A U.K. government-funded project has developed robots capable of inspecting, repairing and maintaining vast pipe network infrastructure.

Pipebots — which includes participants from the University of Birmingham, the University of Leeds, the University of Bristol and the University of Sheffield — has developed robots of the same name for inspecting, repairing and maintaining water and sewer pipes in the U.K.

These so-called infrastructure bots can access hard-to-reach underground systems that may be either too dangerous or inaccessible for humans to attempt, according to the developers of the Pipebots.

To autonomously travel through networks of pipe — which come in various sizes, material compositions, configurations and appear at different depths and contain different contents — the robots are engineered in different sizes appropriate for pipes ranging from 2.5 cm to 50 cm wide. The Pipebots each feature computer vision, a gyroscope, an accelerometer and various on board sensors.

According to Pipebots’ developers, ultrasound and acoustic sensors enable the robots to detect cracks, leaks, blockages and the overall condition of the pipes, while an infrared distance sensor and magnetic field sensor enable the robots to navigate the pipes.

Once collected, data about the pipes is sent to water utilities. According to the researchers, this technology could potentially reduce the costs associated with the excavation necessary to currently maintain or repair pipes. The robots could also potentially help municipalities to avoid road closures.

Currently, the Pipebots’ team is attempting to improve how the robots communicate in sections of underground pipe where wireless cannot reach. As such, the team is exploring a solution that would combine radio waves, sound waves and light to improve communications in such environments.

Watch the accompanying video that appears courtesy of Pipebots for more information on the project.