SINGAPORE – Rooftop and drain inspection to detect stagnant water to combat mosquito breeding has traditionally been laborious and could pose a safety risk.

Enter Sable, a shoe-box shaped robot. Developed by researchers from Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD), Sable can get into tight and hard-to-reach spaces.

For instance, rooftop inspectors often have to lift heavy concrete slabs, which are often erected as secondary roofs, to access the tight space under the slabs. But because Sable can access hard-to-reach spaces under the concrete slabs, inspectors need not lift the concrete slabs.

Sable is equipped with cameras to spot stagnant water and a built-in dispenser allows maintenance staff to remotely apply larvicide when needed. It can be controlled remotely.

Jalan Besar Town Council recently completed a two-month trial of Sable, which could change how rooftop and drain inspection is carried out in housing estates in the future.

“The introduction of Sable has made inspections safer by enabling access to tight spaces and high-rise areas while providing detailed visual data”, said a spokesman from Jalan Besar Town Council following the conclusion of its trial in July and August.

The spokesperson added that Jalan Besar Town Council will continue to assess how robotics can be applied to estate maintenance.

Associate Professor Mohan Rajesh Elara at SUTD said Sable can also be used to inspect roadside drains for clogging or for

the management of pests in false ceilings

Inspection tasks, which typically require two or three people, would only require one worker with Sable, he said.