A Study of Innovations in Robotic Designs and Technologies for Application in Railway Transportation Systems

Railway transportation systems are complex networks designed to facilitate the movement of passengers and goods efficiently. Railway infrastructure consists of the track, trackside, furniture, stations, platforms, switches and crossings (S&C), tunnels, bridges, etc., but tracks are the most critical railway infrastructure. Many types of defects can appear in the tracks, incurring huge costs for maintenance and inspection tasks. This paper reviews robotic design basics, the development of robotic design technologies, that have increasingly transformed railway operations, and an overview of related past research with examples of robots designed for the purpose. Integration of these robots in railway systems enhances efficiency, safety, and cost-effectiveness, addressing the limitations of traditional manual methods. It also explored the recent innovations in developing robotic designs and technology for railway infrastructure maintenance and inspection applications. These innovations either facilitate comprehensive maintenance by allowing for flexible access and reduce track possession time; enable efficient inspection through sensor fusion and mobile manipulation to reduce human involvement and costs, or utilize advanced imaging systems to capture clear video footage of components for improving safety and reducing the reliance on human inspectors. These advances in robotics are promising but manual interventions affect their performance and accuracy. So, there is a need to create a completely autonomous process for railway systems in the future.