Kitchener company can find 'even the smallest crack' in bridges and roads using AI technology
A Kitchener, Ont., tech startup is using drones and artificial intelligence technology to inspect bridges and roads and offer solutions for repairing them.
Albert Mansour, the CEO and co-founder of ConeLabs technology, says his company's technology will highlight visual defects and catch problems with a structure that can hopefully be fixed before the problem gets too serious.
"We look for any clues. We look for cracks, spalls [breaks], things that give us indications of the condition of the structure," Mansour said.
"Our AI finds it all. So now we have a complete understanding of where even the smallest crack is. Even if that crack doesn't warrant any action today, we at least now have it tracked, identified."
Mansour says their technology is meant to help the job done by human inspectors who oversee the 53,000 bridges in Canada and about 620,000 located in the United States.
How they collect the data
ConeLabs uses drones to scan thousands of images of a bridge or road then software helps them reconstruct an accurate photogrammetric 3D model in high resolution to detect any issues.
"We can get sufficient coverage, resolution, get close enough to the surface to get the right imagery. So drones come out, they capture images and then we reconstruct that into a 3D model," Mansour said.
Kitchener startup develops technology that uses AI and 3D models to inspect roads and bridges
10 minutes ago
Duration 1:54
ConeLabs Technology is keeping an modern eye on the structure of bridges and roads. It uses drones, artificial intelligence and 3D models to detail any potential defects of a road or bridge before it's too late. CBC K-W's Joe Pavia a bridge in Kitchener with Albert Mansour the CEO and co-found of ConeLabs to talk about how the technology works.
"Then our AI within the 3D data finds these cracks, finds the defects, finds spalls and rust and processes that. So, it's a much richer understanding of where each crack is versus just a zoomed in picture. And if there are, the spatial positioning of one defect to another because that might give us clues as to a deeper issue that's happening."
Monsour says the information they gather will allow a municipality to save time and act early to fix any issues with the structure they have tested and eliminate or avoid "long drawn out repairs that happen during summer construction."
The ConeLabs co-founder hopes to one day expand their inspections to also include other larger structures including buildings, farm silos as well as runways and railways.
Mansour hopes to expand its inspection work to include more than bridges and roads.
"Anything that needs constant inspection, we can train our AI to inspect that asset," said Mansour.
"Buildings, runways, and other large [structures] like silos, power lines and railways. The opportunity is vast and abundant."
Company part of Pitch Kitchener initiative
ConeLabs was selected to collaborate with the city during a Pitch Kitchener imitative. Three companies were selected to pilot their technologies to allow staff to assess their potential for permanent use by the city.
That announcement was in March and at the time, Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic said the $100,000 in funding for the three companies was a way for the city to help "grow and support locally-grown technology companies."
"Through efforts like Pitch Kitchener and the recently launched Support Local campaign, we are ensuring that our local economy remains strong and future-ready," Vrbanovic said in a release.
The other two companies chosen as part of the initiative were Real Life Robotics and TextGenetic.
Real Life Robotics will use senors and AI-driven machine learning to analyze the operations at Doon Valley Golf Course. TextGenetic will use an AI platform to flag potential issues with the city's fleet of vehicles early with an aim of lowering overall maintenance costs.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Globe and Mail
27 minutes ago
- Globe and Mail
Wall Street's rally stalls as US stocks post their 1st loss in 4 days
NEW YORK (AP) — Wall Street's rally stalled after stocks climbed back within 2% of their all-time high. The S&P 500 slipped 0.3% Wednesday, marking its first drop in four days. The Dow Jones Industrial Average ended little changed, and the Nasdaq composite lost 0.5%. The action was stronger in the bond market, where Treasury yields eased after a report showed inflation ticked up by less last month than economists expected. That raised expectations for the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates later this year. Markets didn't react much to the conclusion of two days of trade talks between the U.S. and China. THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP's earlier story follows below. NEW YORK (AP) — Wall Street's rally is stalling on Wednesday after U.S. stocks climbed back within 2% of their all-time high. The S&P 500 was 0.4% lower in late trading and on track for its first drop in four days. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 45 points, or 0.1%, with roughly an hour remaining in trading, and the Nasdaq composite was 0.6% lower. Several Big Tech stocks led the way lower, and a 1.9% drop for Apple was the heaviest weight on the market. It's been listless this week after unveiling several modest upcoming changes to the software that runs its devices. The action was stronger in the bond market, where Treasury yields eased after a report suggested President Donald Trump's tariffs are not pushing inflation much higher, at least not yet. U.S. consumers had to pay prices that were 2.4% higher overall in May than a year earlier. That was up from April's 2.3% inflation rate, but it wasn't as bad as the 2.5% that Wall Street was expecting. A fear has been that Trump's wide-ranging tariffs could ignite another acceleration in inflation, just when it had seemed to get nearly all the way back to the Federal Reserve's 2% target from more than 9% at its peak three summers ago. It hasn't happened, though economists warn it may take months more to feel the full effect of Trump's tariffs. For the time being, many businesses may be pulling products they already had in their inventories rather than passing along higher costs from fresh imports. 