AI Bridges Japan's Infrastructure Maintenance Gap: Civil Engineering Innovators - Morikawa Haruna

Overview

Japan is home to some 730,000 bridges. With most built during the rapid economic growth of the mid–late 20th century, many are potentially in need of maintenance, but without the personnel to conduct the necessary checks. Morikawa Haruna and husband Ayumu are working to address this through a specially developed AI system that uses detailed photographs of bridges and other infrastructure to automatically generate repair plans. And this technology is also helping to promote workforce inclusivity.