Inspection robot with high-precision environment sensing system

Abstract

The inspection robot with the high-precision environment sensing system comprises a head assembly and a driving device, and the driving device drives the inspection robot to move; the head assembly comprises a shell, a data analyzing and processing device is installed in the shell, a depth camera and a pan-tilt camera are arranged on the shell, the depth camera is arranged right in front of the shell and used for detecting objects in front of the inspection robot and generating images, and the pan-tilt camera is arranged at the top of the shell and used for collecting reading information of an instrument panel. And the depth camera and the holder camera are respectively connected with the data analysis processing device. The depth camera is arranged right in front of the shell, a three-dimensional space map can be rapidly constructed by processing and analyzing data collected by the depth camera in real time, and the inspection robot can flexibly avoid various obstacles and efficiently and safely shuttle among all devices; therefore, reading information of the instrument panel is acquired by using the holder camera, and the inspection task is automatically and efficiently completed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of robotics technology, and in particular to an inspection robot with a high-precision environmental perception system. Background Technology

[0002] As the hub of a nuclear power plant's water circulation system, the pump house undertakes a series of crucial functions, including cooling, lubrication, and pressure regulation. Many critical pieces of equipment within the plant, such as the nuclear reactor and turbines, rely on the pump house for a stable and reliable water circulation system. A malfunction in the pump house can lead to serious problems such as equipment overheating and pressure imbalances, ultimately jeopardizing the safe operation of the entire nuclear power plant. Therefore, real-time monitoring and maintenance of the pump house equipment is of paramount importance for ensuring the normal operation of a nuclear power plant.

[0003] With the rapid development of technology, robotics has been widely applied and promoted in the industrial field. Robots possess advantages such as high precision, high reliability, repeatability, and adaptability to harsh environments, effectively compensating for the shortcomings of traditional manual inspections. In the inspection scenario of nuclear power plant pump rooms, the introduction of inspection robots has become an inevitable choice to improve operation and maintenance efficiency and safety. Equipped with advanced sensors and intelligent control systems, inspection robots can achieve automated and precise inspections of pump room equipment, collect equipment operation data in real time, and promptly detect potential faults, providing strong support for the safe operation of nuclear power plants. In the early explorations of nuclear power plant pump room inspections, traditional visual perception technology was attempted, but its limitations gradually became apparent. Traditional two-dimensional vision systems can only acquire planar image information of equipment, making it difficult to accurately reconstruct the complex spatial structure of equipment and the relative positional relationships between components. For example, when identifying minor wear on pump impellers or hidden cracks at pipe connections, the lack of depth information easily leads to misjudgments and missed detections. Moreover, the lighting inside the pump room is complex and variable, with areas of direct sunlight and shadows. When dealing with such environments, traditional vision technology is prone to overexposure or underexposure of images, resulting in the loss of key features and seriously affecting detection accuracy.

[0004] Therefore, it is necessary to develop an inspection robot with a high-precision environmental perception system. Utility Model Content

[0005] To address one of the technical problems existing in the prior art, this application proposes an inspection robot with a high-precision environmental perception system for the inspection of pump rooms in nuclear power plants. This robot can adapt to the harsh environment of pump rooms in nuclear power plants and aims to automate and intelligentize the inspection of pump rooms, thereby improving inspection efficiency and safety.

[0006] According to some embodiments of this application, an inspection robot with a high-precision environmental perception system is provided, including a head assembly and a drive device. The drive device drives the inspection robot to move. The head assembly includes a housing, in which a data analysis and processing device is installed. A depth camera and a gimbal camera are disposed on the housing. The depth camera is disposed in front of the housing to detect objects in front of the inspection robot and generate images to guide the inspection robot's movement. The gimbal camera is disposed on the top of the housing to collect readings from the dashboard. The depth camera and the gimbal camera are respectively connected to the data analysis and processing device.

[0007] In some embodiments of this application, the depth camera is a RealSense D435 depth camera, which includes two infrared sensors, an infrared laser emitter, and a color camera.

[0008] In some embodiments of this application, the two infrared sensors are respectively disposed on the left and right sides of the depth camera.

[0009] In some embodiments of this application, the depth camera is embedded in the front of the housing, and the front end of the depth camera is exposed on the housing.

[0010] In some embodiments of this application, the gimbal camera is a SIYIA8mini camera gimbal.

[0011] In some embodiments of this application, the gimbal camera is provided with a rotating mechanism, which drives the gimbal camera to rotate.

