# US 12,577,837 B2 · High pressure burrowing everting robot with sensorized skin and for subsurface sensor deployment > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,577,837 B2 - Document ID: US12577837B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/864,137 - Filed: 2023-06-07 - Published: 2025-10-02 - Granted: 2026-03-17 - Earliest claimed: 2023-06-07 - Assignees: The Regents of the University of California; Georgia Tech Research Corporation - Applicants: The Regents of the University of California; Georgia Tech Research Corporation - Inventors: Nicholas D. Naclerio; Elliot W. Hawkes; Daniel I. Goldman - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12577837B2 ## CPC - B25J 9/142: {comprising inflatable bodies} - E21B 7/205: {without earth removal (E21B7/30 takes precedence)} - B25J 9/0012: {making use of synthetic construction materials, e.g. plastics, composites} - B25J 9/14: fluid - B25J 13/08: by means of sensing devices, e.g. viewing or touching devices - B25J 18/06: flexible - B25J 19/02: Sensing devices - E21B 47/07: Temperature - E21B 49/00: Testing the nature of borehole walls; Formation testing; Methods or apparatus for obtaining samples of soil or well fluids, specially adapted to earth drilling or wells - B25J: MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES ({manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery A61B34/70; manipulators used in cleaning hollow articles B08B9/04}; manipulators associated with rolling mills B21B39/20; manipulators associated with forging machines B21J13/10; {manipulators associated with picking-up and placing mechanisms B23P19/007}; means for holding wheels or parts thereof B60B30/00; {vehicles with ground-engaging propulsion means, e.g. walking members B62D57/02, B62D57/032; devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials between conveyors B65G47/90, B65G47/91; manipulators with gripping or holding means for transferring packages B65H67/065}; cranes B66C; {manipulators used in the protection or supervision of pipe-line installations F17D5/00; walking equipment adapted for nuclear steam-generators F22B37/006}; manipulators specially adapted for, or associated with, nuclear reactors G21C; {apparatus used for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor H10P72/50}) - E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS ## Abstract A high-pressure burrowing everting robot includes a tubular body formed of a high-pressure skin and airtight bladder arranged to permit pressure to evert the high-pressure skin and bladder together such that the high-pressure skin forms an outer surface of the robot when everted. A sensor is arranged at a distal tip and/or on the outer surface of the high-pressure skin. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A high-pressure burrowing everting robot, comprising a tubular body formed of a high-pressure skin and airtight bladder arranged to permit pressure to evert the high-pressure skin and bladder together such that the high-pressure skin forms an outer surface of the robot when everted, and a sensor arranged at a distal tip and/or a sensor on the outer surface, comprising leads to the sensor arranged at a distal tip and/or the sensor on the outer surface that extend through a lumen formed by the body when everted. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The high-pressure burrowing everting robot of claim 1, wherein the sensor on the outer surface comprises a plurality of discrete sensors connected by flexible electronics. ### Claim 3 A high-pressure burrowing everting robot, comprising a tubular body formed of a high-pressure skin and airtight bladder arranged to permit pressure to evert the high-pressure skin and bladder together such that the high-pressure skin forms an outer surface of the robot when everted, a sensor arranged at the distal tip, and the sensor on the outer surface. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The high-pressure burrowing everting robot of claim 3, wherein the sensors on the outer surface comprise thin electrodes bonded to the outer surface. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The high-pressure burrowing everting robot of claim 3, wherein the sensors on the outer surface comprises a connection that is wireless, via wires on the high pressure skin of the robot, or via wires inside a lumen formed by the body when everted. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The high-pressure burrowing everting robot of claim 3, comprising a plurality of sensors arranged along a length of the outer surface. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The high-pressure burrowing everting robot of claim 6, wherein the sensor arranged at the distal tip and the sensors arranged along the length of the outer surface are selected from atmospheric humidity, temperature, pressure sensors, flexible touch, light, microphone and accelerometer sensors. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The high-pressure burrowing everting robot of claim 6, wherein the tubular body comprises a composite body that can withstand a pressure of at least 1 Mpa. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The high-pressure burrowing everting robot of claim 8, wherein the tubular body comprises a composite body that can withstand a pressure of between 1 Mpa and 6 Mpa. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The high-pressure burrowing everting robot of claim 6, wherein the high-pressure skin is a durable composite fabric. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The high-pressure burrowing everting robot of claim 10, wherein the bladder is a thermoplastic material. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The high-pressure burrowing everting robot of claim 11, wherein the durable composite fabric is a fabric laminate of polyester film and ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fibers. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The high-pressure burrowing everting robot of claim 11, wherein the durable composite is an aramid plastic fabric.