Public Entity Role in Robotic Innovation Barcelona Participation in ECHORD++ PDTI Project for Urban Challenges

Abstract

In 2014, the European project ECHORD++ made a call for challenges in cities that could be solved by robotics. Among the fourteen challenges proposed, Barcelona presented four challenges from which the “Robots for the Inspection and Clearance of the Sewer Network in Cities” was the selected challenge. Introducing a robotics solution in sewer inspections aims at reducing the labour risks and optimize resources since sewer inspections require humans to work in risky and unhealthy conditions. Barcelona City Council, through its public body Barcelona Cicle de l’Aigua SA (BCASA), is playing an active role in guiding innovation by: identifying the public body needs; solving doubts about requirements of the service; providing existing information of the sewer network and the service offered; supporting ECHORD++ coordinators and external evaluators trough evaluations; identifying feasible locations for each testing stage; and supporting access to sewers for testing and evaluations. Next actions will be take advantage from the knowledge and products developed during the project and continuing to spread teachings from this project about innovation through Barcelona City Council departments.