Innovative service robot systems for facade cleaning of difficult-to-access areas

The Fraunhofer Institute for Factory Operation and Automation (IFF) is intensively exploring possibilities for robots to engage in various service tasks, especially fully-automatic systems for facade cleaning. We have already designed and built a variety of different facade cleaning robots and concepts. These robots and concepts are based on various motion systems (i.e. walking mechanisms, wheeled vehicles, balloon-based systems, etc.) that are specially-suited for motion along different building types. This paper gives an overview about different facade cleaning robots developed by the Fraunhofer IFF The facade cleaning robot, SIRIUSc, for use on skyscrapers, the robot to clean the 25,000 m/sup 2/ vaulted glass hall of the Leipzig Trade Fair in Germany, as well as the completed concept for a balloon-based robot for cleaning the inner side of atriums and glass roofs are discussed here. The unique aspects of the main components of these robots will be addressed in particular.