Guo Di, Wang Yiqiang, Kang Zhan
State Key Laboratory of Structural Analysis, Optimization and CAE Software for Industrial Equipment, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, China.
Adv Sci (Weinh). 2025 Jun;12(21):e2414882. doi: 10.1002/advs.202414882. Epub 2025 Mar 27.
Pipeline-crawling soft robots are increasingly preferable for effective inspection and maintenance of flexible pipes. However, most existing robots occupy the pipe cross-sections, disrupting the normal operation of the working systems. In this study, an innovative shell-lattice soft robot is designed for crawling in pipes with fluid flows. The robot features a hollow body with a pneumatic actuator in the middle and two lattice shells at the head and tail parts. It enables earthworm-like locomotion through the implementation of opposite radial deformations in the two lattice shells. The hollow body architecture ensures unimpeded fluid flow during its crawling, even when mixed with solid impurities. Moreover, the surface-to-surface contact of the robot with the pipeline walls confers superior load-carrying capability, facilitating the transport of devices necessary for inspection and maintenance tasks. The robot is also capable of traversing various pipes with different frictional coefficients, irregular cross-sectional shapes, and varying curvatures, and can support untethered operation. Finally, potential applications of this robot in obstructed concealed pipes and disturbed offshore pipes are demonstrated. By leveraging advanced fabrication techniques, smart materials, and propulsion methods, it is anticipated that the designed robot may show significant scalability and applicability across diverse domains, including healthcare, aviation, and gas-and-oil transportation.
管道爬行软机器人在柔性管道的有效检测和维护方面越来越受到青睐。然而，大多数现有机器人会占据管道横截面，干扰工作系统的正常运行。在本研究中，设计了一种创新的壳格软机器人，用于在有流体流动的管道中爬行。该机器人的特点是主体中空，中间有一个气动执行器，头部和尾部有两个格状外壳。通过在两个格状外壳中实施相反的径向变形，它能够实现类似蚯蚓的运动。中空的主体结构确保了其爬行过程中流体的畅通无阻，即使与固体杂质混合也不受影响。此外，机器人与管道壁的面面接触赋予了其卓越的承载能力，便于运输检测和维护任务所需的设备。该机器人还能够穿越各种具有不同摩擦系数、不规则横截面形状和不同曲率的管道，并且可以支持无系绳操作。最后，展示了该机器人在堵塞的隐蔽管道和受干扰的海上管道中的潜在应用。通过利用先进的制造技术、智能材料和推进方法，预计所设计的机器人可能在包括医疗保健、航空和油气运输在内的不同领域展现出显著的可扩展性和适用性。