[0012] In some embodiments of this application, the gimbal camera is provided with a pitch mechanism, which drives the gimbal camera to perform pitch movements.

[0013] In some embodiments of this application, the housing is provided with a connecting frame made using 3D printing technology, and the depth camera and the gimbal camera are both mounted on the connecting frame.

[0014] In some embodiments of this application, the connecting frame is provided with an adjustable joint structure corresponding to the gimbal camera.

[0015] In some embodiments of this application, the head assembly is provided with connecting portions on both sides, and two driving devices are provided, each driving device being connected to the connecting portions on both sides of the head assembly; the driving device includes a connector, a linkage structure, and a driving wheel, the connector is mated with the connecting portion, and the connector is connected to the driving wheel through the linkage structure.

[0016] In some embodiments of this application, the linkage structure includes a first linkage, a second linkage, a third linkage, and a fourth linkage. The first linkage and the second linkage are parallel to each other. One end of the first linkage and the second linkage is disposed in the connector and is rotatably connected through the third linkage. The other end of the first linkage and the second linkage is rotatably connected to the fourth linkage. The first linkage, the second linkage, the third linkage, and the fourth linkage constitute a parallel four-link linkage.

[0017] In some embodiments of this application, the connector is internally provided with a first drive motor and a second drive motor. The first drive motor drives the first link to move, and the second drive motor drives the second link to move. The free end of the fourth link is connected to the drive wheel, and the drive wheel is provided with a third drive motor, which drives the drive wheel to rotate.

[0018] The beneficial effects of this application include: The inspection robot with a high-precision environmental perception system provided by this application uses a depth camera and a gimbal camera in combination. The depth camera is set in front of the shell to detect obstacles in front of the inspection robot. By processing and analyzing a large amount of distance data collected by the depth camera in real time, the data analysis and processing device can quickly construct an accurate three-dimensional spatial map of the pump room, providing the inspection robot with clear and accurate environmental perception information. This enables the inspection robot to accurately plan its own movement path in the complex pump room environment, flexibly avoid various obstacles, and efficiently and safely move between various devices. It also uses the gimbal camera to collect the reading information of the instrument panel and automatically and efficiently completes the inspection task.

[0019] Other features and advantages of this application will be set forth in detail in the following description, and will be apparent in part from the following description, or may be learned by practicing this application. The objectives and other advantages of this application may be realized and obtained by means of the structures particularly pointed out in the description, claims and drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0020] To more clearly illustrate the technical solution of this application, the following description will be provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the following drawings only show some embodiments of this application and should not be considered as a limitation of the scope. For those skilled in the art, other related drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort. In the drawings:

[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the head assembly of the inspection robot provided in this application.

[0022] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of some of the components.

[0023] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the drive device.

[0024] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0025] Head assembly 100, housing 110, gimbal camera 120, vision device 121, rotation mechanism 122, pitch mechanism 123, depth camera 130, connecting frame 140, mounting hole 141, connecting part 150, drive device 200, connector 210, linkage structure 220, fourth linkage 230, drive wheel 240. Detailed Implementation

[0026] The present application will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. Similar elements in different embodiments are referred to by related similar element reference numerals. In the following embodiments, many details are described to facilitate a better understanding of the present application. However, those skilled in the art will readily recognize that some features may be omitted in different situations, or may be replaced by other elements, materials, or methods. In some cases, certain operations related to the present application are not shown or described in the specification. This is to avoid obscuring the core parts of the present application with excessive description. For those skilled in the art, detailed description of these related operations is not necessary; they can fully understand the related operations based on the description in the specification and general technical knowledge in the art.

[0027] Furthermore, the features, operations, or characteristics described in the specification can be combined in any suitable manner to form various embodiments. At the same time, the steps or actions in the method description can be rearranged or adjusted in a manner obvious to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the various orders in the specification and drawings are only for the clear description of a particular embodiment and do not imply a necessary order, unless otherwise stated that a particular order must be followed.

[0028] The serial numbers assigned to components in this document, such as "first" and "second," are used only to distinguish the described objects and have no sequential or technical meaning. The terms "connection" and "linkage" used in this application, unless otherwise specified, include both direct and indirect connections (linkages).

[0029] The following is combined Figures 1 to 3 The provided embodiments further illustrate the inspection robot with a high-precision environmental perception system proposed in this application.

