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Suppressing Utility Problems - Protection via Robotic Engineering to the Sub-Surface

Award Information
Agency: Department of Transportation
Branch: N/A
Contract: DTRT5716C10011
Agency Tracking Number: 141FH3005II
Amount: $1,000,000.00
Phase: Phase II
Program: SBIR
Solicitation Topic Code: 141FH3
Solicitation Number: DTRT5714RSBIR1
Timeline
Solicitation Year: 2014
Award Year: 2016
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): 2015-12-03
Award End Date (Contract End Date): 2017-12-03
Small Business Information
15400 Calhoun Drive suite 190
Rockville, MD 20855-2737
United States
DUNS: 161911533
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: Yes
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
Principal Investigator
 Devendra Tolani
 Principal Scientist
 (301) 294-4630
 dtolain@i-a-i.com
Business Contact
 Mark James
Title: Senior Director, Contracts and Proposals
Phone: (301) 294-5221
Email: mjames@i-a-i.com
Research Institution
N/A
Abstract

Relocating overhead utilities to the subsurface can effectively reduce safety hazards on national highways and other aboveground living spaces. A typical underground space is, however, congested with buried utilities especially in an urban environment. The recordings of those underground utilities are, furthermore, often inaccurate, incomplete, out of date, or even entirely missing as a result of insufficient surveying methodologies and inadequate as-built recording practices. Consequently, the utility construction industry is plagued by aggravating accidents caused by mechanical damages to buried utilities during horizontal directional drilling (HDD) and other construction related activities. In order to address these technical challenges, we have been developing the Robotic Utility Mapping and Installation System (RUMI), a comprehensive robotic solution that improves the safety and productivity of the underground utility construction. The overarching objective of the Phase II effort is to develop RUMI-2, the second robot prototype that realizes the innovative technologies conceptualized in Phase I, and demonstrate its capabilities in a relevant environment. The expected contribution of RUMI-2 to the utility industry is: 1) Accurate robotic 3D utility mapping and digitalization; 2) Precise robotic drill-head tracking with multiple magnetic dipole transceivers; and 3) Effective robotic HDD cross-bore/obstacle avoidance.

* Information listed above is at the time of submission. *

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