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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 217 records · Page 12
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2016

SU-G-JeP3-03: Effect of Robot Pose On Beam Blocking for Ultrasound Guided SBRT of the Prostate

Purpose: Ultrasound presents a fast, volumetric image modality for real-time tracking of abdominal organ motion. How-ever, ultrasound transducer placement during radiation therapy is challenging. Recently, approaches using robotic arms for intra-treatment ultrasound imaging have been proposed. Good and reliable imaging requires placing the transducer close to the PTV. We studied the effect of a seven degrees of freedom robot on the fea-sible beam directions. Methods: For five CyberKnife prostate treatment plans we established viewports for the transducer, i.e., points on the patient surface with a soft tissue view towards the PTV. Choosing a feasible transducer pose and using the kinematic redundancy of the KUKA LBR iiwa robot, we considered three robot poses. Poses 1 to 3 had the elbow point anterior, superior, and inferior, respectively. For each pose and each beam starting point, the pro-jections of robot and PTV were computed. We added a 20 mm margin accounting for organ / beam motion. The number of nodes for which the PTV was partially of fully blocked were established. Moreover, the cumula-tive overlap for each of the poses and the minimum overlap over all poses were computed. Results: The fully and partially blocked nodes ranged from 12% to 20% and 13% to 27%, respectively. Typically, pose 3 caused the fewest blocked nodes. The cumulative overlap ranged from 19% to 29%. Taking the minimum overlap, i.e., considering moving the robot’s elbow while maintaining the transducer pose, the cumulative over-lap was reduced to 16% to 18% and was 3% to 6% lower than for the best individual pose. Conclusion: Our results indicate that it is possible to identify feasible ultrasound transducer poses and to use the kinematic redundancy of a 7 DOF robot to minimize the impact of the imaging subsystem on the feasible beam directions for ultrasound guided and motion compensated SBRT. Research partially funded by DFG grants ER 817/1-1 and SCHL 1844/3-1.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS2003

A Survey of Space Robotics

In this paper we summarize a survey conducted by NASA to determine the state-of-the-art in space robotics and to predict future robotic capabilities under either nominal and intensive development effort. The space robotics assessment study examined both in-space operations including assembly, inspection, and maintenance and planetary surface operations like mobility and exploration. Applications of robotic autonomy and human-robot cooperation were considered. The study group devised a decomposition of robotic capabilities and then suggested metrics to specify the technical challenges associated with each. The conclusion of this paper identifies possible areas in which investment in space robotics could lead to significant advances of important technologies.

Space robotics survey↗
NASA NTRS2009

Electroactive Polymer (EAP) Actuators for Future Humanlike Robots

Human-like robots are increasingly becoming an engineering reality thanks to recent technology advances. These robots, which are inspired greatly by science fiction, were originated from the desire to reproduce the human appearance, functions and intelligence and they may become our household appliance or even companion. The development of such robots is greatly supported by emerging biologically inspired technologies. Potentially, electroactive polymer (EAP) materials are offering actuation capabilities that allow emulating the action of our natural muscles for making such machines perform lifelike. There are many technical issues related to making such robots including the need for EAP materials that can operate as effective actuators. Beside the technology challenges these robots also raise concerns that need to be addressed prior to forming super capable robots. These include the need to prevent accidents, deliberate harm, or their use in crimes. In this paper, the potential EAP actuators and the challenges that these robots may pose will be reviewed.

biomimetics↗
NASA NTRS2016

Robots for Astrobiology!

The search for life and its study is known as astrobiology. Conducting that search on other planets in our Solar System is a major goal of NASA and other space agencies, and a driving passion of the community of scientists and engineers around the world. We practice for that search in many ways, from exploring and studying extreme environments on Earth, to developing robots to go to other planets and help us look for any possible life that may be there or may have been there in the past. The unique challenges of space exploration make collaborations between robots and humans essential. The products of those collaborations will be novel and driven by the features of wholly new environments. For space and planetary environments that are intolerable for humans or where humans present an unacceptable risk to possible biologically sensitive sites, autonomous robots or telepresence offer excellent choices. The search for life signs on Mars fits within this category, especially in advance of human landed missions there, but also as assistants and tools once humans reach the Red Planet. For planetary destinations where we do not envision humans ever going in person, like bitterly cold icy moons, or ocean worlds with thick ice roofs that essentially make them planetary-sized ice caves, we will rely on robots alone to visit those environments for us and enable us to explore and understand any life that we may find there. Current generation robots are not quite ready for some of the tasks that we need them to do, so there are many opportunities for roboticists of the future to advance novel types of mobility, autonomy, and bio-inspired robotic designs to help us accomplish our astrobiological goals. We see an exciting partnership between robotics and astrobiology continually strengthening as we jointly pursue the quest to find extraterrestrial life.

Robotics↗
NASA NTRS2018

Astrobee Robot Software: A Modern Software System for Space

Astrobee is a new free-flyer robot designed to operate inside the International Space Station (ISS). Astrobee capabilities include markerless navigation, autonomous docking for recharge, perching on handrails to minimize power and modular payloads. Astrobee will operate without crew support, controlled by teleoperation, plan execution, or on-board third parties software. This paper presents the Astrobee Robot Software, a NASA Open-Source project, powering the Astrobee robot. The Astrobee Robot Software relies on a distributed architecture based on the Robot Operating System (ROS). The software runs on three interconnected smart phone class processors. We present the software approach, infrastructure required, and main software components. The Astrobee Robot Software embrace modern software practices while respecting flight constraints. The paper concludes with the lessons learned, including examples usage of the software. Several research teams are already using the Astrobee Robot Software to develop novel projects that will fly on Astrobee.

Astrobee↗
DOE OSTI2015

Investigation robot on cables - 15250

The Decontamination and Decommissioning (D and D) Operations take place in hostile environments to the human intervention. In this context, robotic systems are a solution to achieve these operations while minimizing human intervention. Among these operations, the monitoring of lengthwise plant has to be performed in places where the radioactive contaminations make hostile environments. These monitoring operations need to measure several physics parameters in several locations in a precise and safe manner. These repetitive tasks can be made by robots that are simple, small sized and easily adaptable. In this scope, a robotic system on cables has been designed to control and monitor the inside of lengthwise nuclear facilities. In lengthwise installations, the using of cables allows to increase the covered zone of the robots which is an essential quality in such places. Unlike cable-driven parallel robots used in workspaces of 2D or 3D controlled by redundant tensioning motors, the current robot moves in a 1D workspace. Thus a tractors cable controlled by one tensioning motor is used to drive the robot on carrier cables. In this paper, we will describe the first results of this work by bringing out the innovation of our system. Then, we will discuss the perspective to upgrade the actual system whose applications could be perfectly imagined outside the nuclear D and D industry. (authors)

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2018

Robotic Platforms for Remote Access and Sensing Applications for Nuclear Decommissioning - 18325

This paper provides an updated summary of the research being conducted by the University of Manchester Robotics group (UoM Robotics) [1] at the University of Manchester, UK, in the area of remote characterization through the use of robotic systems. The research is in support of the decommissioning plan for the Sellafield nuclear site in west Cumbria, UK and Fukushima Diiachi, Japan. UoM Robotics works in collaboration with a number of companies and research institutes including Sellafield Ltd, the National Nuclear Laboratory, Universities of Lancaster, Birmingham, Bristol Robotics Laboratory, Italian Institute of Technology and the National Maritime Research Institute in Japan. The progress of a number of novel mobile robotic platforms being developed at the University of Manchester is presented in this poster presentation. Also presented is the on-going work on the remote sensing technologies and techniques which will be deployed on the robotic platforms. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2018

