Total ionizing dose (TID) dictates lifespan. We calculate the expected gray/hour environment and design shielding to ensure multi-year operational cycles.
Engineering
Nuclear Decommissioning
Perform delicate dismantling and inspection tasks in environments immediately lethal to human operators.
How we approach Nuclear Decommissioning
Decommissioning legacy nuclear sites requires robotics that can withstand intense ionizing radiation that destroys conventional silicon microchips. We engineer radiation-hardened (Rad-Hard) mechanical and electrical architectures designed to survive years in highly radioactive hot cells.
We utilize specialized shielding, redundant voting electronics, and hydraulic actuation to eliminate delicate analog electronics from the hot zone entirely. Our manipulator arms provide massive payload capacity while returning precise haptic feedback to remote operators.
Decontamination is a priority. Systems are designed with smooth, non-porous stainless steel and specialized bootings to prevent radioactive dust accumulation, allowing them to be pressure-washed remotely between campaigns.
From laser-cutting heavily contaminated pipework to retrieving unstable fuel debris, our systems ensure that human personnel remain securely behind the biological shield.
Related areas in this practice
Operating in the Red Zone
Nuclear environments rapidly degrade plastics, glass, and electronics. We design for absolute reliability under irradiation.
- Radiation-hardened electronics.
- High-torque hydraulic manipulators.
- Decontaminable smooth-body design.
- Force-reflecting haptic controls.
Protecting the Silicon
We move as much compute power as possible behind shielding, connecting to the mechanical arm via long umbilical tethers or radiation-resistant fiber optics to minimize silicon degradation.
Nuclear Robotics FAQ
Engineering for extreme hazards.
System Architecture
Dose Modeling
Calculate specific TID for expected operations.
Actuator Selection
Migrate from vulnerable electrics to robust hydraulics.
Operator UI
Develop haptic feedback for delicate dismantling.
Talk with engineers who own the work
Request a technical pass on Nuclear Decommissioning: constraints, risks, and a practical next step with clear assumptions.