Mechatronics Design of Wheeled Mobile Robotic System for Gutter Maintenance

Abstract

This paper deals with the challenges involved on roof building gutter maintenance robot design, from the problem statement of secure teleoperated semiautonomous navigation on confined gutter spaces, and the best selection of right mechatronics brush to remove the waste on gutter surface; Two concept design have been tested: Passive Brush with Parallel locomotion (PBP), and Active Brush Axial (ABA). The results on our development are shown, as following: secure robot lifting regulation, simulation environment, HMI to teleoperate, mechatronics design. Finally, some tests on simulations and current prototypes are shown, to validate our proposal, and the conclusion that the ABA design allows to remove until 85% gutter waste, instead of PBP design; furthermore, the ABA allows independent brush rotation velocity, instead of PBP design.