Challenge to investigation of fuel debris in RPV by an advanced super dragon articulated robot arm (Contract research); FY2020 Nuclear Energy Science & Technology and Human Resource Development Project

Collaborative Laboratories for Advanced Decommissioning Science; Tokyo Institute of Technology*

JAEA-Review 2021-045, 65 Pages, 2022/01

JAEA-Review-2021-045.pdf:3.41MB

The Collaborative Laboratories for Advanced Decommissioning Science (CLADS), Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA), had been conducting the Nuclear Energy Science & Technology and Human Resource Development Project (hereafter referred to "the Project") in FY2020. The Project aims to contribute to solving problems in the nuclear energy field represented by the decommissioning of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, Inc. (TEPCO). For this purpose, intelligence was collected from all over the world, and basic research and human resource development were promoted by closely integrating/collaborating knowledge and experiences in various fields beyond the barrier of conventional organizations and research fields. The sponsor of the Project was moved from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology to JAEA since the newly adopted proposals in FY2018. On this occasion, JAEA constructed a new research system where JAEA-academia collaboration is reinforced and medium-to-long term research/development and human resource development contributing to the decommissioning are stably and consecutively implemented. Among the adopted proposals in FY2019, this report summarizes the research results of the "Challenge to investigation of fuel debris in RPV by an advanced super dragon articulated robot arm" conducted in FY2020. The present study aims to develop the implementation techniques of the remote sensing method on a robot arm for monitoring the structure status in the reactor and the distribution of nuclear materials by a long-articulated robot arm with controlling and grasping the position and posture of the robot arm hand. In FY 2020, we have conducted fundamental operation check of the robot arm in the simulated environment, prototype construction of telescopic articulated arm and cable storage mechanism, investigation of drive wire specifications, improvement of LIBS probe, prototype construction of microchip

Development of semantic survey map building system using semi-autonomous mobile robots for surveying of disaster area and gathering of information in nuclear power station (Contract research); FY2019 Nuclear Energy Science & Technology and Human Resource Development Project

Collaborative Laboratories for Advanced Decommissioning Science; Tokyo Polytechnic University*

JAEA-Review 2020-062, 47 Pages, 2021/01

JAEA-Review-2020-062.pdf:3.43MB

JAEA/CLADS had been conducting the Nuclear Energy Science & Technology and Human Resource Development Project in FY2019. Among the adopted proposals in FY2018, this report summarizes the research results of the "Development of Semantic Survey Map Building System using Semi-autonomous Mobile Robots for Surveying of Disaster Area and Gathering of Information in Nuclear Power Station" conducted in FY2019.

Automatic data acquisition for visualizing radioactive substances by combining a gamma-ray imager and an autonomous mobile robot

Sato, Yuki; Minemoto, Kojiro*; Nemoto, Makoto*; Torii, Tatsuo

Journal of Instrumentation (Internet), 16(1), p.P01020_1 - P01020_18, 2021/01

https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-0221/16/01/P01020

Design and produce training-way system for crawler-type robots against nuclear emergency of JAEA facilities

Tsubaki, Hirohiko; Koizumi, Satoshi*

JAEA-Technology 2020-016, 16 Pages, 2020/11

JAEA-Technology-2020-016.pdf:2.96MB

Maintenance and Operation Section for Remote Control Equipment in Naraha Center for Remote Control Technology Development is the main part of the nuclear emergency response team of JAEA deal with Act on Special Measures Concerning Nuclear Emergency Preparedness. The section needs to train operators from every nuclear facility in JAEA to control crawler-type robots, and so on. A driving training of a crawler-type robot used a reciprocating passage (U-shaped passage look from above) is one of the important training programs. The section always assembled a reciprocating passage with borrowed parts from other sections for every training of being used the passage. The section designed and produced training-way system included a reciprocating passage with stairs in 2019 fiscal year. The system makes the section members labor-saving, possible to set any time for training and diverse training-ways with easy assembling system. This report shows design and produce training-way system for crawler-type robots against nuclear emergency of JAEA facilities by Maintenance and Operation Section for Remote Control Equipment.

Development of semantic survey map building system using semi-autonomous mobile robots for surveying of disaster area and gathering of information in nuclear power station (Contract research); FY2018 center of world intelligence project for nuclear science/technology and human resource development

Collaborative Laboratories for Advanced Decommissioning Science; Tokyo Polytechnic University*

