Summary
- Profile Type
- Technology offer
- POD Reference
- TODE20240620005
- Term of Validity
- 20 June 2024 - 20 June 2025
- Company's Country
- Germany
- Type of partnership
- Commercial agreement with technical assistance
- Targeted Countries
- All countries
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General information
- Short Summary
- Researchers at a German university offer an innovative solution to tackle the problem of gutter blockages caused by leaves, dirt and other debris that hinders the flow of water in the gutter. The gutter is equipped with a water level sensor combined with a controller sending out data to an evaluating platform. Notifications are sent to relevant persons and action can be taken before expensive maintenance and repair work become necessary. The technology can be demonstrated. Licensees are sought.
- Full Description
-
Rain gutter clogging due to dirt, dead leaves, and other debris can impede water flow, causing major damage and other problems. Water can run over the sides of the gutter, causing damage to the foundation and other parts of the building. And standing water attracts insects such as mosquitos, since it is ideal for breeding. In colder climates, collected water can freeze, damaging the roof or the gutter itself.
Researchers at a German university have developed an innovative approach to solving this problem: equipping rain gutters with a sensor that regularly measures the water level. If the level remains unusually high for a long time, there may be clogging.
The invention consists of a water level sensor in a riser pipe for measuring the current water level in the gutter. A microcontroller sends the resulting data wirelessly to a platform that evaluates it with an analysis module and notifies relevant individuals through a communication medium. Functional impairments such as clogging can thus be detected early and corrected before expensive maintenance and repair work becomes necessary.
Roofing companies can use this information to integrate cleaning into their work schedule before there is major damage or other inconvenience. This increases efficiency, avoids major repair costs, and extends the rain gutter’s service life.
This innovative idea gives workshops the option of offering additional digital business models in their maintenance contracts. It also reduces manual rain gutter monitoring, conserving personnel resources. Customer satisfaction and loyalty can be greatly increased and unexpected costs for end customers avoided. In the smart home and smart building area, these sensors can complement or be integrated into existing building automation systems. This gives facility managers or private individuals a better overview of the status of their rain gutters for one or more buildings.
Licensees are sought who would also be interested in taking the development further in cooperation with the researchers from present TRL 5. - Advantages and Innovations
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• The solution works efficiently and can be combined with additional digital business models
• Predictive maintenance saves money and resources. - Stage of Development
- Available for demonstration
- Sustainable Development Goals
- Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
- Goal 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
Partner Sought
- Expected Role of a Partner
- Partners are sought to license and refine the technology in collaboration with the inventors and the German university. Application markets are workshops, facility management as well as private individuals
- Type and Size of Partner
- SME 11-49
- SME 50 - 249
- Type of partnership
- Commercial agreement with technical assistance
Dissemination
- Technology keywords
- 10004005 - Rain Water
- 10002007 - Environmental Engineering / Technology
- 10002008 - Measurement and Detection of Pollution
- Market keywords
- 09007005 - Facility management companies
- Sector Groups Involved
- Construction
- Targeted countries
- All countries