'Another month goes by with little evidence of tariffs, but the longer-term inflation challenge they pose remain,' according to Ellen Zentner, chief economic strategist for Morgan Stanley Wealth Management. Financial markets also had only modest reactions to the conclusion of two days of trade talks between the United States and China in London. Trump said Wednesday that China will supply rare-earth minerals and magnets to the United States, while his government will allow Chinese students into U.S. universities in a deal that still needs an agreement by him and by China's leader. Trump also said that 'President XI and I are going to work closely together to open up China to American Trade. This would be a great WIN for both countries!!!' Investors are still hoping for a more sweeping trade deal that would ease tensions between the world's two largest economies. Hopes for such deals between the United States and countries around the world have been one of the main reasons the S&P 500 has charged nearly all the way back to its all-time high after dropping roughly 20% below a couple months ago. Without them, the fear is that Trump's high tariffs could drive the economy into a recession while pushing inflation higher. The S&P 500 is sitting 2.1% below its record. On Wall Street, Chewy dropped 12.5% after the seller of pet supplies reported a weaker profit for the latest quarter than analysts had forecast. Expectations were high after its stock had already rallied nearly 37% coming into the day for the year so far. Tesla swung from a gain in the morning to a loss of 0.4% to continue its shaky run. It's been recovering much of its big losses taken last week after Elon Musk's relationship with Trump imploded, which in turn raised fears about a loss of business for the electric-vehicle company. Musk on Wednesday backed away from some of his earlier comments and said they went 'too far.' In the bond market, the yield on the 10-year Treasury eased to 4.41% from 4.47% late Tuesday. Shorter-term yields, which more closely track expectations for what the Fed will do with overnight interest rates, fell more. Wednesday's better-than-expected reading on inflation raised expectations along Wall Street that the Fed could cut its main interest rate at least twice by the end of the year. The Fed has been keeping interest rates steady so far this year, going on pause after cutting rates at the end of last year. It has been waiting to see how much Trump's tariffs raise inflation because cutting interest rates could push inflation up even more, as they give the economy a boost. 'The Fed could be justified in doing some preemptive rate cuts,' said Brian Jacobsen, chief economist at Annex Wealth Management. 'They were afraid that inflation would rise before growth would slow, but the script has been flipped and they will likely change their tune.' In stock markets abroad, indexes fell across much of Europe and rose in Asia. South Korea's Kospi was one of the best performers and jumped 1.2%.
Globe and Mail
27 minutes ago
- Globe and Mail
Politics Insider: Carney recruits Hydro‑Québec CEO to head public service
Hello, welcome to Politics Insider. Let's look at what happened today. Mark Carney has recruited Hydro‑Québec CEO Michael Sabia to take over as the country's top bureaucrat to help advance the Prime Minister's ambitious agenda. Sabia had served as deputy minister of finance before he left government to serve as head of the Quebec pension plan and later Hydro‑Québec. The current Clerk of the Privy Council John Hannaford announced today that he will leaving the government as the head of the public service and top adviser to the Prime Minister. Robert Fife reports that Carney had sought out Sabia because he needed a Privy Council clerk with business experience, who can push through his agenda, which includes major nation-building projects, a revamped military, major housing initiatives and cost-cutting expenditures for the public service. As Privy Council clerk, Sabia's roles include providing non-partisan advice to the Prime Minister and elected officials. Also, Steven Chase reports that Canada and the United States are exchanging potential terms of agreement in closely held talks on an economic and security deal. But these terms do not represent the draft text of an actual pact. These exchanges are an effort to spell out what both sides might be able to agree upon as Ottawa and Washington try to find enough common ground to end their damaging trade war, sources said. The Globe and Mail is not naming the sources because they were not authorized to speak publicly. Alberta working with oil companies on pipeline proposal, Alberta Premier says: Danielle Smith also says she expects Prime Minister Mark Carney to 'operate in good faith' on the pipeline issue. Proposed GST rebate for first-time homebuyers could offer average $27,000 relief, says PBO: The Parliamentary Budget Officer says tax relief is expected to cost the government $1.9-billion, although its estimates do not take into account how the cut would affect market behaviour. Saskatchewan Premier vows $500 per person for wildfire evacuees: Scott Moe said that money is on top of existing supports for the more than 10,000 people forced out of their homes owing to a string of wildfires in Saskatchewan's northern region. B.C. Transport Minister raises concerns over BC Ferries