Automated inspection of the inner surface of a pipe can be achieved by
a mobile robot. Pipe inspection is necessary to locate defects due to
corrosion and wear while the pipe is transporting fluids. Pipe inspec
tion devices are available for these tasks; they commonly use ultrason
ic or magnetic flux variation to detect defects. Says that the magnitu
de of the costs involved in the development and implementation of thes
e inspection techniques is such that it inhibits their more frequent a
nd widespread use. Posits that the automated pipe inspection robot pre
sented is a proposed cost-effective alternative solution. The inspecti
on device is a PC-based design that uses mechatronic principles to ens
ure a purposeful interaction between the robot and its environment.