Development of slide type inspection robot using flexible pneumatic cylinder

In this study, we aim to develop the flexible mobile mechanism for an inspection robot. In our previous study, we proposed and tested the flexible sliding mechanism using a novel flexible pneumatic cylinder. The mechanism can be driven even if the cylinder bends. In this paper, the improvement of the sliding mechanism so that it can travel into a narrower space will be described. The flexible bending mechanisms for changing the direction of the robot are also proposed and tested. As a result, the tested robot can also travel in the narrow space smoothly by sliding the claw unit with the slide stage as an inchworm.