Construction Engineer Nguyễn Minh Hưng (born 1971), a project specialist in Drainage and Environmental Sanitation in Buôn Ma Thuột City, has quietly developed a robot for inspecting underground sewers.
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| Mr. Hưng and the latest sewer inspection robot (Photo: TTO) |
After two years of sleepless nights, investing his entire salary (over 100 million VND) to purchase equipment and pay for welding labor from a neighboring craftsman, Mr. Hưng unveiled his six-wheeled robot weighing nearly 30 kg.
On its first deployment, the robot discovered a section of a 700 mm main sewer line that was broken and at risk of causing a complete blockage of the system.
The American project director praised the robot and its clever creator, suggesting that Mr. Hưng research ways to reduce the size so that the robot could inspect the entire underground system, which includes over 60 km of smaller pipes ranging from 150 to 250 mm.
With the help of his brother, a jeweler and motorcycle mechanic, Mr. Hưng successfully downsized many components of the robot. His latest “robot 4.0” version can navigate and inspect pipes with a diameter of 150 mm. In cases where it encounters an obstacle, whether flipped upside down or sideways, it continues to operate normally. It can also carry high-pressure water hoses to clear blockages if necessary. The high-definition images captured make it easy for operators to analyze and assess the condition of each section of the underground sewer.
Before Mr. Hưng’s robot, inspecting nearly 100 km of underground sewers throughout Buôn Ma Thuột City cost the project nearly 3 billion VND each year. In contrast, his robot can effortlessly scour every corner of the underground system, requiring only the salary of a single operator.
Many other provinces and cities have eagerly come to see and order robots after hearing about Mr. Hưng’s invention. He confidently stated that now, with just 100 million VND, he can manufacture three sewer inspection robots for interested parties.
