Robot Dog Toggles Crane Switch at Nuclear Site in Stunt Gone Wrong

A robotic canine has been dispatched to a dangerous section of a nuclear facility to reactivate an inactive piece of machinery.

The quadruped robot named Spot restarted a crane necessary for hoisting containers of waste at Dounreay close to Thurso.

Because of safety regulations, employees are prohibited from approaching the switchboard to activate the machinery. The crane has remained non-functional for approximately two years.

Spot had an accessory that enabled it to grasp a small pole, using this to press the "on" button and activate the crane.

Opened 70 years ago as an experimental nuclear power facility, Dounreay is currently undergoing decommissioning and site closure.

The team at the Robotics and Artificial Intelligence Collaboration, including members from the University of Manchester, tackled the challenge of energizing the crane.

A series of tests took place over a week in a storage room utilizing a simulated switchboard prior to deploying Spot within a section of Dounreay known as the fuel cycle area.

Nuclear Restoration Services (NRS), operating the facility, stated that they heard a distinct “clunk” sound when the switch was activated.

The robot previously outlined a four-story radioactive building At the nuclear facility, a task involved climbing multiple staircases in complete darkness.

Kate Canning from the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) stated that the creation of robots at the facility has contributed to maintaining employee safety.

Throughout the years, a serpentine robot examined a dangerous section of an obsolete lab. that hadn't been witnessed in over four decades .

Another device, characterized as a high-tech worm It was utilized to assess the status of a pipeline previously employed for releasing radioactive waste.