Issue link: https://htpgraphics.uberflip.com/i/1385717
LEAD RESEARCHER: TILLY ALTON I have been a part of radiation detection research at The University of Lancaster for almost 7 years, the first 3.5 years working on waterborne radiation detection, and since then on radiation detection for robots. Over the years my research has involved particle simulations using Geant4, adapting software to be compatible with a robot and calibrating detectors ready for deployment. Working within RAIN has provided both the space to better understand the needs of the nuclear robotics community, and the ease of testing the radiation detectors. The multi-disciplinary community within RAIN has helped to focus my research to have the maximum impact, the on-site robot deployments being a particular personal highlight. SUMMARY // Nuclear environments such as monitoring or decommissioning are ideal applications for robots, partly due to the hazards, but also because of the size constraints and task repetition involved. The robots employed will utilise different shapes and sizes, but for all of them the sensors form a key part. Continued innovation in both robotics and sensors technology are key to providing better information to guide the work, and with advancements in autonomy and tether-less operation the sensors require on-board control and processing of the data. Unfortunately, radiation detection hardware is seldom built to fulfil the physical and communication constraints of robots. Work to develop better radiation detectors for robots, along with novel data analysis is important when designing a robot so that it can address the complexities of nuclear environments. MOBILE-ROBOT COMPATIBLE RADIATION SENSORS 30