Computer-controlled manipulator system for autonomous inspection

The paper describes research carried out in the Mechanical Engineering Department at University College London with the aim of investigating the feasibility of introducing automation into remote structural inspection. The work concentrates on the problems associated with building up a mathematical model of structures made from cylindrical components by gathering tactile information using a computer-controlled manipulator. The results are of particular relevance to the inspection of offshore structures, pipelines, and nuclear plants. Experiments have been carried out in the laboratory, both using a three-degrees-of-freedom electrohydraulic manipulator fitted with a tactile sensor and by using a graphical simulation of a similar manipulator with enhanced capabilities. The paper describes the development of the hardware and software that was needed to carry out the experiments and discusses several methods of using tactile data to deduce the shape and size of cylinders. The experiments that were carried out are described and the results of sensitivity studies into the effects of measurement noise are presented. Finally, the main achievements of the research are summarised and possible extensions to the work are discussed