A team from the Interactive and Robotic Systems Lab (IRS) at the Universitat Jaume I (UJI) in Castelló has developed a tele-robotic system designed for inspecting pipes in hazardous environments, such as those surrounding nuclear power plants and particle accelerators. This prototype, part of the EU-funded H2020 “El-Peacetolero” project, is a mobile, modular, and reconfigurable manipulator robot that includes a remote control station equipped with 3D perception technology.
It also features a multi-device 3D simulation software that uses a digital twin to facilitate operator training, allowing it to perform tasks in environments where human health is at risk. The system has been experimentally validated at UJI’s Centre for Research in Robotics and Underwater Technologies (CIRTESU). The initial focus is on inspecting plastic pipes using probing tools and artificial vision systems.
The software includes enhancements such as a Robot Operating System (ROS)-based server with the capability to add multiple clients to adapt to specific operational needs. Hardware improvements include wireless communications, advanced vision systems, localisation techniques, low weight, and low power consumption. These features allow for high modularity, adaptability, and cost-effectiveness.
In addition to its current use in radioactive environments, the system could be adapted for other sectors requiring operation in challenging environments, such as healthcare or education, particularly in scenarios involving infectious risks.
The IRS-UJI team, alongside eight other European universities and research centres, is participating in the “El-Peacetolero” project to further develop this technology, which will be licensed through specific agreements with interested companies. UJI supports the transfer of scientific and technological innovations through its Cooperation and Technological Development Office and the Vice-Rector’s Office for Scientific Transfer, Innovation and Dissemination.
Photo credit Universitat Jaume I de Castellón
