HomeProjectsRobotics and Advanced ManufacturingCable-driven Inspection Robot for High-rise Building Façade

Cable-driven Inspection Robot for High-rise Building Façade

Project Quick Facts

Principal Investigator

  • Prof. LAU Tat Ming Darwin

    Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering

  • Funding Sources

    Innovation and Technology Commission

    Hong Kong Science Park

  • Collaboration

    Architectural Services Department

    Cheung Hing Construction Co., Ltd.

    Chun Wo Development Holdings Limited

    CUBE Robotics Limited

    SFK Construction Holdings Limited

    Square Construction Co., Ltd

  • Patent

    US Provisional Application

  • Award

    Silver Medal, International Exhibition of Inventions of Geneva 2022

    Second Prize, The 8th Hong Kong University Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition

The mobile cable robot system can perform contact-based façade inspections. The robot consists of four components: 1) one or more mobile carriers with the cable-driven robot winches; 2) cable-driven robot to move the inspection end-tool; 3) the end-effector platform with inspection tools and stabilization; and 4) digital recording and data analysis of the building health. In terms of application, the system can conduct robotic inspections through automatic, precise inspection sensors. It also generates intuitive inspection results with 3D point cloud models through photogrammetry and is compatible with various modules to perform different façade operations e.g. cleaning, painting, and pipe installation. The current robot system has been verified by 5 site trials, supported by our industrial partners. We would welcome the opportunity to collaborate with you!

Mobile façade inspection robot to perform physical hammer tapping to check for potential concrete spalling
End-effector of the façade inspection robot with different modules embedded to facilitate the inspection process

Uniqueness and Competitive Advantages:

  • Simplifies the current workflow
  • Eliminates the need for working at height
  • Provides a quantitative, digital diagnosis
3D model of a test site with façade inspection results obtained by autonomous inspection process of the mobile façade inspection robot

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