Omnimobile and Load Capable Pneumatic Soft Robot for Gas Distribution Pipeline Inspection

Abstract

Gas pipeline infrastructure is critical to global energy distribution, but it is prone to frequent, undetected leaks posing risks to the environment and public safety. Current inspection methods are hampered by cost, efficiency, and accuracy, especially in hazardous or inaccessible areas. This paper presents a pneumatically soft robotic solution to enhance gas leak detection through multidimensional locomotion for adaptability to varying environments and high load-bearing capability. The robot uses a compliant scissor linkage for structure, McKibben artificial muscle actuators for locomotion, and magnetic, pouch motor-based grippers to attach to piping. The flexible body enables large deformations to traverse over obstacles and transition between pipeline orientations. In testing, the robot achieves a speed of 15 mm/s when crawling horizontally and 9 mm/s when climbing vertically with a payload of equipment sufficient to support leak detection. This work introduces an efficient platform for infrastructure inspection in a wide array of applications.