start-ver=1.4 cd-journal=joma no-vol= cd-vols= no-issue= article-no= start-page=303 end-page=308 dt-received= dt-revised= dt-accepted= dt-pub-year=2003 dt-pub=200310 dt-online= en-article= kn-article= en-subject= kn-subject= en-title= kn-title=A micro snake-like robot for small pipe inspection en-subtitle= kn-subtitle= en-abstract= kn-abstract=

The goal of this research is development of a micro robot which can negotiate pipes whose diameter varies widely. The robot mechanism is based on "snaking drive". First, in section 1 to 4, basic characteristics of the snaking drive are discussed: the principle of the snaking drive is shown, theoretical fundamental formulas are derived, and the motions of the robot are simulated. Second, in section 5, a micro robot was designed, fabricated and tested. And fundamental experiments of the robot are shown. Third, in section 6, two application experiments are shown: one is a stabilization of camera image, and the other is a robot steering at branches. The robot moved in pipes whose diameter varies between 18 mm to 100 mm with the maximum speed of 36 mm/s. And the robot could negotiate T-branches and L-bends of pipes.

en-copyright= kn-copyright= en-aut-name=WakimotoShuichi en-aut-sei=Wakimoto en-aut-mei=Shuichi kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=1 ORCID= en-aut-name=NakajimaJun en-aut-sei=Nakajima en-aut-mei=Jun kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=2 ORCID= en-aut-name=TanakaMasanori en-aut-sei=Tanaka en-aut-mei=Masanori kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=3 ORCID= en-aut-name=KandaTakefumi en-aut-sei=Kanda en-aut-mei=Takefumi kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=4 ORCID= en-aut-name=SuzumoriKoichi en-aut-sei=Suzumori en-aut-mei=Koichi kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=5 ORCID= affil-num=1 en-affil= kn-affil=Okayama University affil-num=2 en-affil= kn-affil=Okayama University affil-num=3 en-affil= kn-affil=Okayama University affil-num=4 en-affil= kn-affil=Okayama University affil-num=5 en-affil= kn-affil=Okayama University en-keyword=control engineering computing kn-keyword=control engineering computing en-keyword=industrial robots kn-keyword=industrial robots en-keyword=inspection kn-keyword=inspection en-keyword=microrobots kn-keyword=microrobots en-keyword=mobile robots kn-keyword=mobile robots en-keyword=robot vision kn-keyword=robot vision en-keyword=stability kn-keyword=stability END