Detroit Startup Creates AI Robot to Inspect Water Mains
As Detroit continues to address the aftermath of a devastating water main break in the southwest area, a local technology startup is working on solutions to prevent future incidents. Motmot, a company based in the Newlab building on the Michigan Central Station campus, is developing an innovative underwater AI device designed to inspect municipal water lines.
For the past few years, a team of engineers at Motmot has been working on the Motbot, an autonomous underwater robot. The device is equipped with a camera and acoustics to examine the interior of water pipes, identifying potential leaks and other issues. Elliot Smith, CEO and co-founder of Motmot, believes this technology can significantly reduce the frequency of water main breaks in cities.
“So really, this is an inspection tool. We call it an autonomous underwater robot. What we do is we put it directly in a water main pipe and inspect. It has a camera, so it’s able to look at the inside of a pipe. It has acoustics, so it’s able to listen for any leaks,” Smith explained.
Smith’s background as a municipal engineering consultant highlighted the need for more proactive and cost-effective methods of maintaining water infrastructure. He noticed that many cities rely on costly, large-scale projects often based on significant guesswork. This realzied need led to the creation of the Motbot, which has been under development since 2022.
The technology is currently undergoing testing in labs at Michigan State University and the University of Michigan. Motmot has collaborated with MSU’s water works department, which decommissioned 1,000 feet of water main pipe for testing. The robot currently uses water flow and propellers to move independently; however, the team is now developing a second prototype that will allow the device to make turns.
“So, you totally change the game where you can go from maybe a 5-mile straight inspection to, if you can make that turn, now you’re doing hundreds of miles for an inspection,” Smith stated, holding the prototype.
The ultimate goal is to provide cities with affordable monitoring solutions to prevent expensive and critical breaks.
“What our true mission is, it’s about public education. It’s about people realizing there’s a whole world underneath our feet that we truly just take for granted,” Smith said. “Our systems are old. Our systems are really old. So, we need to make sure we’re taking care of our most critical assets.”
Motmot is set to launch its pilot program in June in East Lansing, with hopes to attract adoption from other cities following its launch. Additional details can be found on the company’s website.
