Sellafield nuclear power plant is pioneering the use of robotic technology to enhance safety and efficiency in monitoring radiation levels. Most recently the facility has begun testing a four-legged robot named Spot. This innovative robot is purpose built to take on swabbing missions in dangerous settings.
Sellafield’s health physics team does hundreds of surface swabs each day. It’s to make sure that all safety protocols are followed! The arrival of Spot, with its large, extendable arm, makes it an order of magnitude simpler. The arm holds a custom-made, yellow swabbing stick called RAICo. While this tool looks like a humanoid operator, it will operate just like a human which swabs surfaces that may be contaminated with radioactive material.
Spot’s successful trial has shown that the bot is nimble enough to test uncharted territories, while swiftly and responsively dodging obstacles in its path. According to Deon Bulman, who manages Sellafield’s remotely operated vehicle equipment, the benefits of Spot during the swabbing process were significant. He explained that the robot’s “haptic feedback” enhanced control and precision in task performance.
“Those capabilities support faster, safer, and more cost-effective decommissioning operations.” – Deon Bulman
Using Spot fits perfectly into Sellafield’s focus on using cutting-edge technology to supplement critical safety oversight. The robot’s added capacity to work in places considered too dangerous for people increases the effectiveness of radiation monitoring across the board. On Sellafield, the site aims to speed up operations by automating these kinds of tasks. Further, this automation helps prevent possible health dangers due to exposure to radioactive materials.
The importance of this trial goes far beyond Sellafield. Clapping researchers at the Joint European Torus (JET) facility in Culham, Oxfordshire, had just completed a success. Here’s why they’re right to have focused on moving fusion technology forward in this experiment. The nuclear sector is on the cusp of a big leap forward in the use of advanced robotics. Bulman agreed, calling this shift “key” to their future mode of operations.
“Pushing forward the adoption of advanced robotics in the nuclear sector.” – Deon Bulman
Dr. Kirsty Hewitson, director of RAICo, stated that embedding technology of this nature is crucial to evolving the industry. The successful implementation of Spot at Sellafield brings to life the practical applications beautifully. More than anything, though, it establishes an instructive precedent to advance radiation monitoring techniques for the future.