Not too long ago, we touched upon the concept of using robots as a way to complete surveillance at disaster-stricken areas. Fukushima is one of those places where robots could make a big impact. This week, an underwater robot entered one of the damaged Fukushima reactors and captured some stunning images.
ROBOTS ARE CRITICAL FOR EXAMINING DISASTER AREAS
Scientists are using swimming robots to capture underwater images of Fukushima. The region became the center of attention a while ago due to a reactor meltdown. Even today, radiation levels at the site prove to be harmful to humans. Prolonged exposure to this level of radiation can cause illnesses and even death. This also makes it more difficult for scientists to examine the reactors.
One way to solve this issue is by using swimming robots. One robot entered one of the damaged Fukushima reactors to capture footage of how the facility looks on the inside. A lot of damage has been caused by the meltdown. The following tsunami caused even more damage. The Unit 3 reactor containment vessel, for example, was completely destroyed.
This underwater robot -which has been nicknamed the Little Sunfish– captured views of underwater damage previously unknown to scientists. There was also a wave of disappointment, since the image did not show any of the melted nuclear fuel which is still unaccounted for. Despite this lack of evidence, the robot will continue its thorough investigation over the coming days and weeks.
This swimming robot is very small. It would fit well within the size of a loaf of bread, making it a very compact and versatile exploration companion. The machine is equipped with five different propellers to maneuver and different lights to take well-illuminated high-quality photos of the Fukushima reactor structure. Pictures are gathered thanks to its dual-camera setup. Controlling the robot still requires four operators, but it is a much safer solution than sending humans inside the reactor.
The Toshi corporation is partially responsible for developing this swimming robot. It is good to see the electronics giant play an active role in such a critical mission. Cleaning up the Fukushima disaster will take many more years. However, the robot has collected some valuable information, including how a grated platform below the reactor core is missing. Otherwise, scientists and researchers would have never known this vital piece of information.
Assuming the melted nuclear fuel can indeed be located, the current plan is to come up with ways to dispose of it by 2021. To do so, they need to know the exact location of the fuel and get a better overview of the structural damage in all three reactors. This is where robots such as the Little Sunfish will come into the picture, and they are invaluable assets to speeding up the decommissioning process. It is also the first time a robot successfully withstands 200 sieverts of radiation without any problems.
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