I-Corps: Non-Destructive Evaluation of Infrastructure

I-Corps项目更广泛的影响/商业潜力是，该技术(机器人硬件和数据分析软件)有可能开发成一种新产品，作为一种完整的、自给自足的机器人检测工具，该工具携带一个RGB深度相机和具有垂直移动性的探地雷达(GPR)传感器，用于检测表面缺陷和亚表面缺陷。该工具的使用将使对人工建造的建筑进行检查的速度大大加快、更加彻底，并通过消除对脚手架或阻碍交通的需要而以较低的成本进行。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更加安全。这个i-Corps项目有以下创新：1)新设计的机器人检查系统，带有RGB深度摄像头来检测表面缺陷，以及探地雷达(GPR)传感器来检测地面和垂直表面上的亚表面缺陷，这是其他机器人无法做到的；2)提出了一种新的方法，使机器人能够精确地扫描任意轨迹的表面，并将控制与探地雷达信号处理相结合，以识别分层区域并定位地下埋入(钢筋、管道、裂缝、空洞、分层等)。这将彻底改变解释和显示探地雷达数据的方式。机器人检测系统的价值主张包括：1)自动化视觉/探地雷达数据收集过程，最大限度地减少人工干预；2)简化机器人控制，以任意轨迹扫描表面；3)使检测结果易于非专业人员理解；4)提高检测速度和准确性。该奖项反映了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 I-Corps project is that the technology (robotic hardware and data analytic software) has the potential to be developed into a new product as a complete, self-contained robotic inspection tool that carries a RGB-depth camera and Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) sensor with vertical mobility for detecting surface flaws and sub-surface defects. The use of the tool will allow the inspection of human-built structures to be performed significantly faster, more thoroughly and at a lower cost by eliminating the need for scaffolding or blocking traffic. It will also improve inspection safety and speed which leads to more frequent and on-demand inspections, thus making the national infrastructure more secure.This I-Corps project has the following innovations: 1) novel design of robotic inspection system carrying a RGB-depth camera to detect surface flaws, and a Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) sensor to detect sub-surface defects on both ground and vertical surfaces that other robots cannot do; 2) a novel method that enable the robot to scan the surface in an arbitrary trajectory with accurate positioning and integrate the control with GPR signal processing to identify areas of delamination and locate subsurface embedment (rebar, pipes, fractures, voids, delamination, etc.) in concrete structures that will revolutionize the way GPR data is interpreted and displayed. The value proposition of the robotic inspection system includes: 1) automating the vision/GPR data collection process with minimal human intervention; 2) simplifying the robot control to scan the surface in an arbitrary trajectory; 3) making inspection results easy to understand by non-professionals; 4) and improving the inspection speed and accuracy.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.