microMole · Project

Sewage Sensor System That Locates Illegal Drug Labs for Law Enforcement

otherTestedTRL 6

Imagine a tiny robot that crawls through city sewer pipes, sniffing out chemical traces the way a drug dog sniffs luggage at an airport. When criminals cook synthetic drugs like amphetamines, the waste chemicals get flushed into the sewage system. This project built a miniaturized sensor device that sits inside a 200mm sewer pipe, detects those telltale chemicals with electrochemical sensors, stores liquid samples for forensic evidence, and sends alerts wirelessly to police. It's essentially a silent, always-on surveillance system hidden underground that helps investigators pinpoint exactly where in a neighborhood an illegal lab is operating.

By the numbers

70+

Countries worldwide where ATS manufacturing has been reported since 1990

80%

Of amphetamine production facilities dismantled in 2008 were located in Europe

200mm

Sewage pipe diameter the miniaturized system is designed for

Demo deliverables including prototypes of crawler robot, sensors, and energy systems

Consortium partners across 7 countries

The business problem

What needed solving

Law enforcement agencies struggle to locate clandestine synthetic drug laboratories hidden in urban areas. With ATS manufacturing reported in more than 70 countries and 80% of dismantled amphetamine facilities in 2008 found in Europe, investigators need better tools than tip-offs and manual surveillance. Current detection methods are reactive — agencies find labs after incidents, not through systematic monitoring of chemical waste signatures in city infrastructure.

The solution

What was built

The project built a complete sewage monitoring prototype system including: a crawler robot for navigating 200mm sewer pipes, an electrochemical sensing subsystem with custom ASIC chips and optimized electrodes for detecting ATS precursors, integrated micro-tanks for forensic sample storage, an energy management system with harvesting capability for extended unattended operation, and secure GSM/radio communications for remote monitoring by investigators.

Audience

Who needs this

Law enforcement technology suppliers equipping police and drug enforcement agenciesMunicipal water utilities adding smart monitoring to sewage infrastructureForensic analysis laboratories serving government drug enforcement contractsSecurity system integrators building urban surveillance solutionsEnvironmental monitoring companies tracking industrial or pharmaceutical discharge into sewage

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Public Safety & Law Enforcement Technology

mid-size

Target: Companies supplying surveillance and detection equipment to police forces and national drug enforcement agencies

If you are a security technology provider equipping law enforcement agencies with detection tools — this project developed a miniaturized sewage sensor system with a crawler robot, electrochemical sensors, and secure GSM communications specifically designed to locate clandestine amphetamine labs in urban areas. With ATS manufacturing reported in more than 70 countries, the demand for covert detection technology is growing. The system was built for 200mm sewage pipes, the standard size in European urban networks.

Water Utilities & Sewage Infrastructure

enterprise

Target: Municipal water utilities and wastewater management companies looking to add smart monitoring capabilities to existing pipe networks

If you are a water utility operator managing urban sewage infrastructure — this project created a robust sensor unit designed to operate inside harsh sewer environments with energy harvesting to extend operation time. The crawler robot navigates pipes autonomously, while the integrated micro-tanks store samples for laboratory analysis. This technology could be adapted beyond drug detection to monitor industrial discharge, pharmaceutical contamination, or other illicit dumping into municipal sewage systems.

Environmental Monitoring & Forensic Services

any

Target: Environmental testing laboratories and forensic analysis firms serving government contracts

If you are a forensic or environmental testing company providing analytical services to government agencies — this project built a complete chain-of-evidence system from in-pipe chemical detection to secure sample storage and remote data transmission. The sensing subsystem uses custom ASIC chips and optimized electrodes for high-specificity detection of ATS precursors. With 80% of dismantled amphetamine production facilities in 2008 located in Europe, the forensic evidence market for drug lab detection remains substantial.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would a system like this cost to deploy?

The project data does not include unit pricing or deployment cost estimates. However, the system integrates custom ASIC chips, electrochemical sensors, a crawler robot, energy harvesting, and secure communications — suggesting this is specialized equipment positioned at a premium price point for government and law enforcement buyers. Budget details would need to come from the consortium partners directly.

Can this scale to monitor an entire city's sewage network?

The prototype was designed for 200mm sewage pipes, which are common in urban residential areas. The system uses secure GSM and radio communications for remote monitoring, which supports distributed deployment across multiple pipe locations. Scaling to city-wide coverage would require multiple units deployed strategically, and the energy harvesting feature was specifically developed to extend unattended operation time.

Who owns the intellectual property and how can it be licensed?

The consortium of 11 partners across 7 countries jointly developed the technology. Key IP likely resides with the ASIC and sensor developers (Fraunhofer, Ghent University, Université Claude Bernard Lyon) and the crawler robot developer (JGK). Licensing would need to be negotiated with the coordinator, Warsaw University of Technology, or individual partners depending on the component.

Has this been tested in real sewage conditions, not just a lab?

The deliverables describe lab-condition testing for the sensing subsystem and first prototypes. A second-version crawler robot was described as a 'fully functioning prototype ready for testing.' Based on available project data, the system progressed through multiple prototype iterations with integration testing, but details on field deployment in actual sewage systems would need to be confirmed with the consortium.

What regulatory approvals are needed for deployment?

The project explicitly included analysis of privacy law, data protection, and social acceptance at different stages. Since the system involves covert surveillance and forensic evidence collection, deployment would require compliance with national law enforcement regulations, data protection laws (GDPR in Europe), and potentially judicial authorization for monitoring operations. The legal groundwork was part of the project scope.

Can the sensors detect substances beyond amphetamines?

The electrochemical sensors were designed and optimized specifically for ATS and ATS precursor compounds like BMK. The deliverables mention compound stability tests to determine the final selection of target compounds, and electrode optimization toward selected targets. Adapting to other substances would likely require new sensor calibration and electrode design, but the underlying platform architecture could potentially support it.

Consortium

Who built it

The microMole consortium brings together 11 partners from 7 European countries (Belgium, Germany, France, Iceland, Netherlands, Poland, Sweden), led by Warsaw University of Technology. The mix includes 5 universities handling core research on sensors and chemistry, 3 industry partners for engineering and manufacturing, 1 research organization, and 2 other entities likely including law enforcement end-users. With only 2 SMEs and a 27% industry ratio, this is a research-heavy consortium — meaning the technology is strong on science but would benefit from a commercial partner to drive productization. For a business looking to license or co-develop, the key conversation partners would be the sensor/ASIC developers and the crawler robot builder, while the coordinator in Warsaw can facilitate introductions across the consortium.

POLITECHNIKA WARSZAWSKACoordinator · PL
KOMENDA GLOWNA POLICJIparticipant · PL
UNIVERSITE LYON 1 CLAUDE BERNARDparticipant · FR
UNIVERSITEIT GENTparticipant · BE
BUNDESKRIMINALAMTparticipant · DE
TILBURG UNIVERSITY- UNIVERSITEIT VAN TILBURGparticipant · NL
UNIVERSITAET DER BUNDESWEHR MUENCHENparticipant · DE
BLUE TECHNOLOGIES SP ZOOparticipant · PL

How to reach the team

Warsaw University of Technology (Politechnika Warszawska), Poland — reach out to the project coordination office or the Faculty of Electronics and Information Technology where sensor and systems research is housed.

Order a report on this consortium See POLITECHNIKA WARSZAWSKA profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want an introduction to the microMole team to discuss licensing the sensor platform or crawler robot technology? SciTransfer can connect you with the right consortium partners for your specific use case.

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