HausBots: De-risking the inspection of industrial storage tanks, via a cost efficient, wall climbing, ultrasonic probe robot that generates 3D visual representations of hazardous industrial confined spaces

HausBots旨在通过一个经济高效的爬墙机器人来彻底降低工业储罐检查的风险，该机器人可以生成危险的工业密闭空间的3D视觉表示。对储罐等工业资产的检查既昂贵又危险。如果涉及高空作业，则需要使用脚手架、绳索通道或平台进行进出。使用该设备通常会产生约50%的项目租金或租赁成本，通常用于检查的费用为10万英镑。此外，密闭空间可能带来化学品接触风险等问题，因此必须遵守严格的健康和安全条例。在这个项目中，HausBots专注于内部和外部有色金属罐检查，现有的最先进的解决方案要么不起作用，要么容量有限。为了实现这一目标，HausBots将重新设计现有的HB1机器人，该机器人使用正在申请专利的“向下作用力”技术，允许机器人爬上任何材料类型的垂直或水平表面。改造后将生产HB1800，这是现有HB1技术的小型化，使机器人能够附着在更小直径的储罐（1800毫米以上）上，同时集成了最先进的超声波厚度测量传感器和3D可视化摄像机馈电。此外，HausBots将开发自定义资产可视化软件，使客户能够3D检查资产，并将视觉数据和超声波数据结合在被检查油箱的在线门户中。预计项目产出将：*减少高空作业，从而提高成本效益并改善安全性*减少与进入密闭空间有关的工作场所死亡和伤害*实现成本效益高、经常检查、进一步降低工业作业环境风险

HausBots seeks to drastically de-risk industrial storage tank inspection, via a cost-efficient, wall climbing robot that generates 3D visual representations of hazardous, industrial confined spaces.Inspection of industrial assets such as storage tanks is expensive and dangerous. If work at height is involved, then scaffolding, rope access or platforms need to be used for access. Use of this equipment can often incur ~50% of project costs in rental or lease, which can regularly be in the region of +£100k for inspections. Furthermore, confined spaces can present issues such as chemical exposure risk, therefore subject to strict health and safety regulations.In this project, HausBots focuses on internal and external non-ferrous tank inspections, where existing state-of-the-art solutions either do not function, or have a limited capacity. To enable this, HausBots will redesign the existing HB1 robot, which uses a patent pending 'downward force' technique that allows a robot to climb vertical or horizontal surfaces, of any material type.Adaptations will produce HB1800, a miniaturisation of existing HB1 technology, allowing the robot to adhere to a smaller diameter of storage tank (1800mm+), along with integration of state-of-the-art ultrasonic thickness measurement sensors and 3D visualisation camera feeds. In addition, HausBots will develop custom asset visualisation software, enabling clients to inspect assets 3D, and combine both visual data and ultrasonic data in an online portal of the inspected tank.Project outputs are expected to:* Reduce working at height, leading to cost-efficiency gains and improve safety* Reduce workplace deaths and injuries associated with entering confined spaces* Allow cost-efficient, frequent inspections, further de-risking industrial operational environments