Date of Award

6-9-2026

Document Type

Thesis

Publisher

Santa Clara : Santa Clara University, 2026

Department

Electrical and Computer Engineering

First Advisor

Andrew Wolfe

Abstract

Confined spaces are dangerous and awkward to navigate environments, often putting those who work in them at risk. To reduce effort and human exposure to these hazards, robotic systems can be used to navigate and inspect these areas to limit, or even eliminate the need for human presence in confined spaces. This project proposes an autonomous robot that can navigate confined spaces while sending data back to the user. The robot features a spherical body that is capable of a zero rotational axis, with an external, magnetically attached head. This head contains scanners or tools that the user can remotely operate. Because the head is magnetic, it can be easily detached and replaced with another head containing a different array of scanners or tools. These capabilities allow the robot to help with or complete work otherwise done by humans. By reducing the need for human presence in confined spaces, this robot has the potential to create safer and more efficient work environments.

Download

Share

COinS