W.I.S.O.R. (2001)

Synopsis: W.I.S.O.R. stands for Welding and Inspection Steam Operations Robot. It was invented in 1999 by a team of scientists from Honeybee Robotics who were contracted by Con Edison to build it.... W.I.S.O.R. stands for Welding and Inspection Steam Operations Robot. It was invented in 1999 by a team of scientists from Honeybee Robotics who were contracted by Con Edison to build it. W.I.S.O.R.'s purpose is to navigate the vast network of steam pipes underneath New York City, identify minor cracks in the pipes, and weld them back together. This educational documentary gives a history of New York City's development, explaining how the steam pipes were built, what they do, the problems that developed as they began to age and deteriorate, and why W.I.S.O.R. is needed. Using voice over narration while rolling archival footage of men digging trenches for pipes in the late 1800s, or while showing footage of the cleanup from a steam pipe break in 1999 that shot 300-degree water tainted with cancer-causing asbestos 15 stories into the air; the film pulls together pieces of the past and present in New York City steam pipe history. To cut costs from repairs, maintain the massive amount of energy-production that the pipes generate for the city, and for many more reasons, the film shows how the invention of W.I.S.O.R.--a robot that consists of two canisters moving like an inchworm through the pipes, manned by a human interface from a nearby truck--is a major step forward in engineering and technology. [More]

Starring: Babi Floyd

Starring: Babi Floyd

Director: Michel Negroponte

Director: Michel Negroponte
Screenwriter: Gabriel Morgan
Producer: Jane Weiner, Michel Negroponte
Studio: Cowboy Pictures

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