Masaaki Uetake

Papers

Total Citations

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About

Masaaki Uetake is a pioneering robotics engineer whose research focuses on the development of specialized inspection robots for extreme underground environments, particularly in tunnel boring machine (TBM) maintenance. His most notable contribution is the creation of WInBot, a disc cutter wear inspection robot designed for 5-meter-diameter-class TBMs. This innovative system addresses a critical challenge in tunnel excavation: the need to safely and efficiently measure disc cutter wear in the narrow, hazardous spaces behind the TBM cutterhead. Uetake’s key achievement lies in engineering a high-expansion-ratio actuator that enables WInBot to operate effectively in these confined areas, coupled with two novel wear measurement methods that improve accuracy and reliability. While his work has accumulated over 3 citations to date, its practical impact is substantial—WInBot represents a significant step toward automating dangerous manual inspection tasks, reducing downtime, and enhancing worker safety in tunneling projects. Uetake’s research sits at the intersection of robotics, mechanical design, and civil engineering, offering a compelling solution for infrastructure maintenance that could transform how TBMs are serviced worldwide.