23: Patrick Lane-Nott on hyperTunnel

Breaking Ground

hyperTunnel promise "next generation tunnelling" as they aim to revolutionise the world of underground construction through AI, machine learning and swarm robotics - and in this conversation Steve Hadley (Chair of the Federation of Piling Specialists and Managing Director of Central Piling) talks to Patrick Lane-Nott (hyperTunnel's Director of Engineering) about how exactly they're doing it.

Essentially, hyperTunnel are looking to use new technology to make tunnelling methods faster, safer and cheaper than they currently are now. The core engineering team has been assembled with people from many different backgrounds - Patrick is from the world of Formula 1, and his team have backgrounds in the academic world, the aviation industry, renewable energy and defence amongst others - with the aim of cross-pollinating and bringing fresh ideas to the tunnelling industry.

Of course, he talks abut the key element of hyperTunnel - using robots to dig tunnels - and how their technology means that no humans are in the environment during the construction or excavation phases. He also discusses the other benefits of their technology - for example, how hyperTunnel eliminates the need to prepare for the unexpected.

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