TOKYO - As Japan faces a growing infrastructure crisis driven by aging water systems installed during the period of rapid economic growth, a new AI-driven solution is emerging to predict deterioration and prevent failures before they occur.
Leading this effort is Masaaki Ihara, COO of Fracta Japan, who is working to address the challenges posed by water pipes that have exceeded their 40-year service life and are increasingly prone to deterioration. Until now, accurately diagnosing pipe conditions required excavation, making inspections costly and inefficient.
The system developed by Ihara and his team, known as "AlEyes," combines pipe data with environmental factors such as ground conditions and weather patterns, using proprietary AI to visualize the probability of water leaks. The technology has already been adopted by numerous municipalities grappling with labor shortages and population decline, helping to streamline maintenance and improve repair efficiency.
As Japan seeks to safeguard its critical infrastructure, writer Hideo Aiba takes a closer look at the innovator working to transform how water systems are managed.
Source: テレ東BIZ
