Sellafield has successfully completed a trial of a four-legged robot designed to enhance safety and efficiency in monitoring radiation levels in environments that contain radioactive materials. This effort is a significant step forward in the deployment of robotics in the nuclear industry. Safety standards matter, and this move cements that belief.
The trial included the robot undertaking various robotic swabbing tasks, an important procedure regularly undertaken by Sellafield’s health physics team. Each day, our team processes hundreds of swabs from surface areas around the facility. Collecting this essential data not only guides our decommissioning plans but allows us to abide by our commitment to safety. By using a robot to automate these processes, Sellafield wants to increase operational efficiency and reduce the risk posed to human workers.
Armed with a gold-coloured swabbing arm, the robot replicates the movements of its human counterparts. Its design permits nimble movement, allowing it to reach spaces that present threats to troops. According to Deon Bulman, the lead for remotely operated vehicle equipment at Sellafield, the robot’s versatility is its strength. He explained that the information these robots are able to provide makes it possible to execute operations down to a very exacting degree.
“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
The trial at Sellafield follows a successful proof-of-concept test at the Joint European Torus (JET) facility in Culham, Oxfordshire. There, the humanoid robot demonstrated its remarkable potential to further develop fusion technology applications. Dr. Kirsty Hewitson, director of RAICo, expressed excitement about the profound potential this technology has.
“This could have an impact on both nuclear decommissioning and fusion engineering sites.” – Dr. Kirsty Hewitson
In fact, Sellafield is already in the process of leveraging robotics independent radiation monitoring capabilities. Any positive validation from these trials could see these technologies more quickly adopted and implemented in nuclear facilities across the globe. These efforts underscore the exciting potential technologies hold for increasing safety and effectiveness in increasingly complex and dangerous landscapes.