Oil, defense, robots fix aging infrastructure
Construction workers will climb on the fencing line on April 22, 2021 at the site of a massive public infrastructure reconstruction project on Manhattan Upper Manhattan elevated roads and bridges in New York City, New York.
Mike Fresh | Reuters
The infrastructure that makes up the US is burning in some cases. Over three-thirds of US bridges (almost 222,000 spans) require extensive repair work or replacement. Transportation Bureau data. In the meantime, more 1,500 people were injured or killed Over the six years that ends in 2023, 153 oil refineries nationwide, some of which are sites that operate unconsciously damaged structures. In addition to the risks of human safety, damage to oil refineries causes an increase in already strong contaminants. And with climate shocks increasingly changing the world and its structure, it is difficult for even the most experienced workers to maintain. That’s where the robots come in.
“What is the process of trying to assess physical structures like bridges, dams and ships? It’s a very old-fashioned way, putting humans there (…) and all there is Write down any potentially damaged areas. Jake Loosararian, CEO and co-founder of Gecko Robotics, said:
Gecko deploys the robot Climbing, crawling, swimming and fly, which runs with sensors and artificial intelligence software, creates a layer of data that tells you everything you can learn about the health of your structure. Despite being experts in piloting robots, they can do all this without putting humans in a fire line.
After visiting a Western Pennsylvania power plant and learning about its obstacles and explosions, Gecko, launched in 2013 by the University Doors at Rusarian, is not the only one tackling the problems of robotics infrastructure. Percepto offers end-to-end drone solutions with different types of cameras and pairs with proprietary inspection and surveillance software.
“If you’re talking about the oil and gas industry, you can find gas leaks, you can find crude oil leaks, you can find broken ingredients,” says Udi, Chief Product Officer of Compecto. Zohar said. Zohar added that its drone hardware can reach electrical infrastructure in weather conditions that humans tend to not be able to do (for example, hurricanes and snowstorms).
The drone software also receives alerts and dispatches the drone to determine the accuracy of the alert. “You’re saving people time. You’re adding safety to your company,” Zohar said. Percepto started with a major use case of providing security in sensitive facilities, but a variety of use cases, including methane emissions and utilities running to identify weaknesses that can be carried out after a climate disaster. Expanded to provide.
“I need more robots and I can’t build them all.”
At Gecko, data is just as important as a robot.
“We initially built a wall climbing robot that could essentially do sonograms like doctors do for pregnancy scans, but because of the physical structure,” Rusarian said. By attaching ultrasound sensors and cameras, the robot not only accesses difficult and often dangerous locations to reach, but also allows it to capture information and assess changes over time. “It starts to affect how you do certain things, or how you predict how long something lasts, or how safe something is.” He said.
Companies like Gecko and Percepto are targeting use cases that increase safety and efficiency and reduce spending in industries such as defense, energy and manufacturing. Operation and maintenance (including those of aging assets) 39% of US military budgetand national totals Deferred maintenance costs Research shows that it could be at least $1 trillion. By employing robots to actively work on structural assessments and prioritizing repairs according to their needs, businesses and institutions can create a healthier and safer world with less money.
Loosararian said the robotics industry, which researches infrastructure, is growing very quickly. “My problem is, we need more robots and we can’t build everything,” he said.
Meanwhile, Gecko is actively working on AI models that predict when assets will fail. Percepto has evolved to include more types of cameras and sensors in its box drone products. These two companies reflect a larger trajectory – the inspection robotics industry is growing at least at its speed 30% per year.
In the US, drivers cross bridges that are evaluated approximately 168 million times a day. Hundreds of workers Test sites die every year. In oil refineries, factors like Corrosion increases dangerous emissions That will harm nearby workers and the entire planet, and at the same time increase operational costs.
Much-needed experts continue to seek structural anomalies, but robots and the people who operate them are swooping down to fill the clear gap in a safer and healthier world.
