Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2022 - MD-21

AI-Powered Machines for Hazardous Environments
Smart robots could think and act for themselves in some of the most tough places on Earth and beyond.
University of Manchester, United Kingdom
A
new generation of smart robots is being developed at The
University of Manchester. These new AI-powered machines
will be designed to think and act for themselves in some
of the most hazardous and toughest places on Earth - and
beyond. These robots will be challenged to carry out work too
dangerous for humans.
'Hot robotic' systems were originally designed to work in
radioactive environments found in decommissioned nuclear
reactors. But future assignments for this type of super machine
will include deployment in nuclear fusion power, the offshore
energy sector, agriculture, and even outer space.
Manchester experts are applying AI technologies to 'hot robotics'
as they will increasingly need to act independently of
human operators as they enter a range of danger zones to
carry out highly complex tasks.
An important challenge in the nuclear industry is to improve
robot autonomy so that the technology can be used to deliver
safer, faster, and cheaper decommissioning of legacy power
stations and other radioactive facilities at sites such as Sellafield
and Dounreay.
To support this challenge, the Robotics and AI Collaboration
(RAICo) has been established in Cumbria as a joint research
program between The University of Manchester, the UK
Atomic Energy Agency (UKAEA), Sellafield Ltd, the Nuclear
Decommissioning Authority
and the National Nuclear
Laboratory. The aim is to develop advanced robotic and AI
solutions and transferring these to sites across the Nuclear
Decommissioning Authority's estate in the U.K.
Academic engagement for RAICo is being led by Professor
Barry Lennox and his team at The University of Manchester.
This group leads the RAIN (Robotics and Artificial Intelligence
for Nuclear) hub and has built up their expertise after pioneering
a series of resilient robotic systems to carry out work in
many of the U.K's decommissioned nuclear power stations.
Professor Lennox explained: " The prefix 'hot' was introduced
because we were interested in deploying the robots
into active environments - but we're now looking to expand
the hot so it can refer to more general applications, including
the space, agriculture, and offshore sectors. Many of the challenges
are similar, although the robots may end up looking a
bit different. "
Enhancing the AI capability of these machines is the next
big challenge for his team, added Lennox. " AI introduces lots
of additional problems related to ensuring that the AI will do
what we expect it to do and not cause damage or risk the safety
of humans. "
Expanding beyond nuclear decommissioning, the
Manchester-led RAIN team is also establishing joint programs
of work with the UK Atomic Energy Authority to support
them in the development of robotic systems for nuclear
fusion reactors.
For more information, contact James Tallentire at james.
tallentire@manchester.ac.uk or 07-532-282-824.
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Investigating the flashover effects of a shielded drone in The University
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Motion Design, August 2022
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Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2022

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