MIT’s shuttlecock-shaped robot swims through water pipes looking for leaks

The expansive webs of pipeline that sprawl beneath many of the world’s urban areas serve as a literal lifeline for thirsty inhabitants, but we don’t often think about how much is going to waste. According to MIT, an average of 20 percent of the water flowing through today’s distribution systems is lost to holes along its journey, so researchers are developing a small robot that can be deposited through a fire hydrant to hunt out the leaks.

Nick Lavars

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