Strider Robotics Deploys IISc-Born Quadruped Robots for Industrial Inspection Trials

An Indian start-up in robotics is bringing their quadruped robots out of lab settings and into live industrial facilities. Strider Robotics, a spinout from the Indian Institute of Science’s (IISc) Stochastic Robotics lab, has started commercial pilot deployments of its four-legged inspection robot in oil and gas plants, as well as an automotive manufacturing plant.

A few innovations in the Indian robotics ecosystem have been limited to prototypes or academic research and the pilots serve as a great milestone. Strider is being deployed at operational industrial sites to demonstrate the potential for the robot to aid in routine inspections in environments where safety, accessibility and reliability are paramount.

A unique feature of the platform is that it can support the payload weighing up to 40kg, enabling the platform to host several inspection tools. Some of these include thermal cameras, gas detectors, LiDAR systems, acoustic sensors, and onboard computing – which can allow a single robot to undertake full inspection tasks that would normally demand human presence.

Industry context

The Quadruped robot is gaining momentum throughout the industry, particularly in the field of oil and gas, mining, utilities, infrastructure, and manufacturing, thanks to its ability to navigate rough terrain, climb stairs, access hard-to-reach areas, and more. With the growing implementation of automation in industrial applications, in order to enhance safety and operational efficiency, the need for robots with legs is becoming evident for conducting inspection tasks in hazardous environments.

The robotic system has been adjusted to deal with different terrains and loads through a specialized learning technology developed at the Indian Institute of Science. This is a manifestation of the general trend in robotics characterized by the emergence of AI-driven control technologies that support independent machine action.

The Indian experience in running pilot projects demonstrates the extent to which the deep-tech ecosystem has progressed in the country as far as technology is concerned. The focus has shifted away from technology capabilities toward providing technologies with a capacity for sustainable profitability after deployment in the industrial sphere.

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