Balcony Inspection via Snake Camera and Sensor Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional eye inspections of exterior elevated building elements, such as decks and balconies, cannot detect internal wood rot and rust issues without destructive methods, and there is no systematic approach for maintaining these structures or identifying buildings requiring inspections.
Innovation Solution
A system and method using satellite images, image processing, and AI to identify buildings with exterior elevated elements, combined with snake cameras and crawler robots for internal inspections, and environmental sensors to detect wood rot and rust, along with ventilation systems to prevent further damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional eye inspection methods are used to examine exterior elevated elements, then the inspection process is simple and non-invasive, but internal wood rot and rust issues cannot be detected
Solution Approach 1:
The inspection system segments the examination process into multiple specialized components: satellite image processing for building identification, snake cameras for visual inspection of internal spaces, environmental sensors for detecting moisture and temperature conditions, and AI analysis for interpreting sensor data. Each component handles a specific aspect of detection, enabling comprehensive internal examination without requiring a single complex device
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces intermediary devices that can access and inspect internal spaces through existing openings or narrow access points. Snake cameras act as intermediaries to visually examine hidden areas, while environmental sensors serve as intermediaries to detect moisture and temperature conditions without direct human contact. These intermediaries bridge the gap between external inspection capabilities and internal condition assessment
2Measurement precision
If destructive inspection methods are used to detect internal wood rot and rust, then detection accuracy improves, but structural integrity is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs sensors and cameras that can be inserted through existing access points, ventilation openings, or small holes without requiring destructive removal of structural components. The inspection tools serve themselves by navigating to inspection locations independently, capturing data, and transmitting information back, eliminating the need for destructive sampling or disassembly
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical destructive inspection methods (such as removing wood samples or breaking into structures) with non-contact or minimal-contact sensing technologies. Environmental sensors detect moisture and temperature conditions electronically, snake cameras provide visual inspection through light and image capture, and AI algorithms analyze the data without physical intervention, substituting mechanical destruction with electronic and optical detection methods
3Measurement precision
If manual inspection of each building is performed, then detailed assessment is possible, but time and resources are excessively consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary filtering and identification using satellite imagery and AI algorithms to prioritize buildings that require inspection. By pre-processing and analyzing building characteristics, locations, and risk factors before deployment, the system identifies high-priority targets, allowing inspection teams to focus on the most critical structures first rather than manually inspecting every building equally
Solution Approach 2:
The inspection system incorporates feedback loops where sensor data from environmental monitors and camera inspections is continuously analyzed by AI algorithms. This feedback mechanism identifies patterns, trends, and anomalies that indicate deteriorating conditions, enabling the system to automatically update inspection priorities and alert authorities to buildings requiring immediate attention, reducing the need for continuous manual monitoring of all structures
Data Source
AI summary
A method of inspecting a balcony is provided. The method, from the outside of the balcony, detects locations of two wooden joists in the interior of the balcony, where there is no access to pass a camera from the outside of the balcony into the interior space between the two joists. The method drills a hole into the interior space of the balcony and passes a camera through the hole into the interior space of the balcony. The method captures one or more images by the camera from the wooden surfaces in the interior space of balcony. The method analyzes the images to determine the existence of wood rot in the interior space of the balcony. The method removes the camera from the interior space of the balcony. The method seals the hole.