TOKYO, Apr 30 (News On Japan) –
Three months after a January 2025 highway collapse in Yashio City, Saitama Prefecture, that left a truck driver lacking, the incident has drawn nationwide consideration to Japan’s growing older water infrastructure, prompting municipalities to undertake a brand new AI-based pipe inspection system.
Following the collapse, the central authorities urged native authorities managing sewer pipes of comparable scale to those in Yashio to conduct emergency inspections.
Traditionally, leak detection has relied on area employees strolling hundreds of kilometers to pay attention for telltale sounds of escaping water—an strategy each labor-intensive and time-consuming.
To stop future accidents, the main focus has shifted towards quicker and extra environment friendly expertise. A Tokyo-based startup is on the forefront of this transformation, providing land analysis providers throughout sectors utilizing satellite tv for pc information.
In water pipe monitoring, the corporate combines floor temperature information from JAXA and different satellites, leakage historical past from water bureaus, and topographical and human exercise information from municipalities. Its proprietary AI then classifies the leak danger of water pipes into 5 ranges, displaying the outcomes on a color-coded map.
This system permits native governments to rapidly determine high-risk areas, prioritize inspections, and streamline upkeep efforts—lowering each time and price.
Higuchi Nobuhito, head of the corporate’s “Space Water Bureau” venture, mentioned: “The deterioration of infrastructure such as pipes and roads is an unavoidable issue. We hope this system can contribute to addressing it.”
Source: FNN