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.

Systems, methods, and apparatus for acoustic inspection of a surface are described. An example system may include an inspection robot structured to traverse an inspection surface in a direction of travel. The inspection robot may include a payload having a plurality of arms, connected to the inspection robot, to rotate around respective ones of a plurality of axes while the inspection robot traverses the inspection surface, where each of the plurality of axes is in the direction of travel. A plurality of sleds may be connected to the plurality of arms, and a plurality of inspection sensors connected to the plurality of sleds. The plurality of inspection sensors may be spaced apart from each other at adjustable positions to inspect the inspection surface at an adjustable resolution.

A method can include identifying an inspected object with an inspection device; viewing the inspected object through an augmented reality device to identify points; and measuring a thickness of a layer at the inspection points. In response to detecting a region of interest on the surface of the inspected object, an image of the region of interest can be taken. By operation of communication circuits, at least the thickness measurements and images can be transmitted to a server system. A value of the inspected object can be adjusted based on at least the thickness measurements and images from the at least one inspection device. Corresponding devices and systems are also disclosed.

Systems and methods for configuring a robot for inspecting an inspection surface are disclosed. An example system may include an inspection robot having a payload coupled to at least two inspection sensors and a controller. The controller may include a route profile processing circuit to interpret route profile data for the inspection robot, a configuration determining circuit to determine one or more configurations for the inspection robot in response to the route profile data; and a configuration processing circuit to provide configuration data in response to the determined one or more configurations, the configuration data defining, at least in part, one or more inspection characteristics for the inspection robot.

Systems, apparatus and methods for providing an interactive inspection map are disclosed. An example apparatus for providing an interactive inspection map of an inspection surface may include an inspection visualization circuit to provide an inspection map to a user device in response to inspection data provided by a plurality of sensors operationally coupled to an inspection robot traversing the inspection surface, wherein the inspection map corresponds to at least a portion of the inspection surface. The apparatus may further include a user interaction circuit to interpret a user focus value from the user device, and an action request circuit to determine an action in response to the user focus value. The inspection visualization circuit may further update the inspection map in response to the determined action.

System and methods for traversing an obstacle with an inspection robot are disclosed. An example system may include an inspection robot including an obstacle sensor to interrogate an inspection surface. The example may further include an obstacle sensory data circuit to interpret obstacle sensory data provided by the obstacle sensor, an obstacle processing circuit to determine refined obstacle data, and an obstacle notification circuit to generate and provide obstacle notification data to a user interface device. The example system may further include a user interface circuit to interpret a user request value from the user interface device, and to determine an obstacle response command value in response to the user request value; and an obstacle configuration circuit to provide the obstacle response command value to the inspection robot during the interrogating of the inspection surface.

A method includes: receiving film property data associated with manufacturing parameters of manufacturing equipment; determining that the film property data is correlated and is different from target data; selecting, by a processing device, a set of data points of the film property data that are orthogonal to the target data; performing, by the processing device, feature extraction on the set of data points; and determining, based on the feature extraction, updates to one or more of the manufacturing parameters to meet the target data.

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.

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.

A method of non-contact measurement of a thickness (d) of an object of an electrically conductive material by means of a Pulsed Eddy Current, PEC, system including a transmitter coil and a receiver coil. The method includes, after having turned off a current in the transmitter coil, at the receiver coil, measuring a voltage induced by the decaying magnetic field at a first time point, a second time point, and a third time point. The method also includes calculating a total magnetic flux which is generated by the eddy currents in the object at the first time point and picked up by the receiver coil, by comparing the measured flux at the first time point with a predetermined total flux picked up by the receiver coil when no object is present. The method also includes normalizing measured magnetic flux resulting from the eddy currents and picked up by the receiver coil, using the calculated total magnetic flux as a normalization factor such that the normalized eddy current flux is independent of a distance between the object and the transmitter and receiver coils. The method also including, based on the measurements at the first, second and third time points, determining the thickness and the resistivity of the object.