Inspection robots with swappable drive modules are described. An example inspect robot may include a first removeable interface plate on the side of a robot chassis. The first removable interface plate may couple a first drive module to an electronic board, within the chassis, where the electronic board includes a drive module interface circuit communicatively coupled to the first drive module. The example inspect robot may also include a second removeable interface plate on a side of a robot chassis. The second removable interface plate may couple a second drive module to an electronic board, within the chassis, where the electronic board includes a drive module interface circuit communicatively coupled to the second drive module.

In various embodiments, the present disclosure relates to robot systems configured to operate on a cell tower to inspect, install, reconfigure, and repair cellular equipment. The present disclosure provides a robot for performing audit tasks of cell towers. The robot includes a body portion configured to hold various electronic components of the robot including monitoring equipment disposed thereon, one or more arms extending from the body portion adapted to manipulate components of a cell tower and to facilitate movement of the robot on the cell tower, and wireless interfaces configured to receive control signals from an exoskeleton suit, wherein the exoskeleton suit is adapted to control the robot. The robot is configured to be controlled by one of a user in a remote location, a user at the cell tower site, and autonomously via direct programing.

Inspection robots and methods for inspection of curved surfaces with sensors at selected horizontal distances are described. An example of such an inspection robot includes a housing; a drive module with a wheel and a motor operatively linked to the housing, a plurality of sensor sleds, and a payload. The payload, which is coupled to the housing, may include a first and a second rail component, each with at least one connector, where the rail components are connectable at a first selected position of a plurality of discrete engagement positions. Each of the rail components may be structured to support at least one of the plurality of sleds where each of the plurality of sleds is coupled to the payload at a respective selected horizontal position such that the plurality of sleds are at selected horizontal distances from each other.

In various embodiments, the present disclosure relates to robot systems configured to operate on a cell tower to inspect, install, reconfigure, and repair cellular equipment. The present disclosure provides a robot for performing tasks on cell towers. The robot includes a body portion configured to hold various electronic components of the robot including monitoring equipment disposed thereon, one or more arms extending from the body portion adapted to manipulate components of a cell tower and to facilitate movement of the robot on the cell tower, a tethering system adapted to prevent the robot from falling off of the cell tower, and wireless interfaces adapted to allow wireless control of the robot. The robot is configured to be controlled by one of a user in a remote location, a user at the cell tower site, and autonomously via direct programing.

In an embodiment, a processing device relating to an inspection of an inspection object by a photography unit is provided. A processor of the processing device calculates a plurality of photography points as positions photographing the inspection object based on shape data in which a shape of a surface of the inspection object is indicated by a point group, and information relating to a position and a normal vector on the surface of the inspection object is defined by the point group. The processor executes analysis regarding a path that passes through all of the calculated photography points and minimizes a sum of a movement cost from each of the photography points to a photography point of a next movement destination, and calculates a path corresponding to an analysis result as a path for moving the photography unit.

A robotic self-learning visual inspection method includes determining if a fixture on a component is known by searching a database of known fixtures. If the fixture is unknown, a robotic self-programming visually learning process is performed that includes determining one or more features of the fixture and providing information via a controller about the one or more features in the database such that the fixture becomes known. When the fixture is known, a robotic self-programming visual inspection process is performed that includes determining if the one or more features each pass an inspection based on predetermined criteria. A robotic self-programming visual inspection system includes a robot having one or more arms each adapted for attaching one or more instruments and tools. The instruments and tools are adapted for performing visual inspection processes.

A machine for producing sanitary articles includes a plurality of processing stations including automated apparatus for forming sanitary articles which advance along a machine direction. The machine includes a multi-axis industrial robot arranged to automatically clean and/or inspect the automated apparatus of the processing stations. The machine has a positive impact on sustainability.

Disclosed is a rebar automating robot for rebar tying on at least one rebar intersection. The rebar automating robot includes a control box 120 and a processing device 108. The control box 108 includes at least one intersection detection sensor 104 and at least one positioning sensor 106. The at least one intersection detection sensor 104 and the at least one positioning sensor 106 identifies a location of the at least one rebar intersection of a work area. The method includes (a) navigating, the rebar automating robot to a first rebar intersection for tying the first rebar intersection, (b) tying, by a rebar tying tool, the first rebar intersection of the work area, and (c) navigating, the rebar automating robot, from the first rebar intersection to a second rebar intersection for performing rebar tying at the second rebar intersection of the work area.

A system for capturing VIN numbers and vehicles images to track vehicle damage through vehicle supply chains which includes a mobile software application and/or robot(s) which moves autonomously around parking lots. The mobile application can direct the user to capture VIN images and/or vehicle images from certain views and collect GPS positions of the same and the robot includes various cameras and sensors to identify vehicles and take pictures of them. All of the captured images of vehicles are sent to a central server/storage where the vehicle images can be checked for damage as compared to locations so that it can be determined who was in possession of the vehicle when damage occurred.

A method and computing system comprising identifying a plurality of robot configurations for each inspection point of a plurality of inspection points of a problem. A graph may be generated with each feasible robot configuration as a node on the graph. A distance may be calculated between a pair of feasible robot configurations. A shortest complete path connecting each node on the graph may be obtained based upon, at least in part, the distance between the pair of feasible robot configurations.