Tiny Robot Replaces Technicians for Inspecting Power Cables

Electrical technicians wearing protective clothing and employing cumbersome safety procedures have performed required routine inspections along power distribution lines for decades. Now a team of researchers at the University of Georgia College of Engineering has developed a tiny wireless robot to replace them. According to the lead researcher, Assistant Professor Javad Mohammadpour, the lightweight self-propelled robot glides along the power line to conduct necessary tests. Compared to human technicians, the pint-sized robot provides a safer and more cost-effective method to inspect long power lines. Plus, it can be controlled by a smartphone.

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