A PROTOTYPE STUDY OF AN AUTONOMOUS ROBOT PLATFORM FOR SEWERAGE SYSTEMMAINTENANCE

The paper describes KURT, an autonomous robot platform prototype that is able to navigate through a network of sewage pipes. KURT is a six-w heeled vehicle; it has modular, layered hardware and control architect ures. Its sensor configuration consists mainly of stationary and one f lexible ultrasound transducers and of two inclinometers. In experiment s run in a test sewerage system consisting of concrete pipes of 600 mm diameter, it has proven its abilities to travel safely through straig ht pipes, to recognize different types of pipe crossings, to turn at c rossings, and to navigate from a given start point to arbitrary specif ied goal points.