US Government As Represented by the Secretary of the Army

Workhorse Technologies, LLC

Warren Charles Whittaker

William L Whittaker

Charles P Marsh

Carlos Felipe Reverte

Scott Mason Thayer

Aaron Christopher Morris

Frank Jay Robb

Zachary Meyer Omohundro

David Ian Ferguson

Vince F Hock

Christopher Baker

A system incorporating a robot to inspect ferrous surfaces. Preferably, the robot is an articulated device having a tractor module for motive power and steering, a power module for electrical power and communications and additional motive power, and a third module for cleaning and inspection. The robot uses sensors and generates and transmits signals to a computer through a tether and receives direction from an operator via the computer and tether. The computer continuously monitors the location of the robot and supports the robot during deployment. In a specific application, the robot travels the interior of a tank on a set of magnetized wheels. Prior to inspection, the tank surface is cleaned of deposits by rotary cutters and rotary brushes on the third module. The robot obtains thickness measurements via onboard ultrasonic transducers that contact the cleaned surface. A method for implementing inspection of ferrous surfaces is also described.

System and method for accessing ferrous surfaces normally accessible only with special effort

Robotic systems for modeling, mapping and exploring subterranean void spaces such as mines, caves, tunnels, bunkers, and conduits. Robotic modeling of subterranean voids is generally enabled by a procedural system consisting of preprocessing, ingress, void modeling, mapping and navigation, exploration, conveying payloads other than void modeling sensors, egress, and post processing. The robots can either be imposed mobility or can be self mobile with either autonomous, remote, teleoperated, or manual modes of operation. The robot may optionally transform from a compact size into a more conventional operating size if the operating size exceeds the void entry opening size. Void geometries with flat floors are amenable to robot locomotion such as rolling, crawling, walking or swimming. Alternatively, irregular floor geometries that preclude self mobilization may be accessible by imposed mobilization such as dropping or pushing a movable robotic sensor into such voids. The robotic device is preferably adaptable to voids filled with a gas or liquid. To maximize mapping applicability, the robot optionally includes sensing, locomotion and environmental tolerance to submersion and safeguarding, according to use criteria.

Robotic modeling of voids

Growing community of inventors

Pittsburgh, PA, United States of America

Warren Charles Whittaker