Current Status and Trends of Wall-Climbing Robots Research

A wall-climbing robot is an electromechanical device capable of autonomous or semi-autonomous movement on intricate vertical surfaces (e.g., walls, glass facades, pipelines, ceilings, etc.), typically incorporating sensing and adaptive control systems to enhance task performance. It is designed to perform tasks such as inspection, cleaning, maintenance, and rescue while maintaining stable adhesion to the surface. Its applications span various sectors, including industrial maintenance, marine engineering, and aerospace manufacturing. This paper provides a systematic review of the physical principles and scalability of various attachment methods used in wall-climbing robots, with a focus on the applicability and limitations of different attachment mechanisms in relation to robot size and structural design. For specific attachment methods, the design and compatibility of motion and attachment mechanisms are analyzed to offer design guidance for wall-climbing robots tailored to different operational tasks. Additionally, this paper reviews localization and path planning methods for wall-climbing robots, comparing graph search, sampling-based, and feedback-based algorithms to guide strategy selection across varying environments and tasks. Finally, this paper outlines future development trends in wall-climbing robots, including the diversification of locomotion mechanisms, hybridization of attachment systems, and advancements in intelligent localization and path planning. This work provides a comprehensive theoretical foundation and practical reference for the design and application of wall-climbing robots.