A low-cost robotic inspection platform for remote operation in aggressive environments

在腐蚀性环境中进行检测耗时、危险且昂贵。我们将通过开发一个低成本的自主机器人平台来解决这个问题，该平台基于Cadscan的新颖的、正在申请专利的3D成像技术。这使用多照明器相移来捕获高分辨率图像，仅使用LED阵列，印刷掩模和相机。传感系统将帮助机器人导航，并对环境进行详细的调查。当恶劣环境限制操作寿命时，使平台低成本是一个重要的推动因素。在福岛核反应堆事故中，辐射导致所有5个清理机器人的布线失败（开发成本为5000万美元）。降低成本还意味着可以同时部署多个机器人，合作调查环境比单个单位快得多。我们将主要关注地面平台，尽管传感器也适用于无人机。我们的目标是改变游戏，把检查带到极限。

Inspection in aggressive environments is time-consuming, dangerous and expensive. We will address this by developing a low-cost, autonomous robot platform based on Cadscan’s novel, patent-pending 3D imaging technology. This uses multi-illuminator phase-shifting to capture high resolution imagery inexpensively using just an array of LEDs, a printed mask and a camera. The sensing system will help navigate the robot and to construct a detailed survey of the environment. Making the platform low cost is an important enabler when harsh environments limit operational lifetime. In the Fukushima reactor incident radiation caused the wiring on all 5 clean-up robots to fail (dev cost $50m.) Lowering costs also means that multiple robots can be deployed simultaneously, cooperating to survey the environment much faster than individual units. We will focus primarily on ground-based platforms, although the sensor is suitable for drones too. We aim to change the game and take inspection to the limit.