Abstract
In this paper, a new prototype of a helical distortion mobile robot for in-pipe inspection is presented. A helical distortion is a motion of a helical body which revolves on its body axis. This motion avoids damage to the inside wall of a pipe. The robot is flexible and has a simple structure. This paper presents the principle of this motion and the structure of the new prototype. To downsize the robot, SMA (shape memory alloy) actuators are employed for the new prototype. The experimental result shows that a helical distortion is effective in moving inside of a pipe.
