Engineers at Lancaster University are developing computer systems for robots handling hazardous nuclear waste. The software will make the robots semi-autonomous - simplifying human control, which has to be done remotely due to the highly radioactive environments in which the robots operate.
兰开斯特大学的工程师们正在开发机器人处理危险核废料的计算机系统。该软件将使机器人实现半自主——简化人类的控制，由于机器人所处的环境具有高放射性，人类必须远程控制机器人。
Robot with two manipulating arms grasping a pipe (Image: Lancaster University)
两臂机械手抓取管道的机器人(图片:兰卡斯特大学)
Making use of novel imaging software and a Microsoft Kinect camera added to a mobile robot with two manipulating arms, the system makes it easier to identify, grasp and cut objects - such as metal pipes, which are a common material found in nuclear decommissioning sites.
该系统利用新颖的成像软件和微软Kinect摄像头，将其添加到一个拥有两只操纵手臂的移动机器人上，使其更容易识别、抓取和切割物体，比如金属管道，这是在核退役地点常见的材料。
The university said the software has the potential to significantly speed-up decommissioningoperations, while also retaining human oversight of the robot.
该大学表示，该软件有潜力显著加快退役操作，同时还能保持人类对机器人的监督。
"The standard within nuclear decommissioning is for direct human-controlled remote tele-operation of robots, which is extremely difficult for the operators particularly given the complexity of nuclear decommissioning tasks," said James Taylor, professor of control engineering at Lancaster University's Department of Engineering. "Fully autonomous solutions are unlikely to be deemed safe in the near future and so we have explored creating a semi-autonomous solution that sits between the two.
兰开斯特大学(Lancaster University)工程系控制工程学教授詹姆斯•泰勒(James Taylor)表示:“核设施退役的标准是由人类直接控制的机器人远程操作，考虑到核设施退役任务的复杂性，这对操作者来说极其困难。”“在不久的将来，完全自主的解决方案不太可能被认为是安全的，所以我们已经探索出一种介于两者之间的半自主解决方案。
"By making use of a single camera mounted on the robot our system focusses on a common task in these harsh environments - the selecting and cutting of pipes. Our system enables an operator to instruct the robot manipulator to perform a pipe grasp and cut action with just four mouse clicks.
“通过使用安装在机器人上的一个摄像头，我们的系统在这些恶劣的环境中专注于一项共同的任务——管道的选择和切割。我们的系统使操作人员能够指导机器人机械手执行管道抓取和切割操作，只需点击四下鼠标。
"Tests show that operators using this system successfully outperform operators using the current joystick-based standard. It keeps the user in control of the overall robot but significantly reduces user workload and operation time."
测试表明，使用该系统的运营商成功地超过了使用当前基于操纵杆的标准的运营商。它让用户控制整个机器人，但大大减少了用户的工作量和操作时间。”
The system has so far been tested in laboratory conditions with a small number of operators. The researchers recognise that further testing is required, and additional measures, such as shielding, would be needed to prepare the system for radioactive environments.
到目前为止，该系统已经在实验室条件下由少数操作员进行了测试。研究人员认识到，需要进行进一步的测试，还需要采取额外的措施，比如屏蔽，来为该系统应对放射性环境做好准备。
The researchers have outlined their work in a paper published by the journal Robotics.
研究人员在《机器人》杂志上发表的一篇论文中概述了他们的工作。
The development work was funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council - part of UK Research and Innovation - as part of the National Centre for Nuclear Robotics (NCNR). The NCNR aims to develop advanced robotics and AI technologies for nuclear industry applications. The focus of the centre is to develop technology for aiding radioactive waste management. Lancaster University was one of eight universities that founded the NCNR.
这项开发工作由工程和物理科学研究理事会资助，该理事会是英国研究和创新的一部分，也是国家核机器人中心(NCNR)的一部分。NCNR的目标是为核工业应用开发先进的机器人和人工智能技术。该中心的重点是发展协助放射性废物管理的技术。兰开斯特大学是建立NCNR的八所大学之一。
文章来源：中国核能
IEEE Spectrum
《科技纵览》
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