Mechanism and Control of Propeller Type Wall-Climbing Robot

Abstract

A robot capable of moving on a vertical wall has been looked forward to for a long time. It could be used for rescue and/or firefighting in high-rise buildings. Four quite different types of wall-climbing robots have been developed over the last 20 years. The present model can move on a wall by using the thrust force of a propeller and can fly whenever it is required. Its mechanism and control system are discussed in this chapter. The first model had a large sucker and could be utilized on flat and/or wide wall surfaces. The second was a biped walking model, which had a small sucker on each foot. This could be applied to almost all irregular wall surfaces. The third model could move on a vertical wall at high speeds. It had propellers and the thrust force supplied both the forces to lift the robot up and to produce the frictional force between the wheels and wall surface to be safe on a wall. When the third model is employed for emergency use, at first, it is necessary for it to reach and attach itself to the wall surface. Often, there are obstacles at the lower parts of the buildings, such as eaves, trees, entrances, etc. Therefore, it would be very useful if the robot could fly over these obstacles and reach the upper wall surface. Moreover, if the robot falls from the wall surface by accident, a soft-landing control has to be employed to avoid danger to the robot and the surroundings. For these purposes, a flight model has been considered. The mechanism and control systems for such maneuvering have been discussed.