Design of an Autonomous Three-Wheeled Robot for Water Leak Detection Using Geophones

Water is distributed through pipeline networks that may suffer deterioration and leaks, making leak detection essential to save significant amounts of water and related costs. A portable, low-cost, three-wheeled robot car equipped with two geophones was proposed for leak detection. The robot can move autonomously on horizontal surfaces using ultrasonic and infrared sensors to search for leaks. For operation on vertical surfaces, it is equipped with a handle that allows the user to manually position it against walls. First, the robot’s specifications and functions are detailed. Second, the selected components, movement algorithm, and geophone signal evaluation process for locating leaks are explained. Finally, it was found that the robot’s energy consumption for 8 hours of operation is 91.52 Wh, which is fully supported by the selected 180 Wh battery, providing a low-cost alternative to GPR-based leak detection robots on the market and a more user-friendly solution compared to manually operated geophones that rely on user expertise.