DeWaLoP in-pipe robot position from visual patterns

Abstract

This article presents a methodology to position an in-pipe robot in the center of a pipe from a line matching algorithm applied to the unwrapped omni-directional camera located at the robot's front-end. The advantage of use omni-directional camera inside the pipes is the relation between the cylindrical image obtained from the camera and the position of the camera on the robot inside the pipe, where by direct relation the circular features become linear. The DeWaLoP in-pipe robot objective is to redevelop the cast-iron pipe-joints of the over 100 years old fresh water supply systems of Vienna and Bratislava. In order to redevelop the pipes, the robot uses a rotating mechanism to clean and apply a sealing material to the pipe-joints. This mechanism must be set perfectly in the center of the pipe to work properly. Therefore, it is crucial to set the in-pipe robot in the center of the pipe's horizontal x and y axes. © 2013 Springer-Verlag.