Electromagnetics based sensor solutions for safer, resilient, and sustainable cities.

WaveScan Technologies

About Us

WaveScan is an A*STAR spin-off company specializing in the R&D of disruptive beamforming electromagnetics based smart sensor systems and advanced AI algorithms. Our proprietary technology builds upon nearly a decade-long R&D on microwave & millimeter-wave wireless sensors and is capable of high-resolution 4D sensing for non-destructive testing (NDT) applications. We provide an end-to-end AI-enabled asset inspection solution, addressing the specific needs of the built environment sector.

Smart sensor systems, integrable with autonomous vehicles, along with a centralized AI-enabled analytics solution, are the future of active inspection systems for sustaining resilient infrastructure. At WaveScan, we envision safer, productive & livable cities by creating a predictive maintenance ecosystem through data-driven standardization of inspection processes. We are looking for global partners & early-adopters to join us in our mission of disrupting the practices of how infrastructure & facilities are planned, built & managed today.

Why?

LIMITED DETECTION CAPABILITIES

Conventional NDT sensor technologies including X-Ray NDT, ultrasonic NDT, eddy current NDT and microwave GPR NDT possess limited detection capabilities.

TIME CONSUMING AND TEDIOUS

Available handheld sensor technologies in market, aggravated by the manual inspection and non-standardized procedures makes the NDT process time-consuming & tedious. Our sensors provide an end to end efficient infrastructure maintenance solution by digitizing entire NDT process.

SHORTAGE OF SKILLED WORKFORCE

In conventional NDT processes, experienced field inspectors are needed to perform measurements and process/interpret data. AI enabled defect analytics and prediction of defect lifecycles helps in replacing manual NDT process and reducing the requirement of skilled field inspectors.

NO STANDARDIZATION

Manual inspection & analysis leads to conflicting conclusions based on the individual’s perspective. Currently, there is no standardization of the NDT process for infrastructure facilities. Our ecosystem of intelligent sensors enables standardization of NDT inspection and testing process leading to an increase in productivity with minimal downtime.

Our Solution

End-to-end wireless microwave & mm-wave based NDT sensor solution with AI enabled capabilities integrated in the cloud for smart predictive maintenance of infrastructure facilities.

Underlying Sensor Technology

What is Microwave/Millimeter-wave NDT?

Microwaves and millimeter-waves are capable of penetration through materials such as tiles, PVC, building facades, dielectric composites, concrete, wooden panels, etc. The sensors are designed to transmit and receive electromagnetic waves in the microwave/millimeter-wave spectrum. Based on the received signals and back-end signal processing, the sensors can infer useful information on the subject under test. These sensors are non-contact and detect surface defects such as cracks, corrosion, precursor pittings and embedded anomalies such as disbonds. They also identify volumetric defects such as voids and delaminations and are capable of imaging defects up to sub-mm scale resolution with varying stand-off distances.

Background R&D

The core patented technology behind our first-of-its-kind non-contact, see-through, mm-scale sensing has been developed by our team over a period growing capability through various market verticals such as aerospace MRO, oil & gas pipeline inspection and infrastructure inspection.

Aerospace maintenance, repair & overhaul (MRO)

Non-destructive testing (NDT) is used extensively during the manufacturing & maintenance of aircrafts.
Wings, fuselages and fasteners are exposed to harsh conditions and lead to corrosion & cracks which are hidden under paint and primer.
Other defects include precursor pitting and cracks emanating from fastener and rivets.
These surface defects are detectable using our advanced mm-wave NDT sensors with sub-mm scale resolution.
Our microwave & mm-wave wireless NDT sensor systems are well-aligned with the innovations in the aerospace industry towards predictive & proactive maintenance practices.

