Underground mission to Mars

October 29, 2009
Underground mission to Mars

Enlarge

The Netherlands is home to around 120,000 kilometres of underground gas pipelines. Researcher Edwin Dertien of Dutch University of Twente is working on a robot which can inspect the gas pipelines independently. His long, thin robot will snake its way through the pipe network. “It’s like a mission to Mars, but then underground.”

The Pirate (Pipe Inspection Robot for Autonomous Tunnel Exploration) resembles a miniature train. It is over half a metre in length and has eight wheels. At present it runs on power from a lead that trails behind it, but the design has already incorporated space for a battery so that it will soon be able to zoom around independently. UT researcher Edwin Dertien has been hard at work on the robot since 2006, in collaboration with engineering firm Demcon, network company Alliander and quality control experts Kiwa Gastec.

Underground mission to Mars
Enlarge


Preventive measures

Edwin explains what led him to develop the Pirate. "Around 8000 gas leaks are discovered in the Netherlands each year. Some are discovered when people smell gas and some are traced using "sniffing systems" in the form of sensors that can detect gas. The problem with these methods is that you discover the weak points in the pipeline too late, i.e. once a leak has already sprung. The aim of the Pirate is to seek out weak points in the pipeline as a preventive measure."

Mars mission

Building a robot that can travel through gas pipelines may seem relatively simple, but as Edwin explains, the degree of complexity is high. "Travelling straight ahead is not too tricky but the robot encounters all kinds of obstacles in the pipelines, ranging from bends and constrictions to valves and diagonal pipes." An additional factor is that communicating with a robot on the move underground is all but impossible. Edwin compares the project to a Mars mission. "Under those conditions a robot has to negotiate uncharted territory and respond to stimuli that are picked up by its sensors. The robot therefore has to be so smart that it can continue to operate and complete its mission even when faced with disturbances."

Underground mission to Mars
Enlarge


T junctions

The Pirate has been designed for pipes with a diameter of between 5 and 12 centimetres. The robot attaches itself to the wall of the pipe by folding its front and rear segments to form an inverted V shape. This clinging technique also enables the robot to travel along diagonal pipes. To make sure that the robot can negotiate bends, the Pirate has a central axle which allows the front and back sections to rotate independently of each other. Edwin is currently refining the robot's steering system with final-year student Harwin Reemeijer. "The trickiest challenge is getting through a right-angled turn, as you would encounter at a T junction. When the front of the robot goes into the turn, it is forced to let go of the wall, which means it loses part of its momentum."

Underground mission to Mars
Enlarge


Eyes and ears

Once the robot is fully functional in terms of steering and motion, it will be fitted with sensors which will act as its proverbial eyes and ears. Edwin will fit the robot with a camera and a laser which work in unison so that the robot not only "sees" where it is going and where obstacles lie, but can also measure whether the pipe is round enough and free of dents, which can be caused by tree roots for example. An ultrasonic microphone will function as the robot's ears and listen out for gas escaping from the pipes. Edwin expects that his will be ready to embark on its maiden trip through the Netherlands' gas pipeline network in three to four years' time.

Provided by University of Twente (news : web)

Filter


Move the slider to adjust rank threshold, so that you can hide some of the comments.


Display comments: newest first

Birger
Oct 30, 2009

Rank: not rated yet
Maybe somethig useful for bona fide Mars missions -mainly, for exploring the *lava tube caves* that are expected to exist under much of the surface of the Moon and Mars, providing shelter from radiation for future astronauts on extended missions.
Rank 5 /5 (2 votes)
Related Stories
Relevant PhysicsForums posts
  • How to tilt a object
    created11 hours ago
  • How to calculate total compressibility in liquid porous solid system
    created16 hours ago
  • Need help reading 3-D
    createdFeb 11, 2012
  • A way to send and receive wireless data
    createdFeb 11, 2012
  • Calling function with no input argument
    createdFeb 10, 2012
  • Force free body diagram problem on gym equipment
    createdFeb 10, 2012
  • More from Physics Forums - General Engineering

More news stories

The joy of cheques

An electronic cheque which eliminates the need for costly processing by banks but preserves the simplicity and ease of a traditional cheque book has been designed by a team of academics in the UK.

Technology / Other

created 58 minutes ago | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Research shows promise in converting camelina oil into jet fuel

(PhysOrg.com) -- Researchers at Montana State University-Northern have developed a process to convert camelina oil to jet fuel and other high-value chemicals. MSU has applied for a U.S. patent and research is ongoing.

Technology / Energy & Green Tech

created 55 minutes ago | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Thomas Edison inspires the oscar awards you don't see

Thomas Edison's invention of the first motion picture camera in 1891 inspired scientific and technological advances that he never could have imagined.

Technology / Hi Tech & Innovation

created 9 minutes ago | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Cutting our carbon footprint

Roofing materials that double as solar panels and can also moderate the temperature of buildings are among the next-generation building products being developed at UNSW.

Technology / Energy & Green Tech

created 44 minutes ago | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

The art of shutting down a nuclear plant

Gaëtan Girardin, researcher in nuclear engineering, gives us the key to understanding nuclear reactor safety. While the disaster at Fukushima is at the center of our conversation, the recent and minor ...

Technology / Energy & Green Tech

created 36 minutes ago | popularity not rated yet | comments 0


With climate change, today's '100-year floods' may happen every three to 20 years: research

Last August, Hurricane Irene spun through the Caribbean and parts of the eastern United States, leaving widespread wreckage in its wake. The Category 3 storm whipped up water levels, generating storm surges ...

Researchers make better heat sensor based on butterfly wings

(PhysOrg.com) -- Scientists have long known that butterfly wings produce their iridescent colors by bouncing light around and between tiny ridges in structures made of chitin. More recently they’ve discovered ...

Manipulating genes with hidden TALENs

(PhysOrg.com) -- A better understanding of gene function in model plant and animal systems could be used to develop useful traits in livestock and crop plants, and might someday lead to developments in stem ...

Couples in the same place emotionally stay together, study says

(Medical Xpress) -- Despite life’s ups and downs, couples whose feelings are in sync consistently over time are more likely to stay together, says a University of California, Davis, study.

Researchers make breakthrough in stem cell research

(Medical Xpress) -- University of Queensland scientists have developed a world-first method for producing adult stem cells that will substantially impact patients who have a range of serious diseases.

Georgia Tech develops software for the rapid analysis of foodborne pathogens

2011 brought two of the deadliest bacterial outbreaks the world has seen during the last 25 years. The two epidemics accounted for more than 4,200 cases of infectious disease and 80 deaths. Software developed at Georgia Tech ...