Massachusetts Institute of Technology

King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals

Changrak Choi

Kamal Youcef-Toumi

Rached Ben-Mansour

Dimitrios Chatzigeorgiou

Atia Esmaeil Khalifa

Force control system. The system includes a first pair of permanent magnets for providing a normal force on the wheel of a robot adapted for n-pipe inspections. A second pair of magnets is provided with opposite polarity so that a rotor containing magnets may be rotated with a minimum of torque required and therefore with a minimum of energy expended.

Controllable normal force mechanism with minimum energy consumption

Leak detection system. A rigid body is resiliently supported within an outer cage. Structure is provided for detecting displacement of the rigid body with respect to the outer cage, the displacement indicating a leak when the rigid body is moved by a suction force generated by a local pressure gradient resulting from a leak within a pipe network. The invention allows a leak to be determined around the circumference of a pipe.

Growing community of inventors

Cambridge, MA, United States of America

Changrak Choi