A Survey of Technologies for Climbing Robots

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To replace human workers in dangerous environments or difficult-to-access places, climbing robots with the ability to travel on different types of surfaces (floors, walls, ceilings) and to walk between such surfaces were developed. The most important technology for a climbing robot is how to resist gravity, and adhere to surfaces. This paper presents mainly six types of adhesion technologies to ensure climbing robot sticks to wall surfaces: magnetic adhesion, vacuum suction techniques, attraction force generators, grasping grippers, bio-mimetic approaches inspired by climbing animals, and compliant electroadhesion, et al. Moreover, this paper represents advantages and limitations of adhesion technologies.

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556-562

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November 2012

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© 2012 Trans Tech Publications Ltd. All Rights Reserved

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