construction deal with Chinese state-owned shipyard: The winning bidder on the contract to build four new passenger ferries is Chinese state-owned China Merchants Industry Weihai Shipyards. What's in Kananaskis? Explore the outdoor escape where G7 leaders will gather: The G7 Leaders' Summit descends on Alberta's Kananaskis Country from June 15 to 17. Kananaskis – just an hour's drive from Calgary – isn't a national park. Rather, K-Country, as locals call it, is a 4,000-square-kilometre network of connected provincial parks, reserves and recreational zones encompassing mountains and foothills. Prime Minister's Day: In Ottawa, Mark Carney attended the weekly Liberal caucus meeting on Parliament Hill and also attended Question Period. Carney also spoke with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and invited him to next week's G7 summit in Kananaskis, Alta. Party Leaders: At the House of Commons, Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet participated in Question Period. In British Columbia, Green Party Leader Elizabeth May attended Parliament virtually and, in person she attended the blessing of new solar panels at the St. Andrew's Anglican Church in Sidney, B.C. NDP Interim Leader Don Davies, with other caucus members, held a news conference on NDP defence policy. No schedule released for Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre. Starmer in Ottawa: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is to visit Mark Carney in Ottawa on Saturday and Sunday ahead of next week's G7 Leaders' Summit in Kananaskis. Quote of the Day: 'That's the thing about us New Democrats. We're like goddamned dandelions. It's like once we're on your lawn, you can't seem to get rid of us so the dandelions are coming up again.' - Former NDP MP Charlie Angus, at a Parliament Hill news conference today, on his party's resilience after a federal election result he described as an 'unmitigated disaster.' Angus said he will not seek the party leadership. Which Russian leader attended the last G7 summit (then known as the G8summit) held in Kananaskis in 2002? Scroll to the bottom of this newsletter for the answer. Twenty years late, Canada hits the old NATO target, just in time to fall short of the new one. Post Mulroney, the Conservatives' brand is 'loser.' It's time for an overhaul. Got a news tip that you'd like us to look into? E-mail us at tips@ Need to share documents securely? Reach out via SecureDrop. The answer to today's question: Russian President Vladimir Putin attended the summit and appeared in a photo that included Canada's Jean Chrétien, France's Jacques Chirac, Tony Blair from Britain and U.S. President George W. Bush.
National Post
29 minutes ago
- National Post
BC Ferries deal with Chinese shipyard makes waves in Ottawa
The Spirit of British Columbia leaves the Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal in Delta, BC, May, 14, 2025. Photo by RICHARD LAM / PNG OTTAWA — BC Ferries set off a tidal wave of controversy on Tuesday after announcing a major shipbuilding deal with a Chinese state-owned enterprise, with the ripple effects of the decision reaching Ottawa. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS Enjoy the latest local, national and international news. Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events. Unlimited online access to National Post. National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE FOR MORE ARTICLES Enjoy the latest local, national and international news. Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events. Unlimited online access to National Post. National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Vancouver Island Conservative MP Jeff Kibble raised the issue in Wednesday's question period, accusing the Liberal government of rewarding the provincial carrier for selling out Canada's national interest. 'The Liberals are set to hand over $30 million (in federal subsidies) to BC Ferries while BC Ferries hands over critical jobs, investment and industry to China,' said Kibble. BC Ferries said in a press release that it had awarded China Merchants Industry Weihai Shipyards (CMI Weihai) a contract to build four new vessels after a 'rigorous' global bidding process. Company CEO Nicolas Jimenez was quoted in the release as saying that CMI Weihai was the 'clear choice' for the contract given, among other factors, its 'proven ability to deliver safe, reliable vessels on dependable timelines.' Kibble blasted BC Ferries in the House of Commons for buying the ships from China instead of a 'proven Canadian shipbuilder' and pressed the Liberal government to tie federal ferry subsidies to buying Canadian-built ships. Liberal Transportation Minister Chrystia Freeland said that she shared Kibble's concerns about procurement 'at all levels of government' but wouldn't comment directly on the BC Ferries contract, calling it a provincial matter. One politician who hasn't hesitated to criticize the deal is the provincial minister responsible for BC Ferries. B.C. Transportation Minister Mike Farnworth was quick to distance himself from the decision, saying he was worried about the message it sends in the midst of Chinese economic aggression. 'I do have concerns around procuring services from any country that is actively harming Canada's economy through unfair tariffs or other protectionist trade practices. I have shared these concerns with BC Ferries,' Farnworth told the media. Yet, despite his reservations, he ruled out blocking the BC Ferries-CMI Weihai deal. 'BC Ferries is an independent company responsible for its own operational decisions,' said Farnworth. He added that he was 'disappointed' that the contract didn't include more involvement from Canadian shipyards. BC Ferries' head of fleet renewal, Ed Hooper, told Postmedia that no Canadian shipbuilders bid on the contract won by CMI Weihai.