Soft Robotic Glove System for Wearable Haptic Teleoperation - 18373

Managing nuclear waste is a difficult, dangerous, and costly task. Teleoperation of robotic operators is an important functionality for this application, allowing robotic devices to operate in dangerous environments while still leveraging the existing abilities and technical knowledge of human workers. One difficulty in implementing effective teleoperation systems is that human operators rely on more senses beside sight: in particular, touch. The sense of touch could provide significant benefits for teleoperation, preventing environmental mishaps that could cost millions of dollars. To help remedy this problem, we present a soft haptic feedback glove system. The primary functionality of this system is to provide tactile and force feedback on the user's hands. This was achieved using custom cylindrical pneumatic actuators. These actuators consist of plastic sheeting folded into a hollow-walled cylinder which is connected to a pressure source. When pressurized, the cylinder walls expand and the cylinder straightens, with the force being related to the pressure. The glove system has one of these actuators over each of the user's three main fingers (index, middle, and thumb), where pressurizing the actuator applies a reaction force to the finger of the user, mimicking the resistance of a grasped object. The expansion of these actuators also causes them to physically press against the user's fingers, giving them the feeling of contact. To demonstrate the usability of this system, we implemented a virtual environment in V-REP simulating the interactions between a robotic Jaco Arm and a floating ball. This simulation receives hand and figure positions from the haptic glove and used them to drive the state of the simulated Jaco Arm. In response to the interactions between the Jaco and the floating ball, the simulation returns commands to the glove, instructing it to pressurize or depressurize its actuators as appropriate, allowing the user to feel the ball in their hand. We tested users in their ability to prevent the ball from floating away using this system with and without the haptic feedback. Results show that the addition of haptic feedback significantly improved the ability of users to interact precisely with the environment. We also used the finger positions of the haptic glove to control a physical robotic hand, and demonstrated the system's usability for control of real robots, though the lack of sensors on the robot made providing the tactile feedback impractical. However, there is more to grasping and holding an object than just the feeling of contact and the resistance to closing one's hand. The weight of the object will apply forces to the user's other joints as they hold it. To this end, we added a haptic feedback device for the user's wrist, a technique that can be generalized to the user's other joints. This is made up of reverse Pneumatic Artificial Muscles (rPAMs) stretching across the wrist between mounts on the hand and forearm. These rPAM actuators are tubes of silicone wrapped in thread such that they extend when pressurized. This extension can apply torque on the user's wrist, mimicking the feeling of gravity, or allowing the simulation of additional contact forces (such as the user's hand impacting an object). We tested this wrist device independently using a simulated path-following experiment. Users showed a significant improvement in performance when aided by haptic feedback during sinusoidal path experiments, demonstrating the usability of this approach. We then integrated the two systems, further demonstrating the usability of this approach. This project represents the first step towards a more effective robotic teleoperation system, allowing skilled human workers to perform tasks more effectively while remaining out of danger. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2019

High Precision In-Pipe Robot Localization with Reciprocal Sensor Fusion - 19516

Manual measurement of U-235 deposits in uranium enrichment piping is a costly, time consuming, and labor-intensive process that is a well-known cost and schedule driver. Autonomous, robotic innovation enabled by this research is revolutionizing the measurement speed, quality and safety of this important operation. The huge advantage is the robot's ability to measure from inside the pipes. The upside is sensing the geometry, appearance and radiometry directly. The downside is the inability to know precise, absolute position of the measurements in very long pipe runs. This paper develops the unprecedented localization required for this purpose. This paper presents the precise localization method designed for in-pipe radiation measurement robots. Unlike other in-pipe localization methods, this approach achieves millimeter-level accuracy in hundred-foot runs and does everything on one robot without relying on tether cable or communicating devices out of pipe, which is an important feature for nuclear in-pipe robot. It overcomes challenges usually encountered by in-pipe localization such as long travelling distance and operation time, narrow view angle, and featureless environment. The robot is equipped with encoders embedded in tracks which can record travelled distance, but encoder odometry drifts unacceptably due to slip and non-linearity. The robot also incorporates a laser range finder measuring the absolute distance, but range finder in long pipes has many misleading false measurements that are difficult to filter. The innovation here is to use one to filter/calibrate the other so that data used from the two sensors improve each other iteratively and reciprocally. The survey measurements accuracy of this localization method is proven by experiments comparing to ground truth and 'Zippering error' experiments that compare measurements to fixed features in pipes. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2020

