A consortium of eight universities — led by the University of Birmingham has secured £42 million of new funding for the National Centre for Nuclear Robotics (NCNR).

It aims to develop ‘state of the art’ robotics, sensing and artificial-intelligence (AI) technologies to address the major societal challenges posed by nuclear environments and materials. (www.birmingham.ac.uk)—

The NCNR has been co-funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), research institutions, industrial collaborators and investment partners.

Cleaning up the UK’s 4.9 million tonnes of ‘legacy’ nuclear waste is a large and complex task, and much of the work must be done by robots, because the materials are too hazardous for humans, but many of the necessary robotic solutions have not been developed yet.

Robotic systems are also needed for monitoring, maintenance and Plant Life Extension duties in the UK’s operating nuclear power stations, and robots will be an essential element in the design of new-build reactors.

The nuclear industry is increasingly keen to embrace advanced robotics technologies, to make complex operations in hazardous environments safer, faster and cheaper.

The NCNR establishes the UK as an international leader in turning ‘state of the art’ robotics and AI research advances into practical solutions for a safety-critical industry. Its research is supported by cross-disciplinary teams of researchers in Europe, the USA and Asia.