[0030] like Figures 1 to 3As shown, some embodiments of this application provide an inspection robot with a high-precision environmental perception system, including a head assembly 100 and a drive device 200. The head assembly 100 is mounted on the drive device 200, which drives the inspection robot to move. The drive device 200 can also drive the head assembly 100 to rise and fall, enabling the head assembly 100 to capture images more effectively. The head assembly 100 includes a housing 110, within which a data analysis and processing device is installed. A depth camera 130 and a gimbal camera 120 are mounted on the housing 110. The depth camera 130 is positioned at the front of the housing 110 to detect objects in front of the inspection robot and generate images to guide the robot's movement. The gimbal camera 120 is positioned at the top of the housing 110 to collect readings from the dashboard. The depth camera 130 and the gimbal camera 120 are respectively connected to the data analysis and processing device. The inspection robot with a high-precision environmental perception system provided in this application uses a depth camera 130 and a gimbal camera 120 in conjunction. The depth camera 130 is positioned directly in front of the housing 110 to detect objects in front of the inspection robot and generate images to guide its movement. By processing and analyzing the large amount of data collected by the depth camera 130 in real time, the data analysis and processing device can quickly construct a precise three-dimensional spatial map of the interior of the nuclear power plant's pump room, providing the inspection robot with clear and accurate environmental perception information. This allows the inspection robot to accurately plan its movement path in the complex pump room environment, flexibly avoid various obstacles, and efficiently and safely move between various devices. The gimbal camera 120 can be used to collect reading information from the instrument panels of the equipment inside the nuclear power plant's pump room. The inspection robot, equipped with a PTZ camera 120, can flexibly and precisely adjust its shooting angle and focus, enabling it to quickly and accurately align with instrument panels of different locations and sizes. Connected to a data analysis and processing device, the PTZ camera 120 utilizes advanced image recognition algorithms and deep learning technology to rapidly process and analyze the acquired instrument panel images, accurately identifying pointer positions, scale values, and various warning signs, achieving real-time, automatic acquisition of equipment operating parameters. This technology not only significantly improves the efficiency and accuracy of data acquisition, effectively avoiding errors that may occur with manual reading, but more importantly, by replacing manual operation with robots, it significantly reduces the exposure time of inspection personnel to radiation environments, effectively protecting their health and safety. Simultaneously, the real-time and accurate acquisition of equipment operating parameters provides reliable data support for the nuclear power plant's equipment status monitoring and fault early warning system, helping to promptly identify potential equipment failures and take proactive countermeasures to ensure the safe and stable operation of the nuclear power plant.

[0031] like Figure 1As shown, in some embodiments of this application, the depth camera 130 is preferably a RealSense D435 depth camera, which includes two infrared sensors, an infrared laser emitter, and a color camera. The RealSense D435 is a powerful depth camera 130 with a maximum binocular depth resolution of 1280×720 and an RGB resolution of 1920×1080. Its depth detection range is 0.2m-10m, and it can achieve a depth video stream of up to 90FPS. The RealSense D435 depth camera uses ActiveStereoscopic depth technology to generate 3D point clouds, where each point has (x,y,z) coordinates, corresponding to the position of an object's surface in the scene. When using the RealSense D435 depth camera for 3D mapping, point cloud data must first be acquired. Using the API in the RealSense SDK, depth and color images from the depth camera 130 can be obtained. Converting the depth images into point cloud data yields the 3D point cloud from the camera's perspective. Subsequently, the point cloud data and reconstruction algorithms are used to reconstruct the 3D model. In practical applications, it is often used in conjunction with the RTAB-Map (Real-time Appearance Mapping) software package. RTAB-Map is a powerful software for 3D mapping and navigation using depth cameras, and there are corresponding software packages that can seamlessly integrate with it. RTAB-Map utilizes depth images received by the depth camera 130 to perform graph-based SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping), generating dense color point clouds and camera odometry. It can also perform real-time loop closure detection, thereby achieving high-precision 3D mapping.

[0032] Furthermore, in some embodiments of this application, two infrared sensors are respectively positioned on the left and right sides of the depth camera 130. By using the two infrared sensors to collect depth data and with the aid of an infrared dot matrix emitter as an auxiliary light source, a precise three-dimensional point cloud can be generated, so that each point has (x, y, z) coordinates, corresponding to the position of an object surface in the scene.

[0033] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, in some embodiments of this application, a mounting hole 141 is provided on the front of the housing 110, and the depth camera 130 is installed in the mounting hole 141 by embedding, and the front end of the depth camera 130 is exposed on the housing 110, so that it can be flexibly deployed.

