There are many challenges of working in the Nuclear industry, especially operating in hostile locations. One of the solutions to this is to utilise robotics for remote inspection and handling, thereby reducing the risk to humans. This seminar features talks highlighting the contributions of some of the current efforts at Manchester, including cyber-physical systems, digital twins and radiation hardening of robots.

Please register to join in-person, via Zoom or our YouTube livestream. Pizza will be provided in person 30 minutes before the event.

Location: Engineering B_2B.002 and Online

Abstract

Robotics in Nuclear

Paul Dominick Baniqued will deliver his talk on the robot cyber-physical systems and digital twins for asset management in nuclear environments. Advances in cyber-physical systems and digital twins have enhanced the utilisation of mobile robotic platforms in the nuclear sector, improving the situational awareness of their operators. This talk offers an overview of the work of the Manchester Centre for Robotics and AI in the field. The presentation will cover a discussion on symbiotic multi-robot fleets and digital twin interfaces using the ROS-Unity framework, followed by insights into lessons learned and future opportunities.

Matthew Hale will deliver a talk on the Robotics for Nuclear Environments at The University of Manchester. The nuclear industry creates many challenging environments to work in, with the usual hazards of an industrial environment such as uneven surfaces and enclosed spaces as well as the additional challenges of radiation and contamination. Robots hold the promise of enabling work in these environments more quickly, cheaply and with reduced radiation exposure for humans. In this talk I'll provide and overview of the work done in this area by the University of Manchester's Robotics for Extreme Environments Group (REEG), with particular focus on my own work in designing and testing a radiation-hard robot.

Speaker biography

Paul Dominick Baniqued

Paul Dominick Baniqued is the academic and technical project manager for CRADLE (Centre for Robotic Autonomy in Demanding and Long-lasting Environments) prosperity partnership between The University of Manchester and Jacobs. He gained his PhD at the University of Leeds looking at a brain-computer interfaces integrated with virtual reality and robotic exoskeletons. He started at The University of Manchester in 2021 as a postdoctoral researcher to work on cyber-physical robot systems and digital twins as part of the EPSRC-funded Robotics and AI in Nuclear (RAIN Hub) and Robotics for Nuclear Environments (RNE) projects, before taking his current role last year.

Matthew Hale

Matthew Hale is a robotics researcher with interests in developing a range of novel hardware. He gained his PhD in agile and dynamic legged robot locomotion from the University of Bath in 2020. He then worked on the Autonomous Robot Evolution project at Bristol Robotics Laboratory, leading the development of the Robot Fabricator to automate the process of constructing physical evolved robots. He is now at the University of Manchester developing radiation tolerant robots for deployment in nuclear environments.

About us

The University of Manchester's Dalton Nuclear Institute brings together the University's community of over 170 PhD researchers, postdocs and fellows, and 120 academics. Spread across three faculties, their work covers the full nuclear fuel cycle, fusion, health and social research. Together this community forms the most advanced nuclear research capability in the UK.

The Dalton Seminar Series covers a range of nuclear topics, bringing guest speakers together with experts from across the University. It is hosted by the Dalton Champions - members of Manchester's nuclear research community who work to enhance the network. Champions are based throughout the University, representing the many departments in which nuclear related research takes place.

Previous seminars can be viewed via the Dalton Nuclear Institute YouTube channel

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Robotics in Nuclear | Dalton Seminar Series