Service Robots for Motion and Special Applications on the Vertical Oriented Walls

Abstract

This chapter is focused on the area of mobile systems of service robots for motion on the vertically oriented glass walls (e.g., facades of high-rise building) with the aim of their using in many inspection and technological applications. Preliminary part clearly maps the basic mechanical principles and approaches to mobile platform design with respect to the concept of kinematic chain and type of actuators. Conclusions of extensive research activities are presented, and on this background, the new design development of mechanics of robot mobile platform was made and uses two parallel placed parallelograms. The control system is based on an industrial computer, includes a module for wireless communication, and is equipped with a laser and an ultrasonic position sensor. Movement members are equipped with individual electric actuators and vacuum gripping system, which consists of smart ejectors in combination with active suction cups. Given that the load character of the suction cups during the robots movement on the vertical wall is very unfavorable, considerable authors' attention has been paid to the analysis of the deformation behavior of suction cups so as to determine the limits of external radial load to the stable contact, and discusses the possibility of increasing the radial load of gripping elements in relation to the contact surfaces character and vacuum levels.