A ROBOTIC SYSTEM WAS DEVELOPED TO CHECK CAR BODIES FOR LEAKS. IN THIS NEW METHOD, ROBOTS ARE EQUIPPED WITH SENSORS CAPABLE OF DETECTING HELIUM. FIRST, A SMALL QUANTITY OF THE GAS IS INJECTED INTO A BODY; THEN, TWO ROBOTS SNIFF OUT ANY ESCAPING GAS, WHICH INDICATES A JOINT THAT WOULD ALLOW THE ENTRYOF WATER. THE NEW LEAK TEST IS BUT ONE OF MANY APPLICATIONSOF ROBOT TECHNOLOGY THAT ARE AIMED AT IMPROVED PRODUCT QUALITY AND RELIABILITY.