A Gecko-Inspired Robot for Wind Power Tower Inspection

Abstract:

In order to accomplish the task of wind power tower inspection, a heavy-loaded climbing robot inspired by geckos is presented in this paper. The robot not only imitates body’s functions of geckos but also shows a design method. Wind power tower is a conical wall surface and its smallest radius is less than 2m. There will be a great gap when a robot climbing on such wall with small radius. The extraordinary climbing ability of geckos is considered as a remarkable design of nature that is attributed to its soft body, its multi-degree-of-freedom legs, and its strong-adsorbed toes. Focus on the feature of working on such wall surface, gecko’s body, toes and legs are simplified as free joints, magnetic units and redundant tracks respectively, based on the functions of gecko’s limbs and body. The adaptability of the robot is tested by the experiments in laboratory. With the gecko-inspired structure, the robot can climb on the wall surface with minimum 2m in diameter in any direction.

• Periodical: Applied Mechanics and Materials (Volume 461)
• Pages: 831-837
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.461.831
• Online since: November 2013
• Authors: Xue Shan Gao, Jie Shao, Fu Quan Dai, Cheng Guo Zong, Wen Zeng Guo
• Keywords: Climbing Robot, Gecko-Inspired Structure, Robot Design Method, Wind Power Tower Inspection

References

[1] Meng Cai, Wang Tianmiao, Guan Shengguo, Zhang Long, Wang Jing, Li Xiaohu，Design and analysis of Gecko-like, J. Chinese Journal of Mechanical Engineering (English Edition). 24 (2) 224-236.

[2] Dai Zhen-dong, Sun Jiu-rong, A biomimetic study of discontinuous-constraint metamorphic mechanism for gecko-like robot source, J. Journal of Bionic Engineering. 4 (2) 91-95.

DOI: 10.1016/s1672-6529(07)60019-5

[3] Ho Thanhtam, Choi Sunghac, Lee Sangyoon, Development of a biomimetic quadruped robot, J. Journal of Bionic Engineering. 4 (4) 193-199.

DOI: 10.1109/robio.2009.4913123

[4] Carlo Menon, Metin Sitti, A biomimetic climbing robot based on the gecko, J. Journal of Bionic Engineering. 3 (3) 115-125.

DOI: 10.1016/s1672-6529(06)60015-2

[5] Murphy M. P, Sitti M, Waalbot: an agile small-scale wall-climbing robot utilizing dry elastomer adhesives, J. IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics. 12 (3) 330-338.

DOI: 10.1109/tmech.2007.897277

[6] Menon Carlo, Murphy Michael, Sitti Metin, Gecko inspired surface climbing robots, C. 2004 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Biomimetics (ROBIO). 2004, Shenyang, China, 431-436.

DOI: 10.1109/robio.2004.1521817

[7] Jie Shao, Xiaofeng Li, Chengguo Zong, Wenzeng Guo, Yang Bai, Fuquan Dai, Xueshan Gao, A wall-climbing robot with gecko features, C. 2012 IEEE International Conference on Mechatronics and Automation (ICMA). 2012, Chengdu, China, 942-947.

DOI: 10.1109/icma.2012.6283270

[8] Gao Xueshan, Shao Jie, Dai Fuquan, Zong Chengguo, Guo Wenzeng, Bai Yang, Strong magnetic units for a wind power tower inspection and maintenance robot, J. International Journal of Advanced Robotic Systems. 9, November 16, (2012).

DOI: 10.5772/53780

[9] Tariq P, Sattar Hernando, Leon Rodriguez, Bryan Bridge, Climbing ring robot for inspection of offshore wind turbines, J. Industrial Robot: An International Journal. 36(4) 326–330.

DOI: 10.1108/01439910910957075