01 Jun Completed the AR Application for the maintenance of water networks – V-TUBE!
Successfully completed the research and development project V-TUBE – Application of augmented reality techniques in the design and maintenance of water networks.
The project, supported by the Regional Operational Program.
“Investment for growth and employment”
F.E.S.R. 2014/2020, is the result of the collaboration between Hal Service Srl , Emisfera Soc.Coop, Netsurf and Acqua Novara VCO Spa
V-TUBE achieved the goal of minimizing the impact in terms of economics and time of interventions carried out in emergencies, and also improving the processes of design, implementation and maintenance.
The V-TUBE project has created an augmented reality system that allows personnel working on a water network to see what is present in an area under investigation, even if the elements of interest are underground, walled in, or otherwise hidden from view.
The system is usable through geo-referenced viewers that will enable operators to obtain accurate and up-to-date information in order to avoid accidental pipe ruptures, thereby also minimizing the number of attempts required to identify a particular suitable location for the installation of new services.
These innovative devices make it possible to significantly reduce:
- the response time in the event of a power pipeline failure,
- economic losses due to lost energy production,
- the social inconvenience due to prolonged interruption of the service involved,
- the risks associated with the interruption of other urban sub-services,
- the time required for feasibility assessment and design of future interventions.
Water network operators, through the use of such technology, will be able to significantly reduce the time, cost and risk of interventions, thereby acquiring a clear economic and competitive improvement in service management.
A prototype system, validated in a real operating environment (TRL7), has been built from the technologies that have been individually tested, both in the laboratory and in the field.
The prototype is now mature to become a final solution.
