Energy and Transportation

Energy

Energy partners join SSR-RC as members to leverage and expand their investment in robots for inspection and repair processes. The UNC Charlotte SSR-RC assists providers in the energy sector to conduct multi-disciplinary research on computation-driven robotic and sensor systems to improve the safety, capability and well-being of their employees in inspection and repair of facilities, power lines, wind turbines and other related structures.

Due to the aging of and rigorous quality inspection standards for energy facilities, power lines and related structures, there is an increasing demand to perform risk-filled tasks during inspection and repair processes. Often these processes put humans in harm’s way. The use of robots and sensing systems to assist in these hazardous situations is increasingly necessary.

For example, robotic assistance for human workers in inspections of power lines, wind turbines, wide- open, massive surface structures like hydroelectric power station dams, and nuclear facilities, for the detection of damage, wear and tear and need for repair events, takes humans out of most perilous phases of inspection.

Transportation

Membership in the SSR-RC attracts robotics and sensor systems research stakeholders across a broad spectrum of transportation and transport vehicle interests in government and industry.

Human safety is of paramount importance for innovations by government and industry in transportation and transport vehicles, including unmanned aerial vehicles, air traffic control, airspace management, surface traffic management and flight safety.

Innovations with UAV’s have increased in their use for missions that are too dirty or dangerous for manned aircraft, moving away from remote control to autonomous control vehicles.

Air traffic, airspace/surface traffic management, and flight safety R&D efforts look to UNC Charlotte’s SSR-RC site to pave the way to the next frontier of flight and airspace safety.