Toshiba robot set for new Fukushima mission

A new robot developed by Toshiba is on its way to the Fukushima nuclear plant ahead of a mission to investigate deposits inside a reactor.

Designed and built by Toshiba’s Energy Systems & Solutions (Toshiba ESS) division, the robot measures around 30cm long and 10cm wide, weighing approximately 1kg. It features a camera, external LED Lighting, a pan-tilt mechanism, a radiation dosimeter and a thermometer. Unlike other robots that Toshiba has developed for the Fukushima site, the robot is also equipped with a finger drive mechanism for interacting with its environment and exploring the nature of deposits.

The tethered robot will be deployed inside the primary containment vessel (PCV) of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant Unit 2, one of three reactors severely damaged in the earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan in March 2011. Efforts to decommission all three units have been ongoing since then, with much of the work carried out by robots due to the high levels of radiation that persist in the damaged reactors.