Shen’s innovative camera focused on improving pipeline safety, reliability

A camera system developed by Zhigang Shen is able to efficiently identify internal defects in pipelines that shuttle gases nationwide.

In development since 2018, Shen’s patent-pending innovation is a new depth camera array system that provides complete and accurate visual surface coverage of straight and curbed pipelines in a time and cost-saving manner. The system uses photogrammetry —a process that captures photographic images to survey an object — to generate 3D pipeline models. The process is able to identify internal defects, including corrosion, dents and cracks. In some cases, it can be deployed without the need for camer calibrations, a GPS signal, or prior knowledge of pipeline geometry.

“Unlike many other pipeline tools, our system does four things simultaneously: measuring, mapping, modeling, and detecting,” said Shen, professor in the Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction. “We believe our technology provides a unique solution to this significant and difficult industry problem.”

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