Robotic pipe inspection with ultrasonic sensor arrays

其目的是开发一种超声波传感器系统和相关的数据分析工具，以从埋地管道（如水管或煤气管）的内部提取信息。第一个主要挑战是提取准确和相关的信息，在这种情况下，这些信息将与管道的当前状况（或“健康状况”）有关。例如，这可能意味着局部管道几何形状或存在腐蚀和开裂。这就需要开发一种新型的超声无损检测系统，该系统可以准确地检测、定位和测量各种压力和部分填充管道中的缺陷和其他相关情况。第二个挑战是可靠地提取这一信息，这涉及到开发统计方法，以最大限度地减少测量中的不确定性（例如位置）的影响。这里要探索的一个重要方法是使用超声波数据作为定位传感器的签名-这通常被称为数据驱动成像。第三个主要挑战是传感和数据分析硬件的开发，这些硬件需要节能并与机器人上的其他系统集成。这主要是布里斯托集团内部可用的硬件，但需要将其开发成一个工作传感器系统。位于布里斯托的超声波和无损检测（UNDT）小组在解决这些问题方面具有独特的优势，在成像和超声波系统设计和集成方面拥有丰富的经验，其输出将远远大于各部分的总和。该项目将联合收割机实验与模拟相结合，共同加深对新传感器性能的理解。该项目的一部分还需要数据分析和信号处理。因此，该项目需要良好的全方位工程技能。到项目结束时，预计将在工业相关场景中制造和测试演示设备，例如测试设施中的真实的埋地管道。该项目还将与供水公司等各种工业合作伙伴建立联系，以开发适合实际应用的传感器系统。

The aim is to develop an ultrasonic sensor system and associated data analysis tools to extract information from the interior of a buried pipe, such as a water or gas pipe. The first major challenge is to extract accurate and relevant information, which in this case will relate to the current condition (or "health") of the pipe. For example, this could mean the local pipe geometry or the presence of corrosion and cracking. This requires the development of novel ultrasonic non-destructive systems that can accurately detect, locate and size defects and other relevant conditions in a variety of pressurised and partially filled pipes with a flow. The second challenge is to extract this information reliably, which involves developing statistical methods for minimising the effects of uncertainty in the measurements (e.g. position). One important approach to be explored here is to use the ultrasonic data as a signature to locate the sensors - this is usually termed data-driven imaging. The third major challenge is in the development of the sensing and data analysis hardware which needs to be energy efficient and integrated with the other systems on-board the robots. This will mostly be hardware available within the Bristol group but work will be required to develop it into a working sensors system. The ultrasonics and non-destructive testing (UNDT) group in Bristol are uniquely placed to address these issues, with complimentary experience of imaging and ultrasonic system design and integration that will result in an output much greater than the sum of its parts. The project will combine experimentation, with simulations, which together will lead to a deep understanding of the performance of the new sensors. Parts of the project will also require data analysis and signal processing. In this way the project requires good all-round engineering skills. By the end of the project it is expected that a demonstrator device will be made and tested on an industrial relevant scenario, e.g. a real buried pipe in a test facility. The project will also link up with various industrial partners, such as water supply companies in order to develop sensors systems suitable to the real-world applications.