Issue link: https://htpgraphics.uberflip.com/i/1045271
ROBOTS THAT WILL TAKE RADIATION IN THEIR STRIDE Working within highly radioactive environments requires robust technology that has been designed to survive extreme conditions, be easily decontaminated, and used again. It is essential to understand how the components respond to the radiation they are exposed to, how they are likely to fail, and how the robots can be tolerant to these faults. RAIN partners have extensive expertise in developing and testing robotic platforms in complex environments and understand the importance of designing technology that is robust to high levels of radiation. Within the RAIN project we have been able to test a neutron flux detector, mounted onto the AVEXIS, in a fission test reactor, located in Slovenia. Working with an active facility allows us to test the radiation tolerance of our platforms and sensors, and improve our technologies further. Another output of collaboration within RAIN is the integration, and testing, of sensors onto a novel in-bore platform to measure gamma dose within pipelines. Future RAIN research will characterise the behaviour of sensors and actuators under different levels of radiation, so that we can design robots that are tolerant to the damaging effects of radiation. Furthermore, by improving the control systems used within the robots, we can ensure that the robots are able to cope with degraded measurement and actuation capabilities resulting from radiation exposure. REUSABILITY AND ROBUSTNESS Lead: Joaquin Carrasco, University of Manchester 10