A snake-like robot for internal inspection of complex pipe structures (PIKo)

This paper presents a mechanism for navigating complex pipe structures, both horizontally and vertically. The mechanism consists of a series of identical modules interconnected by two degree of freedom active joints. A set of active wheels on each module provides propulsion. Horizontal motion is achieved through a train-like scheme, while vertical motion is achieved through spanning the pipe alternatingly with the modules. The design and the capability of horizontal and vertical motion is validated through experiments.