Remote inspections using landborne robots don't often allow interaction with objects or the environment being inspected. This can result in a less thorough inspection or require a team member to come out and take over from the inspection. Taking up more time and rendering the landborne robot somewhat pointless.
This is where the Boston Dynamic's Spot arm comes into play, allowing objects to be manipulated and thoroughly inspected with the built-in camera allowing you to get closer to objects.
How does ground-based interactive inspection work?
- After being programmed, Spot will autonomously rise from its dock and begin the inspection.
- Spot follows a pre-programmed path, stopping and points of interest along the way.
- When the arm is needed, it can either be used autonomously, or an operator can come in and monitor the camera on it to check if needed.
- If running autonomously, the team will be alerted if anything doesn't look right.
- Once complete, Spot will return to its base station to charge, download the data captured, and get ready for its next mission.
Benefits of using landborne robots
- Lanborne robots such as Spot with its arm allow inspections to become interactive, removing the need for a human to prepare or adjust the environment for an autonomous inspection.
- Objects can be thoroughly inspected thanks to Spot's arm having a built-in camera.
- Hard to access or reach areas can now be inspected with the arm able to make its way into tighter areas of a site.
Image: Boston Dynamics