Space spin-off for tunnel boring machines

The German company Astro- und Feinwerktechnik Adlershof GmbH has produced new transmitters for Herrenknecht AG mounted on their tunnel boring machine seen above. Every second the transmitters send sound waves into the ground, microphones receive the reflecting signals which are data processed and can visualise important geological changes up to 40 m in front of the rotary shear blade. These innovative transmitters have been developed using the expertise Astro gained during their work for ESA on the Cassini-Huygens spacecraft.