...Kunlun Wu; Haifeng Sang; Yanhao Xing; Yao Lu Purpose Pipeline robots are often used in pipeline non-destructive testing. Given the need for long-range in-pipe inspections, this study aims to develop a wireless in-pipe inspection robot for image acquisition. Design/methodology/approach...

...Robert Bogue Purpose This paper aims to provide an insight into light detection and ranging (lidar) technology and its growing applications in robotics. Design/methodology/approach Following a short introduction, this paper first describes the main lidar techniques and then provides details...

...Anil Kumar Inkulu; M.V.A. Raju Bahubalendruni; Ashok Dara; SankaranarayanaSamy K. Purpose In the present era of Industry 4.0, the manufacturing automation is moving toward mass production and mass customization through human–robot collaboration. The purpose of this paper is to describe various...

...Sixian Chan; Jian Tao; Xiaolong Zhou; Binghui Wu; Hongqiang Wang; Shengyong Chen Purpose Visual tracking technology enables industrial robots interacting with human beings intelligently. However, due to the complexity of the tracking problem, the accuracy of visual target tracking still has great...

...Robert Bogue Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide an insight into how augmented reality (AR) technologies are being applied to robotics. Design/methodology/approach Following an introduction and a brief historical background to AR, this first provides examples of AR applications...

...Robert Bogue Purpose The purpose of this paper is to describe recent fruit picking robot developments with an emphasis on corporate activity rather than academic research. It also aims to provide a view on the commercial prospects for these developments. Design/methodology/approach Following...

...Robert Bogue Purpose This paper aims to provide details of recent developments in robots aimed at applications in the offshore oil and gas industries. Design/methodology/approach Following a short introduction, this first discusses developments to remotely operated vehicles (ROVs...

...Robert Bogue Purpose This paper aims to provide an insight into robot developments that use bioinspired design concepts. Design/methodology/approach Following a short introduction to biomimetics, this paper first provides examples of bioinspired terrestrial, aerial and underwater robot...

...Robert Bogue Purpose This paper aims to illustrate the growing role robots are playing in recycling and product disassembly and provide an insight into recent research activities. Design/methodology/approach Following a short introduction, this first considers robotic waste sorting systems...

...Robert Bogue Purpose This paper aims to illustrate the rapidly growing use of robots in the retail sector by considering a range of products and applications. Design/methodology/approach Following a short introduction, this paper discusses robotic products and deployments in the following...

...Robert Bogue Purpose This paper aims to provide an insight into the future for disaster relief (DR) and search and rescue (SAR) robots by considering research activities which seek to address real-world applications and by identifying key user requirements and development priorities. Design...

...Robert Bogue Purpose This paper aims to provide an insight into the current state of cloud robotics developments, technology and applications. Design/methodology/approach Following a short introduction, this paper first considers the potential benefits of cloud robotics. It discusses cloud...

...Robert Bogue Purpose This paper aims to illustrate how the growth in e-commerce has catalysed innovative developments in robots for use in warehouses. Design/methodology/approach Following a brief introduction to e-commerce and warehouse robots, this first paper discusses Amazon’s involvement...

...Robert Bogue Purpose This paper aims to provide details of a number of recent and significant agricultural robot research and development activities. Design/methodology/approach Following an introduction, this first provides a brief overview of agricultural robot research. It then discusses...

...Robert Bogue Purpose This paper aims to provide an overview of robots presently in use by the military and an insight into some that are under development. Design/methodology/approach Following a short introduction, this paper first considers existing applications of robots in the military...

...Robert Bogue Purpose – This paper aims to discuss search and rescue (SAR) and disaster relief robot developments, trials and applications and to answer the question posed in the title. Design/methodology/approach – Following a short introduction, this first describes Integrated Components...

...Richard Bloss Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to review the dramatic entry of robotics into the field of architecture and construction. Design/methodology/approach – Discussions with worldwide researchers in the field of applying robotics to architecture applications and attendance...

...Robert Bogue Purpose – This is the second part of a two-part paper which aims to provide an insight into the ethical and legal issues surrounding certain classes of robot. This part is concerned with law. Design/methodology/approach – Following an introduction, this paper first describes...

...Robert Bogue Purpose – This first part of a two-part paper aims to provide an insight into the ethical and legal issues associated with certain classes of robot. This part is concerned with ethics. Design/methodology/approach – Following an introduction, this paper first considers...

...A. Mostashfi; A. Fakhari; Mohammad Ali Badri Purpose – In this article, a detailed design of a novel power line inspection robot is studied. This robot can be used to move on ground wires for special purposes such as inspection and fault detection of electric power lines. The paper aims...