An Innovative Technique for Water Leak Detection Stemming from Radio Astronomy: A Potential University Technology Transfer

Abstract

There have been many documented cases of technology transfer from astronomy to other disciplines such as medicine, for example, a system for diagnosing breast cancer
utilising software originally developed to mosaic planetary
images. The approach taken in this research will involve using a technology originally developed for radio astronomy to detect water leaks in pipes that are part of water networks in various infrastructure systems. This is innovative research as it involves an interdisciplinary approach to explore a technology and evaluate its commercial potential. Experiments are underway in
which signals from an acoustic phased array are amplified and digitized using a multichannel analogue-to-digital (ADC)
converter and analysed using a software correlation technique to identify leak signatures. Therefore, the chosen technology’s commercialisibility will be tested for alternate applications which can be applied to infrastructures such as water networks. In addition, the
importance of interdisciplinary research will also be reflected through this research.