Crawler Robot Inspection for Balcony Interior Moisture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional eye inspections of exterior elevated building elements, such as decks and balconies, cannot detect internal health issues like wood rot and metal rust, requiring destructive methods and lacking a systematic maintenance approach.
Innovation Solution
A system and method using custom-made snake cameras and crawler robots to inspect interior spaces of exterior elevated elements through drilled holes, combined with environmental sensors and AI/machine learning for damage detection and automated maintenance recommendations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional eye inspection methods are used to examine exterior elevated elements, then the inspection process is simple and requires no special equipment, but internal damage conditions such as wood rot and metal rust cannot be detected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical eye inspection with electronic imaging systems including snake cameras and crawler robots that can penetrate into interior spaces of exterior elevated elements. These electronic systems capture images and use AI/ML algorithms to detect internal damage conditions like wood rot and metal rust that are invisible to the naked eye, thereby substituting mechanical inspection with electronic and computational methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces specialized inspection devices such as snake cameras and crawler robots as intermediaries between the inspector and the interior spaces of exterior elevated elements. These intermediaries can navigate through drilled holes and confined spaces to capture images of internal structures, acting as mediators that bridge the gap between external inspection capabilities and internal damage detection needs.
2Measurement precision
If destructive inspection methods are used to detect internal damage, then accurate detection of wood rot and metal rust can be achieved, but structural integrity is compromised and repair costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces destructive physical inspection methods with non-destructive electronic imaging and AI/ML analysis systems. These systems can detect internal damage conditions through captured images without requiring physical destruction of the structure, thereby maintaining structural integrity while achieving accurate damage detection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates visual copies (images) of the interior spaces of exterior elevated elements using snake cameras and crawler robots. These image copies allow for detailed analysis of internal damage conditions without physically disturbing or damaging the actual structure, enabling accurate detection while preserving structural integrity.
3Reliability
If comprehensive inspection of interior spaces is performed, then early detection of wood rot and metal rust is possible, but inspection time and resource requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service through automated AI/ML algorithms that automatically analyze captured images to detect damage conditions. The system performs self-diagnosis by processing images and generating maintenance recommendations without requiring extensive manual inspection time, thereby achieving comprehensive inspection with reduced time investment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates feedback mechanisms where AI/ML algorithms continuously learn from analyzed images and improve detection accuracy over time. The system provides feedback through automated reporting and maintenance recommendations, enabling rapid assessment and reducing the time required for comprehensive inspection while maintaining high reliability.
4Productivity
If manual inspection methods are used, then equipment costs are low, but inspection efficiency and productivity are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements multi-functional inspection systems where snake cameras and crawler robots can inspect various types of exterior elevated elements (decks, balconies, porches, stairways) using the same core technology platform. The AI/ML analysis system universally processes images from different locations and conditions, enabling high productivity across diverse inspection scenarios without requiring separate specialized equipment for each structure type.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of inspecting a balcony identifies an area of the balcony where there is no access to pass a crawler robot from the outside of the balcony into the interior space of the balcony, drills a hole into the interior space of the balcony, passes the crawler robot that includes a humidity sensor through the hole into the interior space of the balcony. The method, by the processor of an electronic device, receives humidity measurements of the interior space of the balcony from the humidity sensor, compares the humidity measurements with a threshold value, determines that at least one of the humidity sensor measurements exceeds the humidity threshold value; and generates a notification indicating the humidity in the interior space of the balcony exceeds the humidity threshold value based on the determination. The method removes the crawler robot from the interior space of the balcony and seals the hole.