Papers
8
Total Citations
64
H-Index
3
About
Manabu Ono is a robotics engineer whose research has centered on the design and development of biologically inspired mobile robots for pipeline inspection and novel pneumatic actuation systems. Drawing on locomotion strategies observed in nature — particularly earthworms and green caterpillars — Ono has made sustained contributions to solving the practical challenge of navigating long, small-diameter pipes used in gas, water, and industrial heating infrastructure. His most cited work, "A Study of an Earthworm Type Inspection Robot Movable in Long Pipes" (2010, 41 citations), demonstrated a three-segment pneumatically driven robot capable of traversing 100-meter pipes and hauling significant equivalent loads, establishing a compelling proof of concept for autonomous in-pipe inspection. Beyond locomotion, Ono has pursued miniaturization of actuation technology, developing gas-liquid phase-change artificial rubber muscles compact enough to power manipulators without bulky external compressors — work reflected in several follow-on studies from 2016 to 2019. His research spans over two decades of iterative development, from early 2002 prototypes through progressively refined designs, reflecting a consistent commitment to translating biomimetic principles into practical robotic solutions for infrastructure maintenance and safety inspection.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1A Study of an Earthworm Type Inspection Robot Movable in Long Pipes41 citations · 2010
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- 3Development of Manipulator Using a Gas–Liquid Phase-Change Actuator5 citations · 2019
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