[0034] like Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, in some embodiments of this application, the gimbal camera 120 is a SIYIA8mini camera gimbal. This gimbal possesses excellent stability and flexibility, and its lightweight design facilitates integration into the inspection robot without affecting the robot's overall mobility. Accurate detection of the instrument panel is crucial during the inspection of a nuclear power plant pump room. Therefore, at the algorithm level, the SIYIA8mini camera gimbal uses an improved YOLOv5 algorithm. The original YOLOv5 algorithm has already demonstrated powerful performance in object detection, capable of quickly identifying various target objects in images. For the instrument panel detection scenario in a nuclear power plant pump room, the improved YOLOv5 algorithm further optimizes the recognition accuracy of key features such as the instrument panel pointer position, scale values, and warning signs. By introducing an attention mechanism, the algorithm can focus more intently on the instrument panel area, reducing interference from other irrelevant background information and improving detection speed and accuracy. In addition, to address issues such as blurring and glare that may occur in instrument panel images under complex lighting conditions in pump rooms, the improved algorithm has implemented targeted processing in the data augmentation stage, enhancing the model's adaptability to different lighting environments and ensuring stable and accurate detection of the instrument panel status under various operating conditions.

[0035] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, in some embodiments of this application, the gimbal camera 120 is provided with a rotation mechanism 122, which drives the gimbal camera 120 to rotate. Furthermore, the gimbal camera 120 is also provided with a pitch mechanism 123, which drives the gimbal camera 120 to perform pitch movements. By setting the rotation mechanism 122 and the pitch mechanism 123, the gimbal camera 120 possesses high-precision rotation and pitch control capabilities, ensuring that the mounted vision device 121 can always accurately focus on the dashboard, acquiring clear and distortion-free images of the dashboard regardless of the inspection robot's complex operating posture.

[0036] like Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, in some embodiments of this application, a connecting frame 140 manufactured using 3D printing technology is provided on the housing 110, and both the depth camera 130 and the gimbal camera 120 are mounted on the connecting frame 140. The connecting frame 140 is specifically designed to accommodate the depth camera 130 and the corresponding gimbal camera 120, fully considering the needs of their collaborative operation and the complex environment of the nuclear power plant pump room, ensuring a stable and precise connection between the depth camera 130 and the gimbal camera 120. For example, a mounting hole 141 is provided on the front of the connecting frame 140 for mounting and fixing the depth camera 130, and several screw holes are provided on the top of the connecting frame 140, so that the gimbal camera 120 is fixed to the top of the connecting frame 140 with bolts, ensuring that the relative position of the depth camera 130 and the gimbal camera 120 does not change. In addition, using 3D printing technology to manufacture the connecting frame 140 has many advantages. On the one hand, 3D printing can achieve one-piece molding manufacturing of complex structures. For the radar and gimbal connection frame 140, its internal structure may require reinforcing ribs, weight-reducing holes, and other structural elements to reduce weight while ensuring strength. 3D printing technology can easily achieve these complex designs, which are difficult to accomplish with traditional manufacturing processes. On the other hand, 3D printing offers a high degree of customization. In the environment of a nuclear power plant pump room, there may be special circumstances such as space constraints. Through 3D printing, the frame can be quickly customized according to the shape and size of the actual installation space, ensuring that the frame can perfectly adapt to the installation environment and facilitate the flexible deployment of inspection robots in limited spaces.

[0037] Furthermore, in some embodiments of this application, the connecting frame 140 is also equipped with an adjustable joint structure corresponding to the gimbal camera 120, allowing the gimbal camera 120 to flexibly adjust its pitch and rotation angles within a certain range to meet the needs of instrument panel detection at different positions. Simultaneously, it ensures that the depth camera 130 and the gimbal camera 120 maintain a relatively stable positional relationship during the rotation of the gimbal camera 120, enabling precise spatial matching between the environmental information acquired by the depth camera 130 and the visual information of the gimbal camera 120. In practical applications, the connecting frame 140 greatly ensures the collaborative work of the depth camera 130 and the gimbal camera 120. During the inspection of a nuclear power plant pump room, the inspection robot relies on the depth camera 130 to construct an environmental map, and the gimbal camera 120 quickly and accurately adjusts to a suitable angle based on the environmental information provided by the depth camera 130 to inspect the equipment instrument panel. The stable structural design of the connecting frame 140 enables the depth camera 130 and the gimbal camera 120 to work stably and collaboratively in the complex pump room environment, even in the face of vibrations during the movement of the inspection robot and interference from equipment operation. This provides the inspection robot with reliable environmental perception and visual information acquisition capabilities, effectively promoting the efficient and accurate completion of inspection tasks and safeguarding the safe and stable operation of nuclear power plant equipment.

