In the near future, technology may pre-emptively detect problems in bridge infrastructure

This story is food for thought in light of the bridge collapse in Minneapolis:

Competitive Technologies Urges Use of Technology to Detect Structural Steel Fissures

FAIRFIELD, Conn., Aug. 2, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Competitive Technologies, Inc. (AMEX:CTT) today urged all responsible government individuals to review mechanisms in place for detecting steel fissures in bridges and other significant infrastructures. CTT advised that cracks in structural materials could be detected through a paint technology developed at Lehigh University. The paint coating technology detects cracks in structural materials through a built-in, self-activating, crack-indicating or warning system that detects fissures through an opposite color paint highlighting the fissures as they occur. Professional or layman observers can readily detect this highlighting of fissures through routine inspection....