I-Corps: Autonomous Aquabots for Water Main Inspections

I-Corps项目更广泛的影响/商业潜力是开发自主水下机器人（AUR）系统，旨在加强市政饮用水基础设施的管理和可持续性。通过提供地下水管网的详细检查数据，AUR系统解决了面对老化饮用水基础设施的有效、主动维护策略的需求。由于有可能减少因漏水造成的每年76亿美元的经济损失，以及26亿美元的紧急维修费用，因此强调了该项目的商业可行性。通过可扩展的解决方案，该技术可以在关键故障发生之前定位泄漏并评估管道状况，从而支持市政和水务部门的资产管理，实现更智能的数据驱动决策。商业化AUR技术的影响可以扩展到饮用水空间之外，可能包括石油管道和加压下水道系统。I-Corps项目基于自主水下机器人（AUR）技术的开发，该技术可在市政供水系统中大规模运行。AUR系统改编自滑翔机器鱼，这是一种水下机器人，结合了机器鱼和水下滑翔机的特点，可以实现高机动性和长时间的环境监测操作。通过有效地检测泄漏，AURs使水操作人员能够精确定位需要立即修复的区域。这种积极主动的方法可以帮助市政当局节约用水和成本。此外，AUR评估管道厚度的能力可以帮助对变薄的水管进行预防性维护，防止由此造成的水损失和社区服务中断。该技术还使AUR能够在消火栓对消火栓的检查部分之外留在水管系统中，从而允许饮用水服务在检查期间保持活跃，并且需要较少的监管批准。长距离管道检查可以减少70 - 80%的检查相关成本，使市政当局能够管理饮用水资产，并将节省下来的成本转移到其他资本项目中。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is the development of an Autonomous Underwater Robotics (AUR) system designed to enhance the management and sustainability of municipal drinking water infrastructure. By providing detailed inspection data for underground water pipe networks, the AUR system addresses the need for efficient, proactive maintenance strategies in the face of aging drinking water infrastructure. The commercial viability of the project is underscored by the potential to reduce the economic burden of water loss, which is estimated at $7.6 billion annually due to leaks, and $2.6 billion for emergency repairs. With a scalable solution that can locate leaks and assess pipe conditions before critical failures occur, this technology stands to support asset management within municipalities and water authorities, enabling smarter, data-driven decisions. The impact of the commercialized AUR technology can extend beyond the drinking water space to potentially include oil pipelines and pressurized sewer systems.This I-Corps project is based on the development of Autonomous Underwater Robot (AUR) technology that operates at scale in municipal water systems. The AUR system is adapted from gliding robotic fish, an underwater robot that combines features of robotic fish and an underwater glider to achieve high maneuverability and long-duration operations for environmental monitoring. By efficiently detecting leaks, AURs enable water operators to pinpoint areas requiring immediate repair. This proactive approach could help conserve water and save costs for municipalities. Additionally, the AUR’s capability to assess pipe thickness could aid in the preventative maintenance of thinning water mains and the resulting water loss and service disruptions for the community. The technology also enables the AUR to stay within the water pipe system beyond a hydrant-to-hydrant inspection segment, which allows for drinking water service to remain active during inspection and requires fewer regulatory approvals. Long-distance pipe inspections could reduce inspection related costs 70 – 80%, allowing municipalities to manage drinking water assets and transfer cost savings to other capital projects.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.