Mobile Inspector — a mobile app for collecting meter readings
Mobile Inspector is a smartphone app for employees of resource-supply companies who carry out periodic verification of metering devices in residential buildings and non-residential facilities. The inspector photographs the meter, a built-in AI model reads the readings from the photo and fills in the fields — all that remains is to check the result and save it.
The app works as a navigator through route journals, functions fully without an internet connection, and synchronises data with the system automatically as soon as connectivity returns. Every inspection is confirmed by photo capture, and the history of earlier photos for a given meter is available directly in the interface.
Problems addressed
Using the Mobile Inspector app moves the process of collecting data from resource metering devices into a modern digital format.
The tasks it addresses include:
- Reducing the risk of manual entry errors and automating the collection of readings.
- Optimising logistics and building routes for field inspectors.
- Providing photo capture for data verification and prevention of disputed situations.
Implementing Mobile Inspector reduces operating costs for processing paper route sheets, improves the reliability of the information collected, cuts financial losses from incorrect billing and lowers the number of conflict situations with customers thanks to transparent confirmation that an inspection took place.
App features
- automatic recognition of readings from a photo;
- building a walking or driving route from the current location to the site;
- navigator mode while travelling along the route;
- display of the list of sites in accordance with route journals;
- attaching photos to metering devices;
- viewing photos of previous inspections for each meter;
- manual entry of check readings where necessary.
AI-based recognition of readings from photos
Computer vision technology analyses the image, automatically reads the numeric values from the device and fills in the corresponding fields in the app.
How it works:
1. The field inspector photographs the metering device with the camera directly in the app.
2. They check the recognised value, correct it if necessary and save the result.
3. The photo is attached to the metering device as confirmation of the inspection.
Advantages
Online and offline operation
The app works fully without an internet connection — in basements, manholes and at remote sites. Synchronisation with the database happens automatically once connectivity is available.
Built-in AI model
The model runs autonomously, without sending images to third-party servers or to the cloud. It is trained on photos of real metering devices and is adapted to various water meters, image quality, lighting, scale and shooting angle. If required, the model can be additionally trained for any type of metering device.
Versatility and scalability
The app can be adapted to different types of resources (water, heat, electricity, gas) and service providers — water utilities, heating networks, power supply companies, housing and utilities services, etc. It can be used as a single tool for monitoring the consumption of various resources.
API integration
The app has an API for interacting with external systems and services. The primary data storage can be an information system for settling utility bills with legal entities. It can be embedded into an enterprise's existing information system for metering consumed resources.
The Mobile Inspector app is also a software module of the Absolut: SmartCloud platform and forms part of a comprehensive solution for optimising the processes of collecting data from resource metering devices.
Contact us to receive a product presentation and discuss options for implementing it into your organisation's digital infrastructure.