Those partners are now field testing a four-legged robot to patrol disaster zones and detect radiation levels. This forward-thinking initiative represents a major attempt to improve safety and efficiency in places where some of the world’s most radioactive material resides.
The robot’s inaugural performance was to swab surfaces in areas contaminated with radioactive waste. The robot features a 39-foot arm equipped with a tube-like yellow swabbing tool. It very realistically replicates the swabbing movements that human labors perform in the field. The robot can be deployed in environments that are too dangerous for human operation. Health impacts This expanded capability goes beyond minimizing health risks and ensures that health promotion activities meet high safety standards.
Sellafield’s health physics team undertakes thousands of swabs during each 12-hour shift to provide vital data that helps inform decommissioning plans. That data, though, is the key. Second, it sets a tone across the facility that safety protocols are to be respected at all times. With detailed feedback provided by the robot, they can make detailed actions possible while being efficient and accurate.
The trial follows a successful test at the Joint European Torus facility in Culham, Oxfordshire. There, our researchers pushed the same technology in the other cutting-edge, interdisciplinary world of fusion engineering. These highly encouraging returns from both trials represent a major step forward for robotics in the nuclear industry.
Deon Bulman, remotely operated vehicle equipment lead at Sellafield, said he is excited about how the technology could improve operations.
“Together, these capabilities support faster, safer, and more cost-effective decommissioning operations while pushing forward the adoption of advanced robotics in the nuclear sector.” – Deon Bulman
Dr. Kirsty Hewitson, director of RAICo, highlighted the broader implications of this technology, suggesting it “could have an impact on both nuclear decommissioning and fusion engineering sites.”
If successful, the trial would mark a promising step towards greater automation in dangerous settings, helping foster both safety and efficiency. Sellafield is still very much in the game and looking for creative solutions to disrupt. The use of robotics in radiation monitoring seems to be a fruitful path forward for future operations.