AI Robots Set to Inspect Buildings and Safeguard Against Structural Failures
Posted: 2024-12-18
Even the strongest structures will eventually fail. When such failures might occur is hard to predict, so it takes regular inspection to ensure buildings and public infrastructure are in good condition. Now, researchers think artificial intelligence (AI)-powered robots could handle these checkups.
Concrete crack detection has come a long way over time, but researchers believe it can go further. Automating the process through AI and robotics could transform the industry for the better.
How Do AI Robot Building Inspections Work?
Scientists at Drexel University created a solution that uses a convolutional neural network to recognize structural damage in concrete. Upon seeing a crack, the machine vision system measures it with a laser scanner while using lidar to scan the surrounding area.
Using the lidar scan and 3D laser measurements, the robot then builds a digital twin of the damaged structure. This virtual replica makes it easier to assess the condition of the crack, including whether it’s cause for alarm yet or how it may worsen in the future. Building and architectural professionals can use such insights to inform their next steps.
Read the full article at Robotics Tomorrow.
