Periodic Reporting for period 1 - WIDMO Cities (Providing complete subsurface information of the urban areas)
Reporting period: 2023-07-01 to 2024-06-30
In times of rapidly advancing urbanization, the lack of access to precise ground information is becoming a growing problem for city authorities and construction companies. Incomplete subsurface information constitutes one of the major risks and reasons for delays or budget overruns in construction projects. Effective planning and execution of such undertakings are further complicated by climate change, which accelerates geological changes. Widely available maps of urban subsurface are often outdated and inaccurate, and the methods used for infrastructure inventory (mainly excavation-based) are time-consuming, expensive, and carry the risk of damaging underground installations.
The solution to these challenges is WIDMO Cities. It’s a breakthrough, non-invasive solution based on SGPR (Spectral Ground Penetrating Radar) technology, which addresses the need for precise inventorying of underground infrastructure and geology in urban areas. This technology will provide fast access to highly accurate underground information at relatively low costs.
The information obtained through scanning can be utilized in various ways, primarily for: 1) Infrastructure planning and maintenance - determining the exact locations of gas pipelines, water mains etc. during project planning; 2) Geological safety - identifying geological profiles and recognizing potential hazards such as landslides or sinkholes.
WIDMO Spectral Technologies will install spectral radars on vehicles that will traverse cities, scanning what lies beneath the surface. As a result, precise underground maps will be created, reaching deep below the ground surface. This will provide easy access to essential information for stakeholders ranging from engineers to urban decision-makers, which, despite its low cost, can prove invaluable in carrying out construction projects.
The solution to these challenges is WIDMO Cities. It’s a breakthrough, non-invasive solution based on SGPR (Spectral Ground Penetrating Radar) technology, which addresses the need for precise inventorying of underground infrastructure and geology in urban areas. This technology will provide fast access to highly accurate underground information at relatively low costs.
The information obtained through scanning can be utilized in various ways, primarily for: 1) Infrastructure planning and maintenance - determining the exact locations of gas pipelines, water mains etc. during project planning; 2) Geological safety - identifying geological profiles and recognizing potential hazards such as landslides or sinkholes.
WIDMO Spectral Technologies will install spectral radars on vehicles that will traverse cities, scanning what lies beneath the surface. As a result, precise underground maps will be created, reaching deep below the ground surface. This will provide easy access to essential information for stakeholders ranging from engineers to urban decision-makers, which, despite its low cost, can prove invaluable in carrying out construction projects.
A fully functional multi-antenna prototype is currently undergoing testing, and the analytical software is being refined to prepare the solution for commercial use in the near future.
The antennas are mounted on a system based on a suitably modified road trailer and are shielded to protect them from various interferences.
Automatic data transfer has been developed, including transmission from radar devices to the cloud, which has been tested and deployed with the final version of data from the antennas.
The antennas are mounted on a system based on a suitably modified road trailer and are shielded to protect them from various interferences.
Automatic data transfer has been developed, including transmission from radar devices to the cloud, which has been tested and deployed with the final version of data from the antennas.
Main outcomes and potential impacts of the project include:
1. Accurate mapping of underground infrastructure facilitating better planning and maintenance of underground objects. The technology will enable the creation of detailed urban underground radar maps that are up-to-date, accurate, and rich in information.
2. Geological safety - determining the geological profile and identifying potential hazards such as landslides or sinkholes, enhancing public safety. Our technology will also help monitor the condition of objects within e.g. coastal defense systems and facilitate decision-making for their appropriate maintenance and upgrading, which is particularly important in light of ongoing climate change and its impact on urban areas, i.a. often floods or droughts. This will enable city governments and engineers to better manage geological risk.
3. Efficient planning - facilitating the planning and execution of construction projects, reducing delays and costs through precise and reliable data. This will contribute to more efficient resource management.
4. Environmental protection and sustainable development – decreasing the number of excavations and changes to urban grounds and landscape, resulting in reduced environmental impact. Implementing WIDMO Cities technology will contribute to more sustainable development of cities worldwide.
Key needs:
1. Further research - continuing research into potential improvements of hardware components, or external systems, as well as further development of software.
2. Testing - conducting demonstrations in real-world conditions to confirm the effectiveness and reliability of the technology. Addressing real needs reported by universities, cities, and governmental and EU bodies to appropriately tailor the technology and maximize its practical value. We plan to conduct pilot tests to assess data quality and system functionality under various urban conditions and with various hardware and software setups.
3. Access to markets and financing - securing funding for the development and implementation of technology in new markets.
4. Intellectual property rights support - protecting intellectual property rights to secure innovations and enable their further development. Collaboration with IPR experts will be crucial for protecting our technology.
1. Accurate mapping of underground infrastructure facilitating better planning and maintenance of underground objects. The technology will enable the creation of detailed urban underground radar maps that are up-to-date, accurate, and rich in information.
2. Geological safety - determining the geological profile and identifying potential hazards such as landslides or sinkholes, enhancing public safety. Our technology will also help monitor the condition of objects within e.g. coastal defense systems and facilitate decision-making for their appropriate maintenance and upgrading, which is particularly important in light of ongoing climate change and its impact on urban areas, i.a. often floods or droughts. This will enable city governments and engineers to better manage geological risk.
3. Efficient planning - facilitating the planning and execution of construction projects, reducing delays and costs through precise and reliable data. This will contribute to more efficient resource management.
4. Environmental protection and sustainable development – decreasing the number of excavations and changes to urban grounds and landscape, resulting in reduced environmental impact. Implementing WIDMO Cities technology will contribute to more sustainable development of cities worldwide.
Key needs:
1. Further research - continuing research into potential improvements of hardware components, or external systems, as well as further development of software.
2. Testing - conducting demonstrations in real-world conditions to confirm the effectiveness and reliability of the technology. Addressing real needs reported by universities, cities, and governmental and EU bodies to appropriately tailor the technology and maximize its practical value. We plan to conduct pilot tests to assess data quality and system functionality under various urban conditions and with various hardware and software setups.
3. Access to markets and financing - securing funding for the development and implementation of technology in new markets.
4. Intellectual property rights support - protecting intellectual property rights to secure innovations and enable their further development. Collaboration with IPR experts will be crucial for protecting our technology.