Machine Vision-based Robot Manipulators for Nuclear Applications - 20370

Decommissioning and dismantling of nuclear facilities are major challenges facing the nuclear industry. Robot manipulators with capabilities of restoring nuclear structures and significantly prolonging nuclear power generation in addition to their applications in decommissioning and dismantling (D and D) would immensely ease the above-mentioned challenge. Ability to remotely sense/monitor and analyze dangerous and hazardous environments such as nuclear reactors as well as performing reparatory tasks in such environments using robot manipulators require additional information from vision sensors. Structural sample collection and inspection as well as restoration require object and position information. Computer vision is used to obtain precise 3D position information. The current work uses the Sawyer robot with the integrated Cognex camera. The research presents an approach to facilitate and improve operations in a nuclear reactor using robotic vision control. The vision control system is modeled with Augmented Image Space-based visual servoing approach. Results showing accurate robot control. Object recognition is used to recognize the image and calculate it poses. To transform coordinates of the object's pose from the camera frame to the robotic frame transformation matrices are employed. Future work will employ a 3D camera (with depth information) using Denso robot. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2023

Vision-based localization for cooperative robot-CNC hybrid manufacturing

Wire and arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) has shown promise in recent years for producing large-scale parts with higher deposition rates than other additive processes. WAAM is often combined with subtractive machining to form a hybrid manufacturing process. This hybrid process can be realized by retrofitting computer numerical control (CNC) machines with deposition heads, adding spindles and deposition heads to robots, or developing part localization methods to transfer parts from an additive cell to a CNC machine. Here, a novel, robot-CNC hybrid configuration is introduced where a maneuverable robot is placed in front of a CNC machine to deposit material within the machine envelop. Furthermore, this method removes the need for part localization and the extensive machine modifications required for retrofitting; however, the problem of robot localization is also added. In this work, the effects of error in vision-based, contactless robot localization on machining parameters in a robot-machine hybrid process were studied. Performance was characterized on an implementation of this system using classical computer vision techniques. In addition, machining simulations were conducted to evaluate the effects of image-induced error on chip thickness, material removal rate, and machining allowance. Initial tests show that computer vision could adequately locate a robot for the hybrid WAAM process within .5 mm.

Hybrid manufacturing↗
DOE OSTI2019

Cath Lab Robotics: Paradigm Change in Interventional Cardiology?

Purpose of Review: To review the contemporary evidence for robotic-assisted percutaneous coronary and vascular interventions, discussing its current capabilities, limitations, and potential future applications. Recent Findings: Robotic-assisted cardiovascular interventions significantly reduce radiation exposure and orthopedic strains for interventionalists, while maintaining high rates of device and clinical success. The PRECISE and CORA-PCI studies demonstrated the safety and efficacy of robotic-assisted percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in increasingly complex coronary lesions. The RAPID study demonstrated similar findings in peripheral vascular interventions (PVI). Subsequent studies have demonstrated the safety and efficacy of second-generation devices, with automations mimicking manual PCI techniques. While innovations such as telestenting continue to bring excitement to the field, major limitations remain—particularly the lack of randomized trials comparing robotic-assisted PCI with manual PCI. Summary: Robotic technology has successfully been applied to multiple cardiovascular procedures. There are limited data to evaluate outcomes with robotic-assisted PCI and other robotic-assisted cardiovascular procedures, but existing data show some promise of improving the precision of PCI while decreasing occupational hazards associated with radiation exposure.

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE↗
DOE OSTI2022

Optimizing Multi-Robot Placements for Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing

Wire arc additive manufacturing is a metal additive manufacturing process in which the material is deposited using arc welding technology. It is gaining popularity due to high material deposition rates and faster build time. It is en-abled using robotic manipulators and can build relatively large-scale parts faster when compared with other metal additive manufacturing processes. However, the size of the large-scale parts is limited by the size of the industrial manipulator being used for the process. This limitation is overcome by using a fixed configuration multi-robot cell in which manipulators work cooperatively to build large-scale parts quickly. A fixed multi-robot cell with closely spaced industrial manipulators has high flexibility, but it restricts the part size that can be built. If the manipulators are spread out, the cell loses its flexibility but can build relatively larger parts. This issue can be avoided by using larger size manipulators, which are expensive, or by moving the modest size manipulators based on the part geometries. This paper presents a novel algorithm to generate multi-robot placements for different part geometries to be built using wire arc additive manufacturing. Furthermore, the algorithm hierarchically optimizes the build time and the inverse kinematics consistency in robot paths to improve the process efficiency and part quality. We compare the results with fixed multi-robot cells and provide insights to users to make an informed decision on whether to use a fixed or a flexible multi-robot cell for wire arc additive manufacturing.

