Abstract
This article describes a prototype autonomous mobile robot, KANTARO, designed for inspecting sewer pipes. It is able to move autonomously in 200–300-mm-diameter sewer pipes, to turn smoothly through 90° at a junction, and to go down a 5-cm step. KANTARO carries all the resources required, such as a control unit, a camera, a 2D laser, and an IR sensor. Damage or abnormalities in sewer pipes are detected based on recorded sensory data. KANTARO has demonstrated its effectiveness in inspection and in autonomous navigation in a dry sewer test field at the FAIS–Robotics Development Support Office (FAIS–RDSO).
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Material provided by the Sewer System Administration Deptartment, City of Kitakyushu, Japan
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This work was presented in part at the 11th International Symposium on Artificial Life and Robotics, Oita, Japan, January 23–25, 2006
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Ahrary, A., Nassiraei, A. & Ishikawa, M. A study of an autonomous mobile robot for a sewer inspection system. Artif Life Robotics 11, 23–27 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10015-006-0392-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10015-006-0392-x