[0038] like Figure 3 As shown, in some embodiments of this application, the head assembly 100 is provided with connecting portions 150 on both sides, and two driving devices 200 are provided, each connected to one of the connecting portions 150 on both sides of the head assembly 100. Each driving device 200 includes a connector 210, a linkage structure 220, and a driving wheel 240. The connector 210 abuts against the connecting portion 150, and the connector 210 is connected to the driving wheel 240 via the linkage structure 220. The radius of the driving wheel 240 is preferably greater than 15cm. The large hub design enables the driving wheel 240 to easily traverse obstacles less than 20cm in diameter, allowing it to easily cross complex terrain such as steps. This provides excellent adaptability and reliability in complex terrain, expanding its application scenarios. The outer edge of the driving wheel 240 may also be equipped with an inflatable tire. A softer tire material can effectively provide additional support when traversing obstacles with steep inclines, enhancing stability and passability. The linkage structure 220 includes a first link, a second link, a third link, and a fourth link 230. The first and second links are parallel to each other. One end of the first and second links is disposed within the connector 210 and is rotatably connected to the third link. The other end of the first and second links is rotatably connected to the fourth link 230. The first, second, third, and fourth links 230 form a parallel four-bar linkage. A first drive motor and a second drive motor are disposed inside the connector 210. The first drive motor drives the first link, and the second drive motor drives the second link. The free end of the fourth link 230 is connected to a drive wheel 240, and a third drive motor is disposed on the drive wheel 240, which drives the drive wheel 240 to rotate. Furthermore, in some embodiments of this application, along the direction of the inspection robot's movement, the connection between the first link, the second link, and the fourth link 230 is located behind the drive wheel 240. Through the aforementioned reverse-flexion leg design, the link structure 220 is cleverly prevented from encountering obstacles during movement, further enhancing the inspection robot's adaptability.

[0039] It is understood that the above embodiments only illustrate preferred embodiments of this application, and their descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, but they should not be construed as limiting the scope of this application. It should be noted that, for those skilled in the art, without departing from the concept of this application, the above technical features can be freely combined, and several modifications and improvements can be made, all of which fall within the protection scope of this application. Therefore, all equivalent transformations and modifications made within the scope of the claims of this application should fall within the coverage of the claims of this application.

Claims

1. An inspection robot with a high-precision environmental perception system, characterized in that, It includes a head assembly and a drive unit, the drive unit driving the inspection robot to move; The head assembly includes a housing, inside which a data analysis and processing device is installed. A depth camera and a gimbal camera are mounted on the housing. The depth camera is positioned at the front of the housing to detect objects in front of the inspection robot and generate images to guide the movement of the inspection robot. The gimbal camera is positioned at the top of the housing to collect readings from the dashboard. The depth camera and the gimbal camera are respectively connected to the data analysis and processing device.

2. The inspection robot with a high-precision environmental perception system as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The depth camera is a RealSense D435 depth camera, which includes two infrared sensors, an infrared laser emitter, and a color camera.

3. The inspection robot with a high-precision environmental perception system as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The two infrared sensors are respectively located on the left and right sides of the depth camera.

4. The inspection robot with a high-precision environmental perception system as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The depth camera is embedded in the front of the housing, with the front end of the depth camera exposed on the housing.

5. The inspection robot with a high-precision environmental perception system as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The gimbal camera is a SIYIA8mini camera gimbal.

6. The inspection robot with a high-precision environmental perception system as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The gimbal camera is equipped with a rotating mechanism, which drives the gimbal camera to rotate.

7. The inspection robot with a high-precision environmental perception system as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The gimbal camera is equipped with a pitch mechanism, which drives the gimbal camera to perform pitch movements.

8. The inspection robot with a high-precision environmental perception system as described in any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, The housing is provided with a connecting frame made using 3D printing technology, and the depth camera and the gimbal camera are both mounted on the connecting frame.

9. The inspection robot with a high-precision environmental perception system as described in claim 8, characterized in that, The connecting frame is equipped with an adjustable joint structure corresponding to the gimbal camera.

10. The inspection robot with a high-precision environmental perception system as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The head assembly has connecting parts on both sides, and there are two driving devices, which are respectively connected to the connecting parts on both sides of the head assembly. Each driving device includes a connector, a linkage structure and a driving wheel. The connector is connected to the connecting part and the connector is connected to the driving wheel through the linkage structure.

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