Robotics in Hazardous Environments

Robotic devices are always preferable to direct human contact in hazardous or potentially hazardous environments. The nuclear industry poses hazards going far beyond explosive, flammable, toxic atmospheres. The danger of exposure to gamma radiation in hot cells has always been a difficult issue. Electronic controllers within a hot cell can be exposed to gamma with rapid degradation. The radiation adds energy to the electronic component materials causing rapid degradation and molecule breakup in most cases. This panel shall discuss new capabilities and remaining challenges for robotics in highly hazardous environments.