TECHNOLOGY BREAKTHROUGH TO LEAD TO NEW LIFE FOR EUROPEAN SEWER SYSTEMS

COMMUNICATIONS POTENTIAL BOOSTED BY EUROPEAN COMMISSION COMPUTER VISION SYSTEM

Sewerage networks - vital to European society yet often neglected and under utilised - could soon become high-tech highways carrying telephony and internet traffic as well as continuing their vital work in the disposal of human waste.

A revolutionary new sewer inspection system, using computer vision techniques, is to be shown for the first time in Europe at next month's IPOT (Image Processing and Optical Technology) exhibition at the NEC in Birmingham, UK (February 12-13).

The system will be unveiled on the EUTIST-IMV exhibition stand (Hall 12, Stand No. B94 - and follows highly successful trials in Prague under the control of ISAAC - a European Commission project looking at applying computer vision image processing methods to the sewer inspection process.

"Machine vision technology is an exciting concept with almost limitless applications and the European Commission is working tirelessly to make its benefits available to organisations throughout Europe," said Mr Mark Sawyer, Edinburgh-based Technical Coordinator for the EUTIST-IMV project.

"The Prague trials have shown what computer vision is capable of - and this is just one city as part of one project. The European Commission, under the EUTIST banner, has 23 similar projects underway and they all have great potential for the benefit of the people of Europe".

The Prague trials operated on the water sewer network in and around the city, now one of Europe's top destinations. Computer vision gave much faster inspection times, with greater measurement accuracy and much-improved data retention. This capability makes it a more attractive proposition for companies such as those in communications to use the network for cable infrastructure rather than excavation of existing roadways.

EUTIST-IMV is a European Commission funded project aimed at promoting the uptake of integrated machine vision (IMV) technology in industry. Its work is being co-ordinated by EPCC - one of the five most advanced computer centres in Europe.

A typical IMV system uses a camera to take photographic images of objects on a production line. A computer then processes the images, often by trying to recognise a pattern, or by making a measurement.

Some systems can examine the internal structure of products by generating images using x-rays or magnetic resonance. IMV allows faster, more accurate and consistent quality inspection, and it can bring major savings by identifying defects on site. Crucially, its performance is unaffected by levels of temperature, noise or toxins which could prove harmful to workers carrying out manual inspections.

EUTIST-IMV consists of 23 pilot projects aimed at different applications and sectors. Other applications include automatic inspection, measurement and control applications and the sectors include timber, automotive, food, textiles and electronics.

To arrange an interview or an appointment to visit the EUTIST-IMV exhibition stand (Hall 12, Stand No. B94) please contact Claire Dickens on +44 115 950 8399 or Mark Sawyer on +44 131 650 5019.

ENDS

For further information please contact:-
Brian Dolby/Claire Dickens    or    
GBCS PR Ltd             
Tel: +44 (0) 115 950 8399       
Email: enquiries@gbcspr.com                  

Mark Sawyer
EXPANSIV Project Coordinator
EPCC
Tel: +44 (0) 131 650 5019

Useful websites:
EUTIST website www.spt.fi/eutist
EPCC www.epcc.ed.ac.uk
UK Industrial Vision Association www.ukiva.org
European Commission Information Society Technologies (IST) programme www.cordis.lu/ist

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