Gecko Robotics Brings Artificial Intelligence, Robotics to the Grid

As global energy demands escalate, the need for resilient, efficient, and sustainable power infrastructure increases. Artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and robotics advancements enable predictive maintenance and optimize the performance and lifespan of critical equipment. 

 

Depiction of a smart grid. Image used courtesy of Adobe Stock

 

Smart grids and Internet of Things devices are enhancing energy system efficiency and reliability by providing greater transparency and insight into operations. Gecko Robotics and Ambit Grant Town have collaborated to employ AI and robotics to enhance energy reliability for communities in West Virginia. 

 

Modernizing Power Plant Maintenance With AI and Robotics

The American Bituminous Power Plant Grant Town, a power plant in West Virginia, will use Gecko Robotics' AI-powered Cantilever platform. This platform integrates data layers of information gathered by robots, drones, and fixed sensors. It combines historical health records, design files, operational data, and other business metrics in one comprehensive system. The system then offers an unprecedented view into the operational availability of assets operators can use in decision-making processes.

 

Cantilever is a turn-key industrial asset management platform. Image used courtesy of Gecko Robotics

 

The innovation enables a shift from reactive to predictive maintenance. With access to asset health data, Cantilever can help operators focus on areas requiring immediate attention and monitor potential problem areas to prevent failures over time. This approach allows targeted repairs, prioritizes capital investments, and significantly reduces the likelihood of unexpected equipment failures​​.

The intuitive platform features interactive models for current and predictive asset health, including 2D and 3D color-coded corrosion maps and corrosion rate analyses. Additionally, the platform allows operators to configure scenarios to determine the useful life of assets, end-of-life dates, failure thresholds, capital costs, and time allocated for repairs, thus optimizing operations and reducing resource expenditures.

 

Tech Innovation and Energy Infrastructure

The collaboration between Gecko Robotics and Ambit Grant Town exemplifies how technology is poised to reinvent the energy infrastructure. Specifically, integrating AI-powered software and advanced robotics into the energy sector offers an era of operational efficiency, reliability, and cost-effectiveness. 

AI-driven analysis offers deep insights into the health of energy infrastructure, enabling operators to make informed decisions about maintenance and resource allocation. This precise predictive maintenance helps to reduce downtime and extend the lifespan of vital components. In this context, robotics plays a crucial role in performing tasks that are too hazardous or intricate for human workers, thereby enhancing safety and efficiency. 

 

Drone inspecting grid infrastructure. Image used courtesy of ORNL

 

This technological transformation also bleeds into the increasing push for sustainability in energy production. Ensuring existing infrastructure operates at peak efficiency minimizes waste and maximizes output, thereby reducing the environmental footprint of energy production.

 

Looking Forward

The continued adoption and advancement of AI, machine learning, and robotics will be necessary for meeting evolving energy demands. The technology sets a new standard for the industry, pushing the boundaries of what is possible in energy provision and management.