Researchers at Southeast University have developed a tracked underwater cleaning robot for removing fouling from water-conveyance structures such as dams and pipelines. The system integrates a crawler chassis, a five-function electric manipulator, and an electric rotary brush, providing a stable platform that overcomes the positioning difficulties of free-swimming ROVs in turbulent flows.
Key takeaways
- Hybrid control architecture: A force controller using neural-network adaptive PID (NNPID) regulates vertical contact force, while a trajectory-tracking controller based on extended state observer (ESO) and robust model predictive control (RMPC) compensates for model errors and underwater disturbances.
- Field-validated precision: Onshore and underwater tests demonstrated contact force errors within ±1 N and trajectory tracking errors within ±2 mm, effectively removing surface dirt along desired paths.
- System design: The robot uses a 48 V/640 W brushless DC motor-driven crawler, a 4-DOF electric manipulator with a 6-axis force sensor, and a replaceable nylon brush. Control runs on an STM32F407 via CAN bus at 1 Mbit/s, with high-level algorithms on a Qt-based host at 100 Hz UDP communication.
- Practical advantage: Unlike ROV-based cleaners, the tracked carrier maintains stability against reaction forces, enabling precise cleaning on hydraulic structures—a task still largely performed by human divers.
The work addresses a critical gap in underwater maintenance automation, offering a viable alternative to diver-based cleaning for hydraulic infrastructure. Future iterations could extend to inspection and repair tasks.
Source: 《机器人》期刊 (robot.sia.cn) · Published 2026-05-12 · “用于水工结构水下清刷作业的履带式机器人力/位混合控制”