.
Pipebots are currently being tested in real-world settings, such as sewer networks and highway drains. These trials will help researchers refine the robots’ design and performance. Once ready, swarms of the tiny bots could regularly monitor pipe networks across the UK and beyond.
Resources: Interestingengineering.com, Sheffield.ac.uk
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15 Comments
bellabigbac2 daysthey look like my little cousin's toy cars- bodepulubify2 daysI thought they had were just toys
vowupizipobu4 daysthey need this in Africa 😭- burivopipowy5 daysCool 😎
elliot_110 daysyea I guess- lyzycejivico14 daysI used to use mini hot wells and play with them
sophiaak14 daysWow! I thought they were WAY smaller!
852128sophie17 daysThat's really impressive! I think I really need one in my city 😅
sungjinwoo17 daysTo be honest we need one at home
fogehusuteve17 daysthey should fix it fast😥😥😥