Liverpool University Design Robot Pothole Spotter

The University of Liverpool takes forward new technology to transform road maintenance.

15:21 25 October 2020

The University of Liverpool's newly formed spin-out company - Robotiz3d Ltd - is set to develop robotic technology to detect and assess potholes on UK roads. The move aims to address the pothole crisis, which is estimated to have cost more than £1billion to repair over the last decade. 

 

Using patented research from the University Engineering Robotics Lab, the company will build robots that use artificial intelligence to improve how road problems are detected and repaired. 

 

Dr Paolo Paoletti, who will serve as chief technology officer for the company, said: “Robotiz3d Ltd will develop an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-driven robotic system to address the national and international potholes problems. The proposed system will be able to autonomously detect and characterize road defects such as cracks and potholes, assess and predict the severity of such defects and fix cracks so that they do not evolve into potholes.”

 

Lisa Layzell, an award winning senior executive and serial entrepreneur of high-tech companies, is a co-founder and CEO of Robotiz3d Ltd. She said: “This is an exciting new spin out to take forward. The team at Robotiz3d has the expertise and experience in robotics and AI to deliver the project and introduce world-leading innovation to the management of roads and highways. We have developed a robust business plan to take forward the portfolio of Robotiz3d envisaged products.”

 

Dr Sebastiano Fichera, Technical Director of the company, added: “Current methods to detect and repair of potholes are labour intensive and as such are slow, unsafe, and costly to the economy and environment.  The new technology we are developing will make road maintenance tasks faster, cheaper, and cleaner and ultimately make roads safer and more accessible.”