Abstract
The paper describes KURT, an autonomous robot platform prototypethat is able to navigate through a network of sewage pipes. KURT is asix-wheeled vehicle; it has modular, layered hardware and controlarchitectures. Its sensor configuration consists mainly of stationary andone flexible ultrasound transducers and of two inclinometers. In experimentsrun in a test sewerage system consisting of concrete pipes of 600 mmdiameter, it has proven its abilities to travel safely through straightpipes, to recognize different types of pipe crossings, to turn at crossings,and to navigate from a given start point to arbitrary specified goalpoints.
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Kirchner, F., Hertzberg, J. A Prototype Study of an Autonomous Robot Platform for Sewerage System Maintenance. Autonomous Robots 4, 319–331 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1008896121662
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1008896121662