Thursday, November 10, 2016

Dyke Inspection Robot with an Innovative Powertrain

That headline is exactly as it was presented and some just aren't to be altered.  (Science Daily:  Dyke inspection robot with an innovative powertrain)

It may not look like it but this is another along the theme of the Age of Robots since anyone with a need for inspecting dykes will surely be satisfied with the way this robo does it.


The robot's drive train including the dual-hemisphere system.

Credit: Image courtesy of University of Twente

- Science Daily


I tell you what, buddy.  That looks like one mighty fine dyke inspector and it knows how to conserve its power so it can be ready when it's needed.  This dyke inspector knows where to go and it has the power to do it so we definitely classify this as a highly-motivated dyke-inspecting robo.

Inspecting the condition of dykes and other sea defence structures is typically a task for robots, working in a team in a highly autonomous way.  But if they move around across the dykes, perform tests and communicating the results for six hours a day, they use a lot of energy. Introducing charging stations are not a very realistic scenario.  Douwe Dresscher did research on making the robot as autonomous as possible.  He does that by charging mechanical energy and by introducing an innovative automatic gear box: it is a modern version of the 'variomatic' -- Du 'pientere pookje' -- used in Dutch DAF automobilies. Instead of a belt drive, like in the variomatic, two metal hemispheres are used.

- Science Daily

Ed:  this wasn't just about dyke puns after all

Nope.  This is one smart robo.

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