A new partnership between engineering firm AtkinsRéalis and Oxford Robotics Institute (ORI) aims to accelerate the use of autonomous robotic systems for the nuclear and energy sectors.
Robots that are able to sense, understand and act autonomously in hazardous environments, such as defunct nuclear sites, offer many advantages, not least of all keeping people out of harm’s way.
Known as physical AI, these intelligent systems combine sensors, machines and control systems to enable them to seamlessly interact with and adapt to their surroundings.
ORI, part of the university’s department of engineering science, focuses on advancing research into this area of physical AI systems and robotics.
Through this new partnership, ORI researchers will collaborate directly with AtkinsRéalis engineers to translate academic research into practical solutions for safety-critical nuclear environments.
It will build on a trial carried out last year as part of the decommissioning work at the defunct Sellafield...