Nuclear Engineering and Technology

Korean Nuclear Society (한국원자력학회)
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The effect of ionizing radiation on robotic trajectory movement and electronic components

  • Sofia Coloma (Centre for Automation and Robotics (CAR) UPM-CSIC, Universidad Politecnica de Madrid) ;
  • Paul Espinosa Peralta (Centre for Automation and Robotics (CAR) UPM-CSIC, Universidad Politecnica de Madrid) ;
  • Violeta Redondo (Centre for Automation and Robotics (CAR) UPM-CSIC, Universidad Politecnica de Madrid) ;
  • Alejandro Morono (Centre for Energy, Environmental and Technological Research (CIEMAT)) ;
  • Rafael Vila (Centre for Energy, Environmental and Technological Research (CIEMAT)) ;
  • Manuel Ferre (Centre for Automation and Robotics (CAR) UPM-CSIC, Universidad Politecnica de Madrid)
  • Received : 2023.02.07
  • Accepted : 2023.07.30
  • Published : 2023.11.25
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Abstract

Robotics applications are greatly needed in hazardous locations, e.g., fusion and fission reactors, where robots must perform delicate and complex tasks under ionizing radiation conditions. The drawback is that some robotic parts, such as active electronics, are susceptible to radiation. It can lead to unexpected failures and early termination of the robotic operation. This paper analyses the ionizing radiation effect from 0.09 to 1.5 Gy/s in robotic components (microcontrollers, servo motors and temperature sensors). The first experiment compares the performance of various microcontroller types and their actuators and sensors, where different mitigation strategies are applied, such as using Radiation-Hardened (Rad-Hard) microcontrollers or shielding. The second and third experiments analyze the performance of a 3-Degrees of Freedom (DoF) robotic arm, evaluating its components' responses and trajectory. This study enhances our understanding and expands our knowledge regarding radiation's impact on robotic arms and components, which is useful for defining the best strategies for extending the robots' operational lifespan, especially when performing maintenance or inspection tasks in radiation environments.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

The authors acknowledge the funding by the Community of Madrid, co-financed with Structural Funds (ERDF and ESF)), through the TechnoFusion (III)-CM (S2018/EMT-4437) programme. The authors are also indebted to J. Valle and F. Jimenez for their help with the experiments.

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