Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatus for temperature control and active cooling of an inspection robot are disclosed. An example apparatus may include a temperature determination circuit to interpret an inspection temperature value, a temperature management circuit to determine a temperature management command in response to the inspection temperature value, and a temperature response circuit to provide the temperature management command to a temperature management device associated with an inspection robot.

Abstract: Inspection robot and methods utilizing coolant for temperature management are described. An example inspection robot may include a housing with a couplant retaining chamber, and an electronic board selectively thermally coupled to the couplant retaining chamber. The inspection robot may include a couplant input port coupling a couplant source to a couplant flow path, a drive module coupled to the housing, and a payload with at least one sensor, where the payload is coupled to the housing. The couplant flow path is fluidly coupling the couplant input port to the couplant retaining chamber.

Abstract: Inspection robots with independent drive module suspension are described. An example inspection robot may have a housing with a first connector on a first side of the housing, and a second connector on a second side of the housing. A first drive module, having at least one wheel and a first motor, may be operatively coupled to the first connector, and a second drive module, having at least one wheel and a first motor, may be operatively coupled to the second connector. The first and second drive modules may be coupled by a drive connector.

Abstract: Systems for reprogrammable inspection robots are described. An example system may include an inspection robot having a housing, a payload interface, a drive module interface, and a tether interface. The system may further include a first electronic board having a primary functionality circuit communicatively coupled to a base station and a second electronic board operationally coupled to the payload interface, the second electronic board having a payload functionality circuit coupled to a selected payload through the payload interface. The example system may further include a third electronic board operationally coupled to the drive module interface, the third electronic board having a drive module functionality circuit communicatively coupled to a selected drive module through the drive module interface.

Abstract: Inspection robots with center encoders are described. An example inspection robot may have a housing, and a drive module, where the drive module has a wheel and a motor and is operatively coupled to the housing., The example inspection robot may also have an encoder to provide a movement value, where the encoder is positioned within a footprint of the housing. The example inspection robot may also have a controller with an encoder conversion circuit to calculate a distance value in response to the movement value, a location circuit to determine at least one of a robot location value or a robot speed value, and a position command circuit to provide a position action command in response to the robot location value or the robot speed value. The drive module may be responsive to the position action command to move the inspection robot.

Abstract: An inspection robot, and methods and a controller thereof are disclosed. An inspection robot may include an inspection chassis including a plurality of inspection sensors and coupled to at least one drive module to drive the robot over an inspection surface. The inspection robot may also include a controller including an inspection data circuit to interpret inspection base data, an inspection processing circuit to determine refined inspection data, and an inspection configuration circuit to determine an inspection response value in response to the refined inspection data. The controller may further include an inspection response circuit to, in response to the inspection response value, provide an inspection command value while the inspection robot is interrogating the inspection surface.

Abstract: Systems, apparatus and methods for providing an inspection map are disclosed. An apparatus for performing an inspection may include an inspection data circuit to interpret inspection data, a robot positioning circuit to interpret position data, and a processed data circuit to link the inspection data with the position data to determine position-based inspection data. The apparatus may further include a user interaction circuit to interpret an inspection visualization request for an inspection map and an inspection visualization circuit to determine the inspection map based on the position-based inspection data, and a provisioning circuit structured to provide the inspection map to a user device.

Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatus for rapid development of an inspection scheme for an inspection robot are disclosed. An apparatus may include an inspection definition circuit to interpret an inspection description value, and a robot configuration circuit to determine an inspection robot configuration description in response to the inspection description value. The apparatus may further include a configuration implementation circuit, communicatively coupled to a configuration interface of an inspection robot, to provide at least a portion of the inspection robot configuration description to the configuration interface.

Abstract: Inspection robots for horizontal tube inspection are described. An example inspection robot may include a drive module structured to engage a top tube of a vertically arranged layer of tubes, an encoder, at least one telescoping pole, and a lowering mechanism operationally coupled to the at least one telescoping pole and structured to selectively extend or retract the at least one telescoping pole, thereby providing a selected vertical position of a swappable sensor carriage assembly. The swappable sensor carriage assembly may be coupled to the at least one telescoping pole, and structured to accept at least one of a plurality of sensors, including at least one of an ultrasonic sensor, a laser profiler, or a camera and a light.

Abstract: An inspection apparatus for inspecting horizontal tubes in an industrial environment includes a drive module including a pair of wheels to engage a top tube of a vertically arranged layer of tubes, a telescoping pole, a sensor carriage assembly coupled to the telescoping pole, a lowering mechanism operationally coupled to the telescoping pole to selectively extend or retract the telescoping pole providing a selected vertical position of the sensor carriage assembly, and an encoder including a passive wheel, a spring, and a sliding coupler. The spring biases the passive wheel toward the top tube to ensure contact between the passive wheel and a surface of the top tube.

Abstract: An inspection robot includes a robot body, at least two sensors, a drive module, a stability assist device and an actuator. The at least two sensors are positioned to interrogate an inspection surface and are communicatively coupled to the robot body. The drive module includes at least two wheels that engage the inspection surface. The drive module is coupled to the robot body. The stability assist device is coupled to at least one of the robot body or the drive module. The actuator is coupled to the stability assist device at a first end, and coupled to one of the drive module or the robot body at a second end. The actuator is structured to selectively move the stability assist device between a first position and a second position. The first position includes a stored position. The second position includes a deployed position.

Abstract: Inspection robots with a multi-function piston connecting a drive module to a central chassis and systems thereof are disclosed. An example inspection robot may include a center chassis coupled to a payload coupled to at least two inspection sensors. The inspection robot may further include a drive module coupled to the center chassis, the drive module having a drive wheel to engage an inspection surface and a drive piston mechanically interposed between the center chassis and the drive module. The example may further include wherein the drive piston in a first position couples the drive module to the center chassis at a minimum distance between and the drive piston in a second position couples the drive module to the center chassis at a maximum distance between. The example may further include wherein the drive module is independently rotatable relative to the center chassis.

Abstract: An inspection apparatus and methods for inspecting horizontal tubes in an industrial environment are disclosed. The apparatus can include a drive module including a pair of wheels to engage a top tube of a vertically arranged layer of tubes, a telescoping pole, a sensor carriage assembly coupled to the telescoping pole, and a lowering mechanism operationally coupled to the telescoping pole to selectively extend or retract the telescoping pole providing a selected vertical position of the sensor carriage assembly.