An AI-Integrated Robotic System for the Safe Operation of High-Voltage Distribution Panel (2025)

An AI-integrated robotic system is proposed to automate safe electrical operations in high-voltage distribution panels. Existing manual operations entail fatal risks of electric shock and arc flash, while strict adherence to international safety standards is required. To address these challenges, instance-segmentation-based terminal detection and orientation estimation are performed using an RGB-D camera. An orthogonal Cartesian manipulator then precisely controls voltage detection and earthing modules, enabling voltage verification and automatic earthing. By automating hazardous electrical tasks, direct human involvement is eliminated, thereby ensuring structural safety throughout the entire power outage procedure. Experimental results with a model distribution panel indicate that the proposed orientation estimation algorithm achieves a 3D position estimation accuracy with a root-mean-square error of less than 3.28 mm and an orientation error within 2.37°, as well as a 98.2% success rate in voltage detection and earthing tests. This work demonstrates the feasibility of the first fully automated earthing robot system applicable to indoor high-voltage distribution panel environments.