Underground pipes and cables have long presented something of a potential maintenance problem, and with plans afoot in many places to bury unsightly power and telecommunications lines, the subterranean mess can only get worse. Out of sight, out of mind, until the damned thing has to be fixed.
Enter RCIS, the robotic cable inspection system, a monitoring technology under development at the University of Washington's electrical engineering department. The aim is to develop a robotic system that phsyically inspects underground systems for incipient damage. Trials are beginning in New Orleans to looks for damage caused by Hurricane Katrina last year.
Project Overview [washington.edu]
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