Worm‐Inspired Soft Robots Enable Adaptable Pipeline and Tunnel Inspection

Abstract

The inspection, maintenance, and repair of pipeline and tunnel infrastructure have motivated the increasing research in the development of suitable robots with high flexibility, good adaptability, and large load capacity. Herein, a worm‐inspired soft robot that is capable of operating and performing a variety of tasks in a complicated pipeline/tunnel environment is reported. The soft tubular robot consists of elongation pneumatic actuators (EPAs), radial expansion pneumatic actuators (REPAs), and a spatial bending pneumatic actuator (SBPA). A series of experiments are performed to demonstrate the capability of the soft robot to crawl robustly under different pipeline conditions, including varying diameter, different cross‐sectional shapes, and wet or oil‐covered internal surfaces, and underwater environment. The soft robot can carry a load of more than 11 times of its own weight in a vertical pipeline. Equipped with a visualization unit, the soft robot can detect the internal conditions of the pipeline and cross the multibranched pipeline as needed. The tubular soft robot provides a useful tool for the inspection, cleaning, and maintenance of pipelines and tunnels.