A Motion‐Sensing Integrated Soft Robot with Triboelectric Nanogenerator for Pipeline Inspection

The challenging and unstructured environment within pipelines demands the robotic exploration platforms with high adaptability, maneuverability, and recognition ability. Current soft robots equipped with cutting‐edge actuators have demonstrated inherent benefits in navigating pipeline environments d...

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Main Authors: Rui Chen, Huigang Wang, Haoji Wang, Huijiang Wang, Li Bai, Xinpei Ai, Lifu Liu, Zhihao Hu, Zean Yuan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2025-06-01
Series:Advanced Intelligent Systems
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/aisy.202400643
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author Rui Chen
Huigang Wang
Haoji Wang
Huijiang Wang
Li Bai
Xinpei Ai
Lifu Liu
Zhihao Hu
Zean Yuan
author_facet Rui Chen
Huigang Wang
Haoji Wang
Huijiang Wang
Li Bai
Xinpei Ai
Lifu Liu
Zhihao Hu
Zean Yuan
author_sort Rui Chen
collection DOAJ
description The challenging and unstructured environment within pipelines demands the robotic exploration platforms with high adaptability, maneuverability, and recognition ability. Current soft robots equipped with cutting‐edge actuators have demonstrated inherent benefits in navigating pipeline environments due to their material compliance and morphological adaptability. However, achieving inner‐pipe detection for pipeline‐climbing robots challenges the integration of sensors without compromising the robot's flexibility and operational functionalities. Herein, a soft robot that locomotes within pipelines and performs exteroception is presented. The main body of the robot is fabricated based on origami designs, powered by pneumatic actuators for locomotion and incorporates triboelectric nanogenerators as tactile sensors (T‐TENGs). Physical experiments have demonstrated the soft robot's capacity in crawling in various pipeline conditions such as the horizontal, vertical, and curved configurations. The T‐TENG‐based sensory system outputs distinct voltage signals upon exposed to different material and structural conditions, for which a 1D‐convolutional neutral network algorithm is exposed to process with the sequential signals. The robot achieves an overall recognition accuracy of 99% for distinguishing between eight distinct pipe inner surface structures and four different types of materials.
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issn 2640-4567
language English
publishDate 2025-06-01
publisher Wiley
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series Advanced Intelligent Systems
spelling doaj-art-608cdd67a27d42db86c7afda115a76142025-08-20T03:21:31ZengWileyAdvanced Intelligent Systems2640-45672025-06-0176n/an/a10.1002/aisy.202400643A Motion‐Sensing Integrated Soft Robot with Triboelectric Nanogenerator for Pipeline InspectionRui Chen0Huigang Wang1Haoji Wang2Huijiang Wang3Li Bai4Xinpei Ai5Lifu Liu6Zhihao Hu7Zean Yuan8State Key Laboratory of Mechanical Transmission for Advanced Equipment Chongqing University Chongqing 400044 ChinaDepartment of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Case Western Reserve University 10900 Euclid Avenue Cleveland OH 44106 USAState Key Laboratory of Mechanical Transmission for Advanced Equipment Chongqing University Chongqing 400044 ChinaBio‐Inspired Robotics Lab Department of Engineering University of Cambridge Trumpington Street Cambridge CB2 1PZ UKState Key Laboratory of Mechanical Transmission for Advanced Equipment Chongqing University Chongqing 400044 ChinaState Key Laboratory of Mechanical Transmission for Advanced Equipment Chongqing University Chongqing 400044 ChinaState Key Laboratory of Mechanical Transmission for Advanced Equipment Chongqing University Chongqing 400044 ChinaDepartment of Physics Chongqing University Chongqing 400044 ChinaState Key Laboratory of Mechanical Transmission for Advanced Equipment Chongqing University Chongqing 400044 ChinaThe challenging and unstructured environment within pipelines demands the robotic exploration platforms with high adaptability, maneuverability, and recognition ability. Current soft robots equipped with cutting‐edge actuators have demonstrated inherent benefits in navigating pipeline environments due to their material compliance and morphological adaptability. However, achieving inner‐pipe detection for pipeline‐climbing robots challenges the integration of sensors without compromising the robot's flexibility and operational functionalities. Herein, a soft robot that locomotes within pipelines and performs exteroception is presented. The main body of the robot is fabricated based on origami designs, powered by pneumatic actuators for locomotion and incorporates triboelectric nanogenerators as tactile sensors (T‐TENGs). Physical experiments have demonstrated the soft robot's capacity in crawling in various pipeline conditions such as the horizontal, vertical, and curved configurations. The T‐TENG‐based sensory system outputs distinct voltage signals upon exposed to different material and structural conditions, for which a 1D‐convolutional neutral network algorithm is exposed to process with the sequential signals. The robot achieves an overall recognition accuracy of 99% for distinguishing between eight distinct pipe inner surface structures and four different types of materials.https://doi.org/10.1002/aisy.202400643machine learningorigamipipeline inspectionsoft robottriboelectric nanogenerator
spellingShingle Rui Chen
Huigang Wang
Haoji Wang
Huijiang Wang
Li Bai
Xinpei Ai
Lifu Liu
Zhihao Hu
Zean Yuan
A Motion‐Sensing Integrated Soft Robot with Triboelectric Nanogenerator for Pipeline Inspection
Advanced Intelligent Systems
machine learning
origami
pipeline inspection
soft robot
triboelectric nanogenerator
title A Motion‐Sensing Integrated Soft Robot with Triboelectric Nanogenerator for Pipeline Inspection
title_full A Motion‐Sensing Integrated Soft Robot with Triboelectric Nanogenerator for Pipeline Inspection
title_fullStr A Motion‐Sensing Integrated Soft Robot with Triboelectric Nanogenerator for Pipeline Inspection
title_full_unstemmed A Motion‐Sensing Integrated Soft Robot with Triboelectric Nanogenerator for Pipeline Inspection
title_short A Motion‐Sensing Integrated Soft Robot with Triboelectric Nanogenerator for Pipeline Inspection
title_sort motion sensing integrated soft robot with triboelectric nanogenerator for pipeline inspection
topic machine learning
origami
pipeline inspection
soft robot
triboelectric nanogenerator
url https://doi.org/10.1002/aisy.202400643
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