A Framework for a Digital Twin of Inspection Robots
Source abstract
Abstract
The study addresses the design and implementation of a modular, scalable platform for specialized inspection tasks, highlighting its suitability for future research activities. The work presents a fully validated methodology that encompasses both the physical robot and its digital twin. Specifically, the objective of this work is to design and develop a sensor-equipped mobile robot designed for inspection and surveillance tasks. The study places particular emphasis on the robot’s actuation system, the design and implementation of its control architecture, and the creation of a PC-based control interface. Additionally, suitable sensors can be integrated to enable future capabilities in automatic obstacle detection and autonomous navigation. The paper presents a digital shadow/DT-enabling framework to support inspection and surveillance operations, grounded in the digital representation of the robot.
Source: crossref · Quality: baseline
Research context
OpenAlex topics: Robotics and Sensor-Based Localization · Digital Transformation in Industry · Robotic Path Planning Algorithms
SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.
Affiliations
Department of Civil and Mechanical Engineering, University of Cassino and Southern Lazio, Via Di Biasio 43, 03043 Cassino, Italy
Department of Mechanical, Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Cagliari, Via Marengo 2, 09123 Cagliari, Italy
Department of Mechatronics, Silesian University of Technology, ul. Akademicka 10A, 44-100 Gliwice, Poland
References (37)
Show source-provided references
1. Ramasubramanian, A.K., Mathew, R., Kelly, M., Hargaden, V., and Papakostas, N. (2022). Digital Twin for Human–Robot Collaboration in Manufacturing: Review and Outlook. Appl. Sci., 12.10.3390/app12104811 ↗
2. Meixi, J., Yidan, T., and Zhifan, W. (2024). Comprehensive Analysis of Inspection Robot Technology and Application in Substation. Proceedings of the 2023 International Conference on Data Science, Advanced Algorithm and Intelligent Computing (DAI 2023), Atlantis Press.
3. Vision guided robotic inspection for parts in manufacturing and remanufacturing industry10.1007/s13243-020-00091-x ↗
4. Exploring human-machine collaboration in industry: A systematic literature review of digital twin and robotics interfaced with extended reality technologies10.1007/s00170-023-12291-3 ↗
5. Grieves, M. (2025, December 30). Digital Twin: Manufacturing Excellence Through Virtual Factory Replication. White Paper 2025. Available online: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/275211047_Digital_Twin_Manufacturing_Excellence_through_Virtual_Factory_Replication.
6. Schirrmeister, F. (2019). System Emulation and Digital Twins in Aerospace Applications, Cadence Design Systems, Inc.
7. Shaptala, S., and Myronova, N. (2023). Embedding Digital Twin Technology in Robotics. Manag. Dev. Complex Syst., 45–51.10.32347/2412-9933.2023.53.45-51 ↗
8. An Application Framework of Digital Twin and Its Case Study10.1007/s12652-018-0911-3 ↗
9. Digital Twins and Cyber–Physical Systems toward Smart Manufacturing and Industry 4.0: Correlation and Comparison10.1016/j.eng.2019.01.014 ↗
10. Focused section on robotics enabled inspection10.1007/s41315-025-00493-9 ↗
11. Digital twins to embodied artificial intelligence: Review and perspective10.20517/ir.2025.11 ↗
12. Hoebert, T., Seibel, S., Amersdorfer, M., Vincze, M., Lepuschitz, W., and Merdan, M.A. (2024). Framework for Enhanced Human–Robot Collaboration during Disassembly Using Digital Twin and Virtual Reality. Robotics, 13.10.3390/robotics13070104 ↗
13. Robot digital twin systems in manufacturing: Technologies, applications, trends and challenges10.1016/j.rcim.2025.103103 ↗
14. Bayrhammer, W.C., and Nadoda, E.A.J. (2024). Digital Twins to drive Robot-based Disassembly Applications: Asset Models for Autonomous Planning. Proceedings of the ACM/IEEE 27th International Conference on Model Driven Engineering Languages and Systems, Association for Computing Machinery.