JAEA-Review 2019-022, 35 Pages, 2020/01

JAEA-Review-2019-022.pdf:2.71MB

CLADS, JAEA, had been conducting the Center of World Intelligence Project for Nuclear Science/Technology and Human Resource Development (hereafter referred to "the Project") in FY2018. The Project aims to contribute to solving problems in nuclear energy field represented by the decommissioning of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, Inc. For this purpose, intelligence was collected from all over the world, and basic research and human resource development were promoted by closely integrating/collaborating knowledge and experiences in various fields beyond the barrier of conventional organizations and research fields. The sponsor of the Project was moved from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology to JAEA since the newly adopted proposals in FY2018. On this occasion, JAEA constructed a new research system where JAEA-academia collaboration is reinforced and medium-to-long term research/development and human resource development contributing to the decommissioning are stably and consecutively implemented. Among the adopted proposals in FY2018, this report summarizes the research results of the Development of Semantic Survey Map Building System Using Semi-autonomous Mobile Robots for Surveying of Disaster Area and Gathering of Information in Nuclear Power Station. The objective of the present study is to research and develop semi-autonomous mobile robot systems (multi-sensor fusion system, semantic simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM), system for traversable-route learning and safe traversable-route presentation, etc.) that simply, safely, and rapidly make semantic survey maps including multiple information (air dose rate, temperature, obstacles, etc.). The system will be applied to the investigation of the situation inside the building of the nuclear power station where people cannot access at the time of disaster.

Designing test methods for running capabilities of ground robots for nuclear disaster response

Kawabata, Kuniaki; Yamada, Taichi; Shirasaki, Norihito; Ishiyama, Hiroki

Proceedings of IEEE/ASME International Conference on Advanced Intelligent Mechatronics (AIM 2019) (USB Flash Drive), p.559 - 564, 2019/07

Contribution by incorporation of laser technology and robotics technology for Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plants decommissioning

Kawatsuma, Shinji

Reza Kenkyu, 45(7), p.413 - 417, 2017/07

https://doi.org/10.2184/lsj.45.7_413

Inside and surrounding area of reactor buildings of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plants became high radiation condition because of radioactive materials release by the accidents caused by earthquake of Pacific coast on eastern and northern Japan. In the stage of emergency response to the accidents, more than 20 robots had been deployed, and some of them had equipped with laser technologies like as laser range finder. In the following decommissioning stage of the plans, operations under higher radiation condition will be required, so that varied laser technologies will be needed to fuse with robot technologies. Laser checker laser analysis would be expected besides laser range finder. However those technologies will be deployed under higher radiation condition, so radiation hardening and control stabilizing should be solved.

A Trajectory generation method for mobile robot based on iterative extension-like process

Kawabata, Kuniaki

Artificial Life and Robotics, 21(4), p.500 - 509, 2016/12

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10015-016-0305-6

In this paper, we propose a trajectory generation method for mobile robot based on iterative extension-like process. Due to use mobile robots in the real world, trajectory generation must be done depending on the faced situation on each occasion. Proposed method enables online iterative trajectory extension process based on a low-order polynomial curve named as trajectory segment. The waypoints on the existing trajectory segment and a waypoint designated every fixed interval are the constraints to trigger the trajectory extension. For maintaining the smooth continuity of the trajectory, the velocity state must be sustained at the connecting point. Resultantly, the trajectory segments are organized into a single smooth trajectory.

Maintaining formation of multiple robotic wheelchairs for smooth communication

Suzuki, Ryota*; Kobayashi, Yoshinori*; Kuno, Yoshinori*; Yamada, Taichi; Yamazaki, Keiichi*; Yamazaki, Akiko*

International Journal on Artificial Intelligence Tools, 25(5), p.1640005_1 - 1640005_19, 2016/10

https://doi.org/10.1142/S0218213016400054

To meet the demands of an aging society, research on intelligent/robotic wheelchairs have been receiving a lot of attention. In elderly care facilities, care workers are required to communicate with the elderly in order to maintain both their mental and physical health. While this is regarded as important, having a conversation with someone on a wheelchair while pushing it from behind in a traditional setting would interfere with their smooth and natural conversation. So we are developing a robotic wheelchair system which allows companions and wheelchair users to move in a natural formation. This paper reports on an investigation to learn the patterns of human behavior when the wheelchair users and their companions communicate while walking together. The ethnographic observation reveals a natural formation of positioning for both companions and wheelchair users. Based on this investigation, we propose a multiple robotic wheelchair system which can maintain desirable formations for communication between wheelchairs.

Intelligible seminar of fusion reactors, 10; Remote maintenance robot for in-vessel components, Advanced robot technology for handling large-heavy components with high positioning accuracy

Shibanuma, Kiyoshi

Nihon Genshiryoku Gakkai-Shi, 47(11), p.761 - 767, 2005/11

http://ci.nii.ac.jp/naid/10016513937

In-vessel components such as blanket and divertor of the fusion reactor are activated by neutron produced during fusion reaction. Gamma radiation will be about 500 MGy/h in maximum after fusion reaction. When the components are failed or troubled in the vessel, the maintenence has to be carried out by the robot because the human cannot be close inside the vessel. The required functions and present R&D status of the typical robots applied to ITER are introduced as examples of robots maintaining the in-vessel components of the fusion reactor.