A Worm-Inspired Origami Robot with Multimodal Locomotion for Adaptive Mobility in Complex Pipeline Environments

An origami worm-inspired robot is developed to achieve multimodal locomotion and multifunctional operation within confined and complex pipeline environments. The robot integrates eight Yoshimura-origami crawling modules driven by pneumatic muscles, two rolling modules with deployable flaps, and a shape-memory alloy (SMA)-actuated waterbomb gripper, forming a compact and modular mechatronic system. A unified gait-generation framework enables 25 distinct locomotion gaits, including earthworm-like peristaltic crawling (rectilinear, sidewinding, and circular), inchworm-like two-anchor crawling, and bidirectional wheel-rolling. Kinematic modeling predicts performance across modes and exhibits qualitative agreement with experiments, with deviations attributed to stick-slip and frictional effects. The robot demonstrates robust mobility in a complex industrial pipeline scenario involving inclined, curved, variable-diameter, and discontinuous pipes, as well as vertical detection and large-diameter traversal. Coordinated actuation between the pneumatic and SMA systems allows effective grasping and swallowing-like manipulation of objects with varied stiffness. The integrated design achieves high maneuverability, environmental adaptability, and functional versatility, providing a promising platform for inspection, detection, and maintenance tasks in constrained engineering environments.