15. Industrial Collaborative Robot Digital Twin integration and Control Using Robot Operating System
16. Reconfigurable inspection robot for industrial applications10.1016/j.promfg.2020.01.075 ↗
17. Mondal, A., Das, A., Ray, D., Patkar, U., Chand, S., Kumar, S., Keshari, C., and Patel, S. (2025). Indigenously Developed Robotic Devices for Inspection of Critical Components in Power Plants. e-J. Nondestruct. Test., 30.10.58286/31302 ↗
18. Multi-scene application of intelligent inspection robot based on computer vision in power plant10.1038/s41598-024-56795-8 ↗
19. Domin, J., Górski, M., Białecki, R., Zając, J., Grzyb, K., Kielan, P., Adamczyk, W., Ostrowski, Z., Wienchol, P., and Lamkowski, K. (2020). Wheeled robot dedicated to the evaluation of the technical condition of large-dimension engineering structures. Robotics, 9.10.3390/robotics9020028 ↗
20. Bei, X., and Luo, Y. (2025, December 30). Advances in Autonomous Pipeline Inspection Robotics: A Comprehensive Analysis of Modern Technologies and Performance Evaluation. Available online: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/397316922_Advances_in_Autonomous_Pipeline_Inspection_Robotics_A_Comprehensive_Analysis_of_Modern_Technologies_and_Performance_Evaluation_Author.
21. Design of a Four-Wheeled Inner Pipeline Inspection Robot
22. Robotic Systems for Sewer Inspection and Monitoring Tasks: Overview and Novel Concepts10.1109/JSEN.2025.3528109 ↗
23. Jeon, K.-W., Jung, E.-J., Bae, J.-H., Park, S.-H., Kim, J.-J., Chung, G., Chung, H.-J., and Yi, H. (2024). Development of an In-Pipe Inspection Robot for Large-Diameter Water Pipes. Sensors, 24.10.3390/s24113470 ↗
24. Fischer, W., Caprari, G., Siegwart, R., and Moser, R. (2009, January 10–15). Compact Magnetic Wheeled Robot for Inspecting Complex Shaped Structures in Generator Housings and Similar Environments. Proceedings of the 2009 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems, St. Louis, MO, USA.10.1109/IROS.2009.5354690 ↗
25. Six-wheeled Demining Robot for crossing rough terrain and Obstacles
26. A Review on Design and Characteristics of Landmine Detection Robot
27. A six-legged robot-based system for humanitarian demining missions10.1016/j.mechatronics.2007.04.014 ↗
28. Integrated robotic systems for Humanitarian Demining10.5772/5694 ↗
29. Rea, P., Ottaviano, E., Castillo-Garcia, F., and Gonzalez-Rodriguez, A. (2022). Inspection Robotic System: Design and Simulation for Indoor and Outdoor Surveys. Innovations in Mechatronics Engineering, Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Innovation in Engineering, ICIE 2021, Guimarães, Portugal, 28–30 June 2021, Springer. Lecture Notes in Mechanical Engineering.10.1007/978-3-030-79168-1_29 ↗
30. THROO: A Tracked Hybrid Rover to Overpass Obstacles10.1080/01691864.2014.891949 ↗
31. Effects of the design parameters on the synthesis of Geneva mechanisms10.1177/0954406212466194 ↗
32. Pierrel, S., Cirillo, F., and Solmaz, G. (2025, December 30). Country-Wide Digital Twin for Humanitarian AI: The Case Study of Cambodian Mine Action. hal-04832133v2, 2024. Available online: https://hal.science/hal-04832133v2.
33. De Cubber, G., Le Flécher, E., La Grappe, A., Ghisoni, E., Maroulis, E., Ouendo, P., Hawari, D., and Doroftei, D. (2023, January 13–15). Dual Use Security Robotics: A Demining, Resupply and Reconnaissance Use Case. Proceedings of the 2023 IEEE International Symposium on Safety, Security, and Rescue Robotics (SSRR), Naraha, Japan.10.1109/SSRR59696.2023.10499941 ↗
34. Flexible robotic teleoperation architecture for intelligent oil fields10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e03833 ↗
35. Figliolini, G., and Rea, P. (2007, January 4–7). Ca.U.M.Ha. robotic hand (cassino-underactuated-multifinger-hand). Proceedings of the 2007 IEEE/ASME International Conference on Advanced Intelligent Mechatronics, Zurich, Switzerland. Article number 44125622007.10.1109/AIM.2007.4412562 ↗
36. Antosz, K., Trojanowska, J., Machado, J., and Stadnicka, D. (2026). Design and Simulation of an Inspection Robot for Realizing Its Digital Twin. Advances in Lean Manufacturing, Volume 1, Proceedings of the ELEC 2025, Rzeszow, Poland, 22–24 October 2025, Springer. Lecture Notes in Mechanical Engineering;.10.1007/978-3-032-09806-1 ↗
37. Mechatronic design and experimental validation of a novel robotic hand10.1108/IR-04-2013-344 ↗