Modular climbing robot for service-sector applications

Fraunhofer institute for Factory Operation and Automation (IFF). SIRIUS is a climbing robot meant for any vertical surface, regardless of the angle. T he robot can be outfitted with tools to perform a variety of service-sector tasks such as facade cleaning, building and ship coating, ship welding, in spection work on tanks, and so on. It is a modular system, and the robot ca n be adapted to almost any surface, independent of the surface material or obstacles. The robot stays attached to the surface via suction cup feet or magnetic grippers, and moves vertically an four linear guides that are coup led in two pairs. The new kinematics of the robot allow it to walk continuo usly in all directions. The robot overcomes obstacles by sensing their posi tion and generating the necessary step length in order to maximize the numb er of suction cups attached to the surface while walking over the obstacle.