SBIR-STTR Award

Combined Cleaning and Guided Wave Inspection System for Hazardous Liquid Pipelines
Award last edited on: 2/26/2019

Sponsored Program
SBIR
Awarding Agency
DOT
Total Award Amount
$1,143,696
Award Phase
2
Solicitation Topic Code
180-PH2
Principal Investigator
Baiyang Ren

Company Information

ULC Robotics Inc

88 Arkay Drive
Hauppauge, NY 11788
   (631) 667-9200
   N/A
   www.ulcrobotics.com
Location: Single
Congr. District: 01
County: Suffolk

Phase I

Contract Number: 6913G618P800092
Start Date: 00/00/00    Completed: 00/00/00
Phase I year
2018
Phase I Amount
$149,758
Combined Cleaning and Guided Wave Inspection System for Hazardous Liquid Pipelines 3/20/2018 For this SBIR we will develop a machine vision system which uses onboard standard-resolution cameras in vehicles to identify and read barcode signs on the roadside. The proposed approach could provide a low-cost solution that make connected and automated vehicle (CAV) technology viable for rural areas with limited access to Information and Communications Technology (ICT). To be successful, vehicles must recognize and interpret content from signs, and reason about the extracted information to update navigation estimates, modify control behaviors, react to unsafe conditions, and trigger discrete events. Our approach builds upon previous R&D to provide a real-time architecture for detecting, tracking, enhancing, and recognizing barcode signs form dynamic video imagery. Detected barcodes are tracked to improve detection accuracy and provide resiliency to occlusions and environmental effects. The orientation of the sign is determined and the image is rectified and further enhanced for barcode decoding. Our Phase I program will result in thorough testing of the algorithm modules and an end-to-end feasibility demonstration on selected routes. In Phase II, a fully functional prototype system will be built and tested in a field test track.

Phase II

Contract Number: 6913G619C100058
Start Date: 00/00/00    Completed: 00/00/00
Phase II year
2019
Phase II Amount
$993,938
Pipeline operators employ cleaning tools for improving product throughput, inhibiting corrosion, and preparing their pipes for inline inspection. For many pipeline risk models, improving the scope and quality of input data is a long-term process. If the combined cost of pigging and inspecting was low and could be done simultaneously, pipeline operators would be encouraged to perform inspections more frequently and the frequent integrity data collected would improve their pipeline risk models. During Phase I, ULC Robotics evaluated the feasibility of developing a dual-purpose tool for inline inspection using