Bhatt, Prahar↗
DOE OSTI2014

SU-E-T-125: Dosimetric Comparison of Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy Using Robotic Versus Traditional Linac Platform in Prostate Cancer

Purpose: Recent development of an MLC for robotic external beam radiotherapy has the potential of new clinical application in conventionally fractionated radiation therapy. This study offers a dosimetric comparison of IMRT plans using Cyberknife with MLC versus conventional linac plans. Methods: Ten prostate cancer patients treated on a traditional linac with IMRT to 7920cGy at 180cGy/fraction were randomly selected. GTVs were defined as prostate plus proximal seminal vesicles. PTVs were defined as GTV+8mm in all directions except 5mm posteriorly. Conventional IMRT planning was performed on Philips Pinnacle and delivered on a standard linac with CBCT and 10mm collimator leaf width. For each case a Cyberknife plan was created using Accuray Multiplan with same CT data set, contours, and dose constraints. All dosimetric data was transferred to third party software for independent computation of contour volumes and DVH. Delivery efficiency was evaluated using total MU, treatment time, number of beams, and number of segments. Results: Evaluation criteria including percent target coverage, homogeneity index, and conformity index were found to be comparable. All dose constraints from QUANTEC were found to be statistically similar except rectum V50Gy and bladder V65Gy. Average rectum V50Gy was lower for robotic IMRT (30.07%±6.57) versus traditional (34.73%±3.62, p=0.0130). Average bladder V65Gy was lower for robotic (17.87%±12.74) versus traditional (21.03%±11.93, p=0.0405). Linac plans utilized 9 coplanar beams, 48.9±3.8 segments, and 19381±2399MU. Robotic plans utilized 38.4±9.0 non-coplanar beams, 85.5±21.0 segments and 42554.71±16381.54 MU. The average treatment was 15.02±0.60 minutes for traditional versus 20.90±2.51 for robotic. Conclusion: The robotic IMRT plans were comparable to the traditional IMRT plans in meeting the target volume dose objectives. Critical structure dose constraints were largely comparable although statistically significant differences were found in favor of the robotic platform in terms of rectum V50Gy and bladder V65Gy at a cost of 25% longer treatment time.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2015

MO-DE-210-07: Investigation of Treatment Interferences of a Novel Robotic Ultrasound Radiotherapy Guidance System with Clinical VMAT Plans for Liver SBRT Patients

Purpose: To evaluate the proportion of liver SBRT cases in which robotic ultrasound image guidance concurrent with beam delivery can be deployed without interfering with clinically used VMAT beam configurations. Methods: A simulation environment incorporating LINAC, couch, planning CT, and robotic ultrasound guidance hardware was developed. Virtual placement of the robotic ultrasound hardware was guided by a target visibility map rendered on the CT surface. The map was computed on GPU by using the planning CT to simulate ultrasound propagation and attenuation along rays connecting skin surface points to a rasterized imaging target. The visibility map was validated in a prostate phantom experiment by capturing live ultrasound images of the prostate from different phantom locations. In 20 liver SBRT patients treated with VMAT, the simulation environment was used to place the robotic hardware and ultrasound probe at imaging locations indicated on the visibility map. Imaging targets were either entire PTV (range 5.9–679.5 ml) or entire GTV (range 0.9–343.4 ml). Presence or absence of mechanical collisions with LINAC, couch, and patient body as well as interferences with treated beams were recorded. Results: For PTV targets, robotic ultrasound guidance without mechanical collision was possible in 80% of the cases and guidance without beam interference was possible in 60% of the cases. For the smaller GTV targets, these proportions were 95% and 85% correspondingly. GTV size (1/20), elongated shape (1/20), and depth (1/20) were the main factors limiting the availability of non-interfering imaging positions. Conclusion: This study indicates that for VMAT liver SBRT, robotic ultrasound tracking of a relevant internal target would be possible in 85% of cases while using treatment plans currently deployed in the clinic. With beam re-planning in accordance with the presence of robotic ultrasound guidance, intra-fractional ultrasound guidance may be an option for 95% of the liver SBRT cases. This project was funded by NIH Grant R41CA174089.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2016

