08-05-2025
Youngstown man develops sinkhole detector
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) — There's usually no warning before a sinkhole opens — but a Youngstown man has developed a way to find them before they become a problem, and his invention could be developed for use.
Kevin Body is an apprentice with the International Union of Operating Engineers. An idea popped into his head as he was watching a safety video.
'I watched the bulldozer fall into a sinkhole. So when I asked the instructor, 'Do they have anything out there that will alert the operator to keep them from going in that area?' That's when he told me, 'No, they had nothing out there, but hold on to that idea,' and that's what led to this invention,' Body said.
The Land Scan is a GPS Sinkhole detector. It uses a ground-penetrating radar to detect where sinkholes are starting to form. Body is interested in the application for sites where big equipment is used. He's a certified bulldozer operator and doesn't want to fall into any sinkholes.
'That's when I put myself in the operator seat and like, ask that question, 'Do they have anything out there?' he said.
The Land Scan can also be used to detect landslides. Body has spent three years developing the sinkhole detector. He thinks the application could be big.
'It could be a great need for around the world, actually, because sinkholes happen everywhere,' he said.
Body's research has shown him there's no other device like this. It's a new discovery. He's most interested in the safety aspect and feels it could be a huge success.
'Save life, save company time and money. So I think that's a three big trifecta for anyone.'
Body's patent request is at the Patent Office, and he's waiting to hear about final acceptance.
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