In Japan they have created machines that work like this “Plumbers” Robots for pipe maintenance SPD1 which has the form spider And they work in sync with other pairs.

“The useful life of sewer pipes is 50 years, and there are many sewer pipes that have reached the end of this useful life. is great deficit from work force Inspections of such pipelines and the number of those not inspected are increasing,” said the robotic solutions manufacturer. Tmusik South China Morning Post (SCMP).

The device The SPD1 spider robot measures 21 x 25 x 28 cm and weighs 3.5 kg and is designed to walk through pipes too small for humans. These robots have a direct connection with a human on the surface who uses a joystick to control the robot.

Exactly what a human operator can see live videos from the robot’s built-in camera as the machine scans the environment using sensors and LED lights.

Early versions of the robot had wheels for movement, but due to the uneven and rocky surface of the drainage systems, they now have eight legs To facilitate mobility, reaching and grasping. The good thing is that these robots can work in harmony with each other, but three of them can be physically combined and act as a team.

Thus, synchronously, the first robot will examine the pipeline, the second will identify parts that need repair, and the third will perform the repair using a robotic arm containing a tool. Its creators plan to have the robots ready for commercialization after April 2024, New versions are in progress.

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Another small robot that reaches the lungs

The rise of small appliances and machines is in full swing. This time, a group of scientists from Leeds University in England designed A A robot with tentacles which can explore the lungs and penetrate into the smallest crevices of the bronchi.

This robot consists of a series of interconnected cylinders, each 2 mm in diameter, like a catheter inserted into a bronchoscope. In total, its length is 8 mm, but thanks to the elastomer material that makes it, very flexible i smooth, So each segment can be articulated virtually independently.

This material, in turn, is covered with a small magnetic layer that allows it to be manipulated from the outside. Actually, the robot with the tentacles won’t be the only robot in the room because they are used Mounted magnets on the robot arm that will guide it. This allows the device to be individually guided for each patient.

Testing of 3D printed bronchial trees based on anatomical data has been completed. It is expected that along with the deceased, the result will be good. If all goes well, in a few years more patients will have access to this tentacle robot in clinics and hospitals.

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