City of Moreton Bay has named Tokyo-based startup Koei Dreamworks as the winner of its Tokyo Innovation Challenge, an initiative aimed at connecting Japanese startups with overseas cities to address urban infrastructure issues.
The council said it was selected earlier this year to participate in a Tokyo Metropolitan Government program that matches innovative startups with cities seeking solutions to local challenges. As part of the process, five Tokyo startups travelled to Moreton Bay to learn about the region and pitch proposals.
Koei Dreamworks was selected for its “Haikan-Kun” self-propelled inspection robot, developed in response to the challenge theme of infrastructure maintenance management. The council said the robot can navigate inside pipes using internal pipe imagery, pipe routing location data and distance data.
Mayor Peter Flannery said the council was looking for a cost-effective approach to inspecting smaller-diameter pipes, noting that existing inspection technologies are generally designed for larger pipes.
Flannery said that if a trial is successful, the council expects the technology could support maintenance across small-diameter pipes in stormwater networks, aquatic facilities, building wastewater and water services, the council’s irrigation network, and leachate systems at current and former landfill sites. Unitywater was named by the council as a major partner.
