National Centre for Nuclear Robotics (NCNR)

Completed

Nuclear Fission and Fusion(Nuclear Fission, Nuclear supporting technologies)

Basic and strategic applied research

PHYSICAL SCIENCES AND MATHEMATICS (Computer Science and Informatics)
ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (Electrical and Electronic Engineering)
ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (Mechanical, Aeronautical and Manufacturing Engineering)

Not Cross-cutting

Dr R Stolkin
School of Mechanical Engineering
University of Birmingham

Standard

EPSRC

02 October 2017

01 April 2022

54 months

£12,256,862

Electrical engineering

West Midlands

ISCF Robotics

Dr R Stolkin, School of Mechanical Engineering, University of Birmingham

Professor K Althoefer, Electronic Engineering and Computer Science, Queen Mary University of London
Professor A Cavallaro, Electronic Engineering and Computer Science, Queen Mary University of London
Dr I I Farkhatdinov, Electronic Engineering and Computer Science, Queen Mary University of London
Professor M Giuliani, Computing Engineering and Maths Science, University of the West of England
Professor MA Hanheide, School of Computer Scienc, University of Lincoln
Dr ME Hansard, Electronic Engineering and Computer Science, Queen Mary University of London
Dr G Herrmann, Mechanical Engineering, University of Bristol
Dr L Jamone, Electronic Engineering and Computer Science, Queen Mary University of London
Professor A Leonardis, School of Computer Science, University of Birmingham
Dr RR Malkin, Mechanical Engineering, University of Bristol
Dr KD McDonald-Maier, Computing and Electronic Systems, University of Essex
Professor C Melhuish, Computing Engineering and Maths Science, University of the West of England
Dr M Mistry, School of Computer Science, University of Birmingham
Dr A Montazeri, Engineering, Lancaster University
Professor A Peer, Bristol Robotics Laborator, University of the West of England
Professor A Pipe, Bristol Robotics Laborator, University of the West of England
Dr S Poslad, Electronic Engineering and Computer Science, Queen Mary University of London
Professor A Richards, Aerospace Engineering, University of Bristol
Dr TS Richardson, Aerospace Engineering, University of Bristol
Dr TB Scott, Interface Analysis Centre, University of Bristol
Professor R Stone, Electronic, Electrical and Computer Eng, University of Birmingham
Dr CJ Taylor, Engineering, Lancaster University

Project Contact, Rolls-Royce PLC
Project Contact, UltraSoC Technologies Ltd
Project Contact, Toshiba Research Europe Ltd
Project Contact, National Physical Laboratory (NPL)
Project Contact, Haption SA, France
Project Contact, Ionix Advanced Technologies Ltd
Project Contact, Imitec Ltd
Project Contact, Shadow Robot Company Ltd
Project Contact, STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (RAL)
Project Contact, BAE Systems Integrated System Technologies Limited
Project Contact, James Fisher Nuclear Limited
Project Contact, Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA), Japan
Project Contact, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), USA
Project Contact, Royal Institution of Great Britain
Project Contact, Thales Group, France
Project Contact, Eidos Education, USA
Project Contact, National Nuclear Laboratory
Project Contact, Forth Engineering (Cumbria) Limited
Project Contact, Tohoku University (Japan)
Project Contact, Nuvia Limited
Project Contact, KUKA Robotics UK Limited
Project Contact, Sellafield Ltd
Project Contact, Rovtech Solutions
Project Contact, Bath Spa University
Project Contact, Synthotech Limited
Project Contact, Atlas Elektronik UK
Project Contact, EDF Energy
Project Contact, National Ocean Technology Center (NOTC), China
Project Contact, IHI Corporation, Japan
Project Contact, Oaklands College
Project Contact, AWE plc
Project Contact, Jacobs UK Limited
Project Contact, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI)
Project Contact, Shield
Project Contact, Atkins

Nuclear facilities require a wide variety of robotics capabilities, engendering a variety of extreme RAI challenges. NCNR brings together a diverse consortium of experts in robotics, AI, sensors, radiation and resilient embedded systems, to address these complex problems.In high gamma environments, human entries are not possible at all. In alpha-contaminated environments, air-fed suited human entries are possible, but engender significant secondary waste (contaminated suits), and reduced worker capability. We have a duty to eliminate the need for humans to enter such hazardous environments wherever technologically possible.Hence, nuclear robots will typically be remote from human controllers, creating significant opportunities for advanced telepresence. However, limited bandwidth and situational awareness demand increased intelligence and autonomous control capabilities on the robot, especially for performing complex manipulations. Shared control, where both human and AI collaboratively control the robot, will be critical because i) safety-critical environments demand a human in the loop, however ii) complex remote actions are too difficult for a human to perform reliably and efficiently.Before decommissioning can begin, and while it is progressing, characterization is needed. This can include 3D modelling of scenes, detection and recognition of objects and materials, as well as detection of contaminants, measurement of types and levels of radiation, and other sensing modalities such as thermal imaging. This will necessitate novel sensor design, advanced algorithms for robotic perception, and new kinds of robots to deploy sensors into hard-to-reach locations.To carry out remote interventions, both situational awareness for the remote human operator, and also guidance of autonomous/semi-autonomous robotic actions, will need to be informed by real-time multi-modal vision and sensing, including: real-time 3D modelling and semantic understanding of objects and scenes; active vision in dynamic scenes and vision-guided navigation and manipulation.The nuclear industry is high consequence, safety critical and conservative. It is therefore critically important to rigorously evaluate how well human operators can control remote technology to safely and efficiently perform the tasks that industry requires.All NCNR research will be driven by a set of industry-defined use-cases, WP1. Each use-case is linked to industry-defined testing environments and acceptance criteria for performance evaluation in WP11. WP2-9 deliver a variety of fundamental RAI research, including radiation resilient hardware, novel design of both robotics and radiation sensors, advanced vision and perception algorithms, mobility and navigation, grasping and manipulation, multi-modal telepresence and shared control.The project is based on modular design principles. WP10 develops standards for modularisation and module interfaces, which will be met by a diverse range of robotics, sensing and AI modules delivered by WPs2-9. WP10 will then integrate multiple modules onto a set of pre-commercial robot platforms, which will then be evaluated according to end-user acceptance criteria in WP11.WP12 is devoted to technology transfer, in collaboration with numerous industry partners and the Shield Investment Fund who specialise in venture capital investment in RAI technologies, taking novel ideas through to fully fledged commercial deployments. Shield have ring-fenced 10million capital to run alongside all NCNR Hub research, to fund spin-out companies and industrialisation of Hub IP. We have rich international involvement, including NASA Jet Propulsion Lab and Carnegie Melon National Robotics Engineering Center as collaborators in USA, and collaboration from Japan Atomic Energy Agency to help us carry out test-deployments of NCNR robots in the unique Fukushima mock-up testing facilities at the Naraha Remote Technology Development Center

28/01/19