Three-dimensional Mapping of Pipeline from Inside Images Using Earthworm Robot Equipped with Camera

Abstract In this paper, we propose a method to generate a 3D map in the narrow pipeline from inside images captured from a camera mounted on earthworm robot. Pipes that have reached the end of their useful life cause leaks and pits in the road; thus, it is necessary to inspect the inside of the pipe. In order to inspect the inside of the pipe, images in the pipeline are converted to development images and motion estimation of the camera is performed using the optical flow. Finally, the development images are connected to generate a 3D map.

[1]  Yasuyuki Yamada,et al.  Development of High-Speed Type Peristaltic Crawling Robot for Long-Distance and Complex-Line Sewer Pipe Inspection , 2018, 2018 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS).

[2]  Yasuyuki Yamada,et al.  Investigation of odometry method of pipe line shape by peristaltic crawling robot combined with inner sensor , 2017, 2017 IEEE International Conference on Advanced Intelligent Mechatronics (AIM).

[3]  Adrien Bartoli,et al.  Fast Explicit Diffusion for Accelerated Features in Nonlinear Scale Spaces , 2013, BMVC.

[4]  Taro Nakamura,et al.  Self-localization and 3-D model construction of pipe by earthworm robot equipped with omni-directional rangefinder , 2011, 2011 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Biomimetics.