According to DB Cargo, the robot comes fitted with sophisticated cameras, sensors and AI. Spot can also identify freight wagons and carry out visual inspections to detect damage to the train. Moreover the robotic dog can be used in various places that are difficult or dangerous for people to access, such as underneath trains.
Spot weighs 25 kilograms, is 84 centimetres tall and can reach a speed of up to six kilometres per hour. The robot is described by DB Cargo as being “extremely robust” and “more agile than any robot that has come before”.
The robot solution works in tandem with remote maintenance software provided by German start-up firm Energy Robotics, which adapts the system to DB’s specific requirements and leases it as a “Robot as a Service”.
Spot is being tested in a six-week trial focusing on two applications. First, it will identify wagons using RFID (a process for automatically identifying objects via radio) and identify text on two tracks. Next, it will perform visual inspection of axles in the maintenance pit of the freight wagon depot.
“The walking robot can reduce walking distances by half, objectify inspection results and increase safety by removing the need for human workers to enter the pit. This relieves employees of physically demanding work and gives them time for more productive activities. It also reduces maintenance costs and helps compensate for the lack of skilled workers,” says DB Cargo.
If the trial is successful, DB Cargo says walking robots like Spot could take over these tasks in four DB Cargo facilities in the future. The robots could also perform other tasks like detecting loose brake hoses and leaks on freight wagons.