WASHINGTON, D.C. - The 2018 Waste Management Symposia that gets under way Sunday in Phoenix will feature the development and application of robotics to address radioactive waste challenges. EM Update spoke with Rod Rimando, director of the EM Office of Technology Development, about the uses of robotic technology and potential benefits to the cleanup mission.
Over the past several years, EM has been examining the use of robotic technologies to aid cleanup. Where do you see such technologies providing the most benefit?
The use of robotic technologies will only be successful if there are demonstrable benefits to the EM mission. I envision benefits in enhanced worker safety by, for example, reducing radiation dose and reducing the rate of workplace injuries. I envision our workers being able to perform their tasks much easier and more efficiently using robotic tools and other remotely operated assistive devices. EM's technology thrust in robotics and remote systems has always been rooted improving the “quality of work."
EM’s top priority is ensuring the safety of the workers at cleanup sites, the public and the environment. Are there opportunities for robotic technologies to help further strengthen safety performance during cleanup?
Robotic technologies hold the promise of greatly enhancing worker safety. According to the Computerized Accident Incident Reporting System, as of March 6, 38% of all work-related EM injuries to date in 2018 are from bodily reaction exertion. This is preventable with the use of robotic Personal Protective Equipment that can protect workers from sustaining internal injuries.
If there is an opportunity for our workers to avoid handling radioactive materials and waste or working in challenged environments, then we must exploit those opportunities and pursue robotics and remote technologies.
How would you assess where robotic technology is today in being able to be employed at EM sites? Are there any “game changers" on the near-term horizon? What further advances are needed?
There are commercially available robotic solutions available to us now. We have successfully deployed robots to perform the most challenging tasks in the liquid waste program at the Savannah River Site. However, such systems are typically single-use, one-off applications. So, unless there is a special need, we don’t use robots. We are a long way from robotic tools being a tool in our toolbox.
We are about to deploy a truly state-of-the-art robot that can automatically perform direct, more accurate measurements of uranium deposits inside the enrichment process pipes at the former Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant. The current baseline technology calls for measurements outside of pipes and then making conservative estimates on the amount of residual uranium. With over 15 miles of large-diameter pipes that require assaying, this integrated robotic solution, named RadPiper has the potential to realize significant cost savings for the Portsmouth cleanup, and also could be used for eventual decommissioning activities at the former Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant, as well.
What has been EM’s role in helping to further the development of robotic technologies for use in cleanup activities?
I believe we, in EM, have sparked a “movement" in the robotics community. There has not been a singular focus on robotics that is exclusive to workers and industrial applications. The market offers many solutions for manufacturing, which demands high-automation, high-autonomy, high-output, 24/7 solutions, but not for general industry. The Department of Defense continues to develop robots, but for high-specialized military applications. Likewise, NASA develops robots for their various space exploration programs.
This year’s Waste Management Symposia topic is Nuclear and Industrial Robotics, Remote Systems and Emerging Technologies. What is EM’s involvement in forming that program?
I believe we are a catalyst. In year’s past, WMS featured different countries at their annual conference. This year, there is no featured country; instead there is a featured technology - and that technology is robotics.
What is the most important message that you want conference-goers to take away from this event?
Robots are no longer tools of the future; these tools are here now. Our EM mission involves high-risk, high-hazard, high-consequence, high-exposure work that demands the use of robotics and remote systems. In each and every domain where EM operates, there is a potential application. So, I hope conference-goers recognize both the need and possibilities of robots.
What do you think will most surprise people at the showcase?
Folks will likely be drawn to the Robotic Pavilion where there will be a wide variety of robotic tooling and designs. On display, we will have Robin, which is an odd-looking, six-legged robot that Savannah River Laboratory tested for nuclear applications in the mid-1980s, even before EM was formed. We will also have NASA’s Valkyrie on display and doing live demonstrations. It is a humanoid robot designed to advance deploy and set up camp before our astronauts arrive on Mars. Of course, we are nowhere near deploying a humanoid robot for EM cleanup, but we are very interested in manipulation capabilities and robotic arms for use in our gloveboxes and hot cells.
Source: U.S. Dept. of Energy, Office of Environmental Management
