Cable-driven devices and systems for performing surface operations

A device for performing a service on a surface, the device comprising:

• at least one cable removably coupled to a surface, each of the at least one cable removably coupled at a different position on the surface;
• a body coupled to the at least one cable and in contact with the surface;
• and
• at least one pulley system configured to automatically adjust a length of each of the at least one cable between the respective position on the surface and the body such that a tension in each of the at least one cable is maintained to move the body on the surface,
• wherein the surface is a curved surface or a surface with complex geometry and the body of the device is configured to move tangentially to the curved surface or surface with complex geometry.

A system for performing a service on a surface, the system comprising:

• a cable driven device comprising:
• a plurality of cables configured to removably couple to a surface, each of the plurality of cables configured to removably couple to the surface at a different position on the surface;
• and
• a body configured to perform the service and coupled to the plurality of cables at an intersection of the plurality of cables;
• and
• a processor configured to:
• automatically adjust a length of each cable of the plurality of cables between the respective position on the surface and the body;
• and
• maintain a tension in each cable of the plurality of cables,
• wherein the surface is a curved surface or on a surface with complex geometry and the body of the device is configured to move tangentially to the curved surface or surface with complex geometry.

A method of performing a service on a curved surface or a surface with complex geometry, the method comprising:

• providing a model of the surface;
• generating one or more placements of a cable driven device on the surface, and for each placement creating a surface coverage plan;
• performing, by the cable driven device, the service based on the surface coverage plan of the one or more placements;
• and
• during the performing, automatically adjusting a length of cables of the cable driven device and maintaining a tension in the cables of the cable driven device based on predefined parameters of the device such that during the performing, a body of the device moves tangentially to the curved surface or surface with complex geometry,
• wherein the cables are removably coupled to the surface, each of the cables is removably coupled to the surface at a different position on the surface.