Photo by Rob Lambert on Unsplash
31/10/2018
Xavier Vilajosana and Joan Antoni Melià, researchers at the research group Wireless Networks (WiNe) of the IN3, have developed a sensor that detects water leaks inside vehicles.
The new sensor that costs less than 10 cents is able to automatically detect water leaks inside vehicles. This is thanks to WiLD technology, for which the University has applied for a patent license from the Spanish Patent and Trademark Office.
During the vehicle assembly process, tests are conducted to ensure all seals around the vehicle are properly closed, something which is currently done manually by production line operators using sensors.
"The whole process takes between two and three minutes and causes a significant bottleneck on the automated production line", explained the researchers. The WiLD sensors are placed in specific areas of the car and can automatically detect leaks and the need for manual intervention. The inventors added that, "Our technology can carry out these checks within milliseconds in order to determine, for example, if there are imperfections on the bodywork of the vehicle such as holes, scratches or poorly assembled parts". WiLD allows researchers to improve industrial productivity thanks to the time saved by the process's automation.
More information here.