High-mobility inchworm climbing robot for steel bridge inspection

The High Mobility Inchworm Climbing Robot (HMICRobot), capable of traversing diaphragms between sections and performing internal inspections of steel box girder bridges, was developed through our mechanical design combined with finite element simulations and adhesion force experiments. Compared to existing robots in the literature, the developed HMICRobot exhibits superior climbing and obstacle-crossing capabilities, benefiting from its hybrid power design, unique footpad electromagnetic control, and central core module with large-size wheels that provide stable and efficient mobility on both steel surfaces and the ground. The robot's exceptional locomotion capabilities, including vertical and horizontal climbing, 360-degree flipping, and obstacle crossing, make it a promising solution for complex inspection and maintenance tasks in steel box girders. In the field of inspection robots, the HMICRobot represents a significant advancement, especially for performing internal inspections of steel box girder bridges.