Oil & Gas Pipeline inspection

Pipelines are exposed to a variety of harsh environmental conditions like temperature, pressure, and moisture that leads to corrosion & cracks.
To protect pipes from impact, abrasion, and corrosion; a variety of insulation methods are used, like rock shield, high-density polyethylene (HDPE), etc.
Even with this protection, the pipeline is susceptible to corrosion & cracks and need to be inspected from time to time.
The removal of the insulations is costly, time-consuming and effects the downtime of the gas supply.
Our effective mm-wave NDT sensor systems provide useful information (like detection of corrosion, cracks & damages) with ease of non-contact testing (without removing the insulation).
Our microwave & mm-wave wireless NDT sensors are integrable with the existing Oil & Gas pipeline maintenance systems and align well with the digital transformations happening in this NDT market vertical.

Infrastructure – Outdoor

Building facades need to be periodically inspected and maintained to ensure that the facade elements (e.g., wall plasters, tiles, and claddings) or any installations (e.g., awnings, sunshades, and air-conditioner units) that attach to the facade remain intact so that they do not fall and pose a danger to the people and properties below them.
Visual drone-based inspections address part of the building facade inspection problem as they can only view & inspect surface abnormalities of the buildings.
Our microwave NDT sensors transmit electromagnetic waves that penetrate through these building facades and detect defect patterns like metal cladding/corroded metal brackets, corroded or deteriorated external fixtures and damages with reinforced concrete.
Our mm-wave NDT sensors can detect tile disbonding, brickworks bulging, facade deformations, hairline cracks, and corrosion.
Together, through partnership with autonomous vehicles companies, we provide end-to-end AI enabled NDT inspection solution for the inspection of high-rise building facades.

Infrastructure – Indoor facilities

Our handheld microwave/mm-wave wireless sensor technology can inspect indoor facilities such as office & residential buildings for anomalies like checking for the location of hidden wiring & pipelines, water leakage in concealed pipes behind walls & flooring, and rodent infestation behind ceilings, walls or floors.
Our wall/ceiling mounted sensors are useful in predictive facility management by providing information such as water spillage, and real-time people counter information resulting in the efficient utilization of available resources towards smart FM solutions.

Our Board of Directors

Dr. Kush Agarwal

Founder & CEO

Kush is an Indian-born Singaporean innovator, who is a technologist by training, a scientist by profession, and an entrepreneur by DNA, which stems from his early childhood involvement in the family pharmaceutical business. He has created technology business ventures from concept to launch and beyond within friends & family. To date, Kush has co-founded three Singapore based tech-startups through his inventions – Synapse Technologies (ML & Internet of Robotic Things), SmartClean Technologies (IoT & AI for Predictive Cleaning), and WaveScan Technologies (Microwave & Millimeter-wave sensors & AI for Non-destructive testing & Predictive Maintenance).

He holds a Ph.D. from the National University of Singapore, an M.S. from Nanyang Technological University Singapore, and a B.Tech. from College of Engineering Roorkee India, all in Electrical and Electronic Engineering, specializing in component and system-level wireless interfaces. Kush has close to a decade of experience in the R&D & management of wireless technologies and, has authored 25 refereed papers, book chapters, and six patent filings. He is also a part of the editorial review committee of over two dozen journals affiliated to IEEE, IET, Taylor & Francis, Wiley, and Springer. Currently, Kush is serving as the Associate Editor for IET Microwaves, Antennas & Propagation, and IET Electronics Letters journals.

Kush is an Executive Committee Member of IEEE Singapore Section & Steering Committee Member of IEEE Entrepreneurship, where he chairs and leads the professional activities of IEEE in Singapore. He is affiliated with AP, MTT, ComSoc, EMBS, IoT, and RFID Societies as a Senior Member of IEEE. Kush has worked with the CGI (Canada), Institute for Infocomm Research, A*STAR, NUS & NTU, and is actively involved in supporting and building the tech-startup ecosystem in Asia-Pacific region. He firmly believes in teamwork and that, private-public entities will have to collectively work towards shared sustainable strategies, incentives, and a value system as we strive to transform human lives with disruptive technologies to improve the current state of the world and build a competitive, yet healthy & productive future for our younger generation.