Sellafield’s health physics team have recently completed an innovative trial using robotics to improve radiation monitoring in dangerous environments. This effort will make spaces where exposure to radioactive materials is dangerous much safer and efficient. The trial features Spot, a four-legged robot. It employs a new innovative swabbing tool, RAICo, to collect swabs from surfaces in contaminated environments.
Sellsafield’s health physics team does hundreds of surface applications daily. This essential work protects public health and safety by monitoring dangerous radiation levels in and around the nuclear plant. In a bid to increase efficiency, Sellafield has successfully completed its first trial of the RAICo tool attached to Spot. This is a huge increase in the facility’s ability to operate. Utility drone alone on a job site. It uniquely improves upon spaces that are too hazardous for human labor.
RAICo, short for Robotic Autonomous Inspection and Cleaning Operations, was founded after that first successful test. This experimental campaign was performed last year on the Joint European Torus facility in Culham, Oxfordshire. The tool’s design allows it to mimic the swabbing action typically performed by humans, while the robot’s agility and responsiveness enable it to navigate through challenging environments.
If you ask Deon Bulman, who manages the plant’s remotely operated vehicle equipment, about the benefits of incorporating robotics into nuclear operations, he’ll tell you it’s a win-win. He stated, “Those capabilities support faster, safer, and more cost-effective decommissioning operations.” This enthusiasm is indicative of a larger movement in the industry to embrace new technologies that will improve safety and efficiency.
Safety Vacuum Excavation’s K-9 robot with Boston Dynamics branding on the side. It’s accompanied by an imposing, extendable arm that clamps down around a long yellow swabbing tool. Throughout the trial, the robot provided its operators with ‘haptic feedback’. This feature provided better control and precision when swabbing which helped improve swabbing performance. Beyond improving accuracy, this capability reduces the need for human intervention in more dangerous environments.
The demonstration with Sellafield was all about the use case for fusion. More importantly, this collaborative effort shines a spotlight on the facility’s commitment to improving its operational approach. Bulman noted that this trial represents a pivotal moment in “pushing forward the adoption of advanced robotics in the nuclear sector.”