Autonomous Navigation of In-Pipe Inspection Robot Using Contact Sensor Modules

Pipes, which are the main means of transporting resources, deteriorate over time, thereby leading to defects or accidents. Therefore, periodic inspection of pipes is required, and a pipe robot that moves and inspects the inside of a pipe is one of the solutions. Herein, we propose an inspection robot system capable of autonomous driving inside buried pipes. This robot is called a Multifunctional Robotic Caterpillar for in-pipe INSPECTion (MRCINSPECT) and has been developed for pipes with a 0.5-m diameter. The robot utilizes a caterpillar mechanism and a wall-press mechanism to ensure that it can drive on slopes and generate a high traction force. In addition, we developed a miter bend recognition method using contact sensor modules. Therefore, MRCINSPECT can autonomously navigate in accordance with the estimated pipe information, and simultaneously, an operator can check the robot’s location and pipe information in real time. We verified the performance of the robot system through indoor experiments and its field applicability through outdoor tests.