Vortex robot

Wireless Wall Climbing Robot with Vortex-Vacuum Adhesion

This is a wall climbing robot with vortex vacuum technique, developed to provide fast motion on all types of surfaces (e.g. brick, concrete, glass, etc.). The adhesion is by means of a single sliding suction cup with vacuum created by a propeller. A wheeled locomotion system enables fast motion and the robot can climb on nearly any kind of vertical wall surface in an urban environment. A small size and minimal weight enables the robot to easily transfer from the ground to a wall and vice versa.

The adhesion mechanism is based on a very small 18.000 rpm motor, which creates a rotating column of air by spinning a rotor with a tiny aluminium propeller. This cylindrical column of air has an interior air pressure that is much lower than the ambient air pressure, and the resultant partial vacuum provides an attraction force generated over the surface called Vortex, similar as a tornado.

The drive wheels are controlled by a radio control system of four servo motors with 360 degrees of rotation. Each pair of wheels is driven simultaneously to obtain rotation in any direction on its own central spot and move forward and backward. The robot can operate for about 30 minutes; it is supplied by two sets of Li-Po rechargeable batteries and it can carry a 1 kg payload.

Country & Year

England - 2006

Authors

Hernando Leon-Rodriguez
Tariq Sattar

Vortex Robot on Wall Glass

Vortex Robot on Wall Brick