CASE Study: Pole CamerA

CASE Study: Pole CamerA

This report has been written by:

William PagnonCEO Freelance Robotics Pty LtdMaster in Robotics (ESIEA, Paris France)Master in Mechatronics (UQ, Brisbane Australia)

Unit 2 / 38 Neumann Rd Capalaba QLD 4157 Australia

Email: [email protected]: www.freelancerobotics.com.au

ABN: 76 147 023 185 ACN: 147 023 185

About Freelance Robotics

Freelance Robotics focuses on industrial automation as well as the creation of prototypes both for custom industrial solutions and for entrepreneurs. As part of our service, Freelance Robotics provides clients with a full Feasibility Study which illustrates the potential solution and includes CAD drawings, costing of materials and labour required, as well as the time it would take to complete the project. This document assists clients in making an informed decision as to whether to proceed to the next stage of the process which is the research and development of the product or custom solution.

Pole Camera

Freelance Robotics Pty Ltd Pole Camera Case Study2

IntroductionFirstly, thank you for choosing Freelance Robotics services. We have prepared this case study to demonstrate the product development process for the Pole Camera as an example of how we achieve success in this field.

Background

The Pole Camera is a tool that was initially developed for inspecting stormwater drainage pipes and providing real time reports in terms of blockages, state of the pipes and checking for defects. It has applications in structural engineering, plumbing, construction, mining, and safety inspection.

FORCECOR is an innovative, engineering consulting business that focuses on infrastructure inspection. Forececor found that the tool that they initially used for inspecting pipes had the following issues:

� The tool was expensive

� It did not provide a satisfactory result when inspecting pipes in cement

� It could not produce real time reports about cracks or blockages in the pipes

� No pre-filling of the inspection report was available - meaning that time in the field was wasted filling in the report

FORCECOR approached Freelance Robotics to develop a new tool to address the issues that they were having with their existing tool and so the Pole Camera was developed. Through the creation of a few prototypes the pole camera became successful in proceeding to the research and development and later the initial manufacturing stage.

Creating the Pole Camera from an idea to the current commercially viable product is the result of a stringent process requiring patience, testing, funds and numerous modifications as well as ideas for future direction.

Example of a concrete pipe in Logan, Queensland


The Process: From Concept to Reality

Process

The Freelance Robotics process involves 5 key stages. As can been seen from this illustration, different situations can be assessed on a case by case basis, for example a client may decide to proceed with only a certain stage of the process depending on their budget and their requirements.

The Pole Camera followed the entire process from concept to product commercialisation.

Feasibility

The initial phase, which involves the creation of the feasibility study comprehensive report, evaluates if a proposed idea or solution is viable, both technically and financially. After making a major adjustment to include a bridge inspection capability, Forcecor decided to proceed to the Research and Development stage.

Research and Development

In developing the Pole Camera tool there were three key areas to be considered:

� The application which is run from a tablet

� The reports produced

� The Pole Camera tool itself


Tablet Application

In creating the application, there were a few versions of software used to create an optimal solution. Initially we chose Visual Basic because it was more suitable for the development process and to prove the concept. We later moved to HTML5 for final version software owing to it being more robust and suited to the tablet application we developed. The application for the Pole Camera uses Geodetic (Mapping data) which was initially developed and used to locate manholes from a government map.

For manholes, the idea is that, depending on the manhole you are in, you can select it on a map and be able to take photos to include in the inspection report. The application also allows the modification of the map to add a new manhole using external GPS data.

Functionality was later expanded to allow inspection and reporting on a number engineering structures, including bridges, using the same process.

No special equipment is needed to run the application - it can be installed on any commercially available tablet and desktop.

Reporting

A critical aspect of this project was the ability to pre-fill reports in the office prior to undertaking field work, or to place the photos in the report and complete the details later. We achieved this for forms designed to the IPWEAQ PN5 - Stormwater Drainage. These can be accessed and manipulated via either the tablet application or a desktop version, providing maximum flexibility. The application also allows the user to view previous reports so that the differences between inspections can be easily highlighted.

Tablet Interface for manhole mapping example


Camera Hardware

In choosing hardware for the Pole Camera tool, we wanted to make the solution as flexible as possible so that users could choose to gain location data from GPS or from other sources such as an inclinometer, distance laser sensor or even robots.

As is standard practice for all Freelance Robotics product development, the hardware chosen is, as far as practical, commercial off-the-shelf. This has the advantages of:

� Proven capability

� Lower cost (and the ability to access wholesale prices)

� Readily available

� Manufacturer’s warranty

� After-sales service is already addressed

Where current commercial products do not meet our needs, we can either modify off-the-shelf items or manufacture our own bespoke items.

In the case of the Pole Camera, the system’s flexibility would allow it to be used to evaluate the depth of a river compared to the location of the bridge and provide sketch diagrams the location of wooden parts. These could be inspected to ensure that no rotting has occurred. Alterntively, it could be used for geological studies by connecting it to a distance meter.

Construction

Constructing the Pole Camera tool included the following key phases:

� Construction & Testing

� Different versions to create the final product

Once the Pole Camera construction commenced, the initial concept was tested using development boards and off-the-shelf casing. Electronic components were then manually assembled. The systems were initially trialled in the Freelance Robotics workshop and then operationally tested in the field. Client inspections of the testing were encouraged to ensure that we were on track to meet expectations.

Versions

During the construction phase Freelance Robotics built a few different versions of the Pole Camera. One version included the Pole Camera with a wireless network interface and the battery and electronics housed in a backpack. This solution was not optimal for our client, so another version focused on all the electronics and battery being contained on the head of the camera. With this version the client was very satisfied. For the bridge version, we added a 10M high telescopic pole to the Pole Camera and attached cabling to power the camera and connect the tilt and pan motorised sensor, all in HD.

The final version contained a custom circuit board that was integrated into a bespoke casing that was made for camera head. All the other mechanical parts were also custom designed e.g. the battery in the final product for Aurizon.


ConclusionThe Pole Camera is now at a stage where it is ready for commercial production. We have already assisted our client in selling a number of units and we expect that once a marketing plan is enacted, sales will come very quickly owing to the unique features of this Pole Camera and the application we created.

This case study was developed to demonstrate the way in which Freelance Robotics successfully develops commercially viable products, using the Pole Camera as an example.

As you can see, the client is involved in every part of the process, making key decisions to ensure that the final product meets their vision. Through our experience, we have found that this allows early identification of issues, which can then be resolved quickly and at the lowest cost. Our clients are encouraged to visit the workshop during construction and testing to provide input and satisfy themselves that we are on track. We have found that maintaining this close relationship results in a more successful project for all concerned.

Should you have any questions about this case study or Freelance Robotics services in general, please contact us.

Best Regards,

William Pagnon

CEO Freelance Robotics Pty Ltd

Master in Mechatronics (UQ) Australia

Master in Robotics (ESIEA) France


Documents

CASE Study: Pole CamerA