LARGE-SCALE, ROPE-DRIVEN ROBOT FOR THE AUTOMATED MAINTENANCE OF URBAN GREEN FACADES

摘要

Facade vegetation is a current trend as so-called green walls or vertical gardens. Particularly in an age of global climate change, the value of urban green spaces is undisputed. There are many creative designs for the inclusion of plants and greenery in both new and existing buildings. However, their long-term maintenance is still a challenge. The automation of this task can lead to staff savings in a risky working environment. To address this issue, a large-scale, rope-driven robot has been developed. This system is capable of efficiently and automatically handling the maintenance of large green facades, even in great heights. By the use of a flexible actuator technology, individual plants can be installed, pruned or removed. Precise, spatially resolved irrigation and fertilization can be executed. In addition, integrated sensors can determine the local condition of the vegetation. Particular attention is paid to data acquisition and decision making regarding the condition of the green.