Skip to main content

Automatic, Vision-Based Tool Changing Solution for Dexterous Teleoperation Robots in a Nuclear Glovebox

  • Conference paper
  • First Online:
Towards Autonomous Robotic Systems (TAROS 2022)

Abstract

This paper describes a novel automatic solution for tool-changing operations using dexterous teleoperated robots in a nuclear glovebox. This solution can identify and locate tools in the nuclear glovebox by visually tracking augmented reality (AR) tags online at a low computational cost. The solution is designed in a modular manner taking into account different practical constraints, so it can be easily adapted to enormous existing nuclear gloveboxes. In practice, the proposed solution is introduced to an existing robotic system including two teleoperated lightweight manipulators in a nuclear glovebox. The experimental tests have demonstrated the effectiveness of the automated tool-changing solution without any knowledge of the mock-up environment a priori.

We would like to thank UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) for their support and funding that has come from the Robotics and Artificial Intelligence in Nuclear (RAIN) grant EP/R026084/1. This work has been part-funded by the EPSRC Energy Programme (grant number EP/W006839/1). To obtain further information on the data and models underlying this paper please contact PublicationsManager@ukaea.uk.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 59.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 74.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Allevato, A., Lu, T., Pryor, M.: Using a depth camera for object classification in nuclear gloveboxes. In: American Nuclear Society Student Conference (2015)

    Google Scholar 

  2. Ambrosio, H., Karamanoglu, M.: Design and development of an automatic tool changer for an articulated robot arm. In: IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering, vol. 65, p. 012023 (2014)

    Google Scholar 

  3. Buckingham, R., Authority, U.A.E.: Towards a remote handling toolkit for fusion: lessons learnt and future challenges-17360. In: Proceedings, Waste Management Conference (WM2017) (2017)

    Google Scholar 

  4. Buckingham, R., Loving, A.: Remote-handling challenges in fusion research and beyond. Nat. Phys. 12(5), 391–393 (2016)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Cournoyer, M.E., Kleinsteuber, J.F., Garcia, V.E., Wilburn, D.W., George, G.L., Blask, C.L.: Safety observation contributions to a glovebox safety program. J. Chem. Health Saf. 18(5), 43–55 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Cournoyer, M.E., Lee, S., Grundemann, R.F.: An independent analysis of a glovebox glove failure incident. In: International Conference on Radioactive Waste Management and Environmental Remediation, vol. 80173, pp. 745–749. American Society of Mechanical Engineers (2001)

    Google Scholar 

  7. Cybulski, B., Wegierska, A., Granosik, G.: Accuracy comparison of navigation local planners on ROS-based mobile robot. In: 2019 12th International Workshop on Robot Motion and Control (RoMoCo), pp. 104–111. IEEE (2019)

    Google Scholar 

  8. Grasz, E., Huber, L., Horvath, J., Roberson, P., Wilhelmsen, K., Ryon, R.: Advanced robotics handling and controls applied to mixed waste characterization, segregation and treatment. Technical report, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (1994)

    Google Scholar 

  9. Haist, B., Mills, S., Loving, A.: Remote handling preparations for JET EP2 shutdown. Fusion Eng. Des. 84(2–6), 875–879 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Harden, T.A., Lloyd, J.A., Turner, C.J.: Robotics for nuclear material handling at LANL: capabilities and needs (2009)

    Google Scholar 

  11. Iqbal, Z., Pozzi, M., Prattichizzo, D., Salvietti, G.: Detachable robotic grippers for human-robot collaboration. Front. Robot. AI 8(174) (2021). https://doi.org/10.3389/frobt.2021.644532

  12. Kitamura, A., Watahiki, M., Kashiro, K.: Remote glovebox size reduction in glovebox dismantling facility. Nucl. Eng. Des. 241(3), 999–1005 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Li, H., Zhang, L., Kawashima, K.: Operator dynamics for stability condition in haptic and teleoperation system: a survey. Int. J. Med. Robot. Comput. Assist. Surg. 14(2), e1881 (2018)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Marturi, N., et al.: Towards advanced robotic manipulation for nuclear decommissioning: a pilot study on tele-operation and autonomy. In: 2016 International Conference on RAHA, pp. 1–8. IEEE (2016)

    Google Scholar 

  15. National Nuclear Laboratory: Challenge seeks safer glovebox gauntlets (2020). https://www.gamechangers.technology/news/Challenge_seeks_safer_glovebox_gauntlets

  16. Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, Sellafield: Successful start for sellafield repackaging mission (2020). https://www.gov.uk/government/news/successful-start-for-sellafield-repackaging-mission

  17. RAIN Hub: Working in a nuclear glovebox: a remote handling system demonstration event (2021). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAIQN0wCUzs

  18. Selvaggio, M., Cognetti, M., Nikolaidis, S., Ivaldi, S., Siciliano, B.: Autonomy in physical human-robot interaction: a brief survey. IEEE Robot. Autom. Lett. 6(4), 7989–7996 (2021)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Sharp, A., Hom, M.W., Pryor, M.: Operator training for preferred manipulator trajectories in a glovebox, pp. 1–6. IEEE (2017)

    Google Scholar 

  20. Tokatli, O., et al.: Robot-assisted glovebox teleoperation for nuclear industry. Robotics 10(3), 85 (2021)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. UK Nuclear Ventilation Forum: An aid to the design of ventilation for glove boxes issue 01 (2021)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kaiqiang Zhang .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2022 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this paper

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this paper

Blake, J., Burroughes, G., Zhang, K. (2022). Automatic, Vision-Based Tool Changing Solution for Dexterous Teleoperation Robots in a Nuclear Glovebox. In: Pacheco-Gutierrez, S., Cryer, A., Caliskanelli, I., Tugal, H., Skilton, R. (eds) Towards Autonomous Robotic Systems. TAROS 2022. Lecture Notes in Computer Science(), vol 13546. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-15908-4_24

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-15908-4_24

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-031-15907-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-031-15908-4

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics