Nuclear accidentsTetrapod robot developed for investigative, recovery work inside post-accident nuclear plants
Toshiba has developed a tetrapod robot able to carry out investigative and recovery work in locations which are too risky for people to enter; the multiple joints of its legs are controlled by a dedicated movement algorithm which enables the robot to walk on uneven surfaces, avoid obstacles, and climb stairs, securing access into areas which are challenging to be reached by wheeled robots or crawlers
Toshiba Corporation last week announced that it has developed a tetrapod robot able to carry out investigative and recovery work in locations which are too risky for people to enter, such as Tokyo Electric Power Plant Fukushima No.1 Nuclear power plant.
The new robot integrates a camera and dosimeter and can investigate the condition of nuclear power plants by remote-controlled operation. The multiple joints of its legs are controlled by a dedicated movement algorithm which enables the robot to walk on uneven surfaces, avoid obstacles, and climb stairs, securing access into areas which are challenging to be reached by wheeled robots or crawlers.
The robot also has a folding arm that can release a companion smaller robot which carries a second camera. This can be launched from the main robot and positioned to take images of narrow places and any equipment behind them, and tubes and other places which are too small for the robot to enter. It is connected to the main robot by a cable.
Toshiba says it will continue research and development on capabilities and operation of the robot so as to enable it to position and install shielding, stop flows of water and remove obstacles.
The robot still needs some work, though. C|net reports that during a demonstration of the robot at a a press event, the tetrapod took up to a minute to climb steps. While trying to balance itself, it froze with one leg in the air. Technicians had to haul it off and reboot it. Toshiba said the machine could take up to ten minutes to figure out how to negotiate unexpected objects in its path.