SU-F-P-31: Dosimetric Effects of Roll and Pitch Corrections Using Robotic Table

Purpose: To quantify the dosimetric effect of roll and pitch corrections being performed by two types of robotic tables available at our institution: BrainLabTM 5DOF robotic table installed at VERO (BrainLab&MHI) dedicated SBRT linear accelerator and 6DOF robotic couch by IBA Proton Therapy with QFixTM couch top. Methods: Planning study used a thorax phantom (CIRSTM), scanned at 4DCT protocol; targets (IGTV, PTV) were determined according to the institutional lung site-specific standards. 12 CT sets were generated with Pitch and Roll angles ranging from −4 to +4 degrees each. 2 table tops were placed onto the scans according to the modality-specific patient treatment workflows. The pitched/rolled CT sets were fused to the original CT scan and the verification treatment plans were generated (12 photon SBRT plans and 12 proton conventional fractionation lung plans). Then the CT sets were fused again to simulate the effect of patient roll/pitch corrections by the robotic table. DVH sets were evaluated for all cases. Results: The effect of not correcting the phantom position for roll/pitch in photon SBRT cases was reducing the target coverage by 2% as maximum; correcting the positional errors by robotic table varied the target coverage within 0.7%. in case of proton treatment, not correcting the phantom position led to the coverage loss up to 4%, applying the corrections using robotic table reduced the coverage variation to less than 2% for PTV and within 1% for IGTV. Conclusion: correcting the patient position by using robotic tables is highly preferable, despite the small dosimetric changes introduced by the devices.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2020

Evolving Trust in Robots: Specification Through Sequential and Comparative Meta-Analyses

Objective The objectives of this meta-analysis are to explore the presently available empirical findings on the antecedents of trust in robots and use this information to expand upon a previous meta-analytic review of the area. Background Human–robot interaction (HRI) represents an increasingly important dimension of our everyday existence. Currently, the most important element of these interactions is proposed to be whether the human trusts the robot or not. We have identified three overarching categories that exert effects on the expression of trust. These consist of factors associated with (a) the human, (b) the robot, and (c) the context in which any specific HRI event occurs. Method The current body of literature was examined and all qualifying articles pertaining to trust in robots were included in the meta-analysis. A previous meta-analysis on HRI trust was used as the basis for this extended, updated, and evolving analysis. Results Multiple additional factors, which have now been demonstrated to significantly influence trust, were identified. The present results, expressed as points of difference and points of commonality between the current and previous analyses, are identified, explained, and cast in the setting of the emerging wave of HRI. Conclusion The present meta-analysis expands upon previous work and validates the overarching categories of trust antecedent (human-related, robot-related, and contextual), as well as identifying the significant individual precursors to trust within each category. A new and updated model of these complex interactions is offered. Application The identified trust factors can be used in order to promote appropriate levels of trust in robots.

Behavioral Sciences↗
DOE OSTI2021

AI-Enabled Robotic NDE for Structural Damage Assessment and Repair

The aim of this paper is to develop the concept and a prototype of an intelligent mobile robotic platform that is integrated with nondestructive evaluation (NDE) capabilities for autonomous live inspection and repair. In many industrial environments, such as the application of power plant boiler inspection, human inspectors often have to perform hazardous and challenging tasks. There is a significant chance of injury, considering the confined spaces and limited visibility of the inspection environment and hazards such as pressurization and improper water levels. In order to provide a solution to eliminate these dangers, the concept of a new robotic system was developed and prototyped that is capable of autonomously sweeping the region to be inspected. The robot design contains systematic integration of components from robotics, NDE, and artificial intelligence (AI). A magnetic track system is used to navigate over the vertical steel structures required for examination. While moving across the inspection area, the robot uses an NDE sensor to acquire data for inspection and repair. This paper presents a design of a portable NDE scanning system based on eddy current array probes, which can be customized and installed on various mobile robot platforms. Machine learning methods are applied for semantic segmentation that will simultaneously localize and recognize defects without the need of human intervention. Experiments were conducted that show the NDE and repair capabilities of the system. Improvements in human safety and structural damage prevention, as well as lowering the overall costs of maintenance, are possible through the implementation of this robotic NDE system.

Materials Science↗