SBIR Phase I: Robotic Inspection and Data Analytics to Localize and Visualize the Structural Defects of Civil Infrastructure

小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第一阶段项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力是，拟议的创新研究有可能发展成为具有垂直移动性的自给自足的机器人检测工具，该工具携带RGB-D相机和探地雷达(GPR)来检测和表征表面缺陷和亚表面缺陷。软件算法和功能将集成到这个爬壁机器人中，以实现数据收集和分析过程的自动化，特别是在人类操作员难以进入的关键位置。机器人检查工具的使用将使对人工建造的混凝土结构的评估和状况健康监测大大加快、更彻底、成本更低，因为它消除了对脚手架和交通堵塞的需要。它还将提高检查的安全性和速度，从而导致更频繁和按需的检查，从而使国家基础设施(桥梁、隧道、大坝、建筑物)更加安全。这个小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第一阶段项目专注于开发创新的方法和软件算法，用于亚表面缺陷的3D GPR成像、基于视觉的精确定位以及表面缺陷的检测、表征和测绘。将软件功能集成到该爬壁机器人中，以评估其性能并验证创新的可行性。该项目的智能优点包括将机器人控制和基于视觉的精确定位与探地雷达信号处理相结合的三维探地雷达成像方法，以定位地下缺陷和埋入(钢筋、管道、裂缝、空洞、分层等)。这将彻底改变收集、解释和显示探地雷达数据的方式。这种方法使探地雷达-漫游者能够以任意和不规则的轨迹扫描地面，而不是沿着网格线移动来定位地下目标并发现分层区域。提出的机器人视觉检测和机器学习算法是新颖的，因为它不仅可以检测和表征表面缺陷，而且可以在3D地图上精确地记录它们，以便更好地定位和可视化。这一奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is that the proposed innovative research has the potential to be developed into a self-contained robotic inspection tool with vertical mobility that carries an RGB-D camera and ground penetrating radar (GPR) to detect and characterize both surface flaws and subsurface defects. The software algorithms and functions will be integrated into this wall-climbing robot to automate the data collection and analysis process, especially at critical locations that are difficult to access by human operators. The use of the robotic inspection tool will allow the evaluation and condition health monitoring of human-built concrete structures to be performed significantly faster, more thoroughly and at a lower cost by eliminating the need for scaffolding and blocking traffic. It will also improve inspection safety and speed which leads to more frequent and on-demand inspections, thus making the national infrastructure (bridges, tunnels, dams, buildings) more secure. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project focuses on developing innovative methods and software algorithms for 3D GPR imaging of subsurface defects, vision-based accurate positioning and surface flaw detection, characterization and mapping. The software functions will be integrated into this wall-climbing robot to evaluate the performance and validate the feasibility of the innovation. The intellectual merit of this project includes the 3D GPR imaging method that combines robot control and vision-based accurate positioning with GPR signal processing to locate the subsurface defects and embedment (rebar, pipes, fractures, voids, delamination, etc.) in concrete structures that will revolutionize the way GPR data is collected, interpreted and displayed. This method enables the GPR-Rover to scan the surface in arbitrary and irregular trajectory rather than move along grid lines to locate subsurface targets and discover the areas of delamination. The proposed robotic visual inspection and machine learning algorithm is novel because it can not only detect and characterize surface flaws but also precisely register them on 3D map for better localization and visualization.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.