| European Robotics Hackathon 2025 Open For Entries |
| Written by Kay Ewbank | |||
| Friday, 17 January 2025 | |||
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ENRICH 2025, the European Robotics Hackathon, is open now for team entries. To be held at the Zwentendorf Nuclear Power Plant in Austria, the aim is to develop robots that can carry out tasks in a nuclear reactor.
The first European Robotics Hackathon was held in 2017 and this year's will be the fifth. Rather than a competition the event is descibed as a "trial" in which participants are provided with: a full blown Hazardous Materials Incident Response Operation – including finding real radiation sources, mapping challenging environments and/or manipulating radioactive material." The ENRICH organizers say that incidents such as Fukushima, Majak or Chernobyl as well as the decommissioning and dismantling of old nuclear facilities such as Sellafield, Asse and Murmansk have shown that the use of robotics technology has clear advantages, and this hackathon aims to improve the technology. The main goal is to foster the development of robotic solutions for the RN ((radiological and nuclear)) domain. The contest offers an opportunity for companies to demonstrate equipment in a non-competitive environment and for users to see the systems perform in current real-world scenarios.
The location for the trial, the Zwentendorf Nuclear Power Plant (NPP), is the world's only nuclear power plant which has been completed but never put into operation. In Zwentendorf areas are easily accessible which in other NPPs can only be visited under severe difficulties. Engineers have transformed the plant and turbine halls into a training center, where other engineers can be trained in repair and dismantling measures as well as critical incidents and disaster scenarios. The ENRICH hackathon consists of a contest in which a panel of judges will select winning teams, along with an R&D workshop looking at radiological and nuclear tasks. The teams taking part will be able to take part in three different categories of trial - mapping, manipulation, and search and rescue. The mapping trial has two exploration tasks, firstly to detect, measure and mark radiation levels inside a digital map. Secondly, to build a digital 3D map of the area of interest. The manipulation task is divided into two sub-tasks. Firstly, to identify a specific pipe containing radioactive coolant. Then to close the valve that has been identified. The final task is Search & Rescue (SAR). Dummies will be spread throughout the building representing casualties. The dummies have to be found, the positions should be marked in the map, and - if possible - the dummies should be moved to a safe area. The organizers say teams entering should expect the typical interior of a power plant with elements including low or no light, closed doors, dead ends, sharp turns, blockings, steep stairs and narrow passages.They should also expect major difficulties for any kind of communication approach due to massive concrete walls and metal interiors. Due to the active radiation sources inside the scenario nobody is allowed to accompany the robots, but the scene will be equipped with cameras, allowing some basic supervision from outside. Additionally, Austrian radiation protection officials will ensure that there is no danger caused by the RN radiation, either for team members or for the robot systems. Teams can only participate if they carry out real radiation measurements, and the use of RN sensors is mandatory. Participants need to build their own radiation detectors. Entry for teams is open now and the closing date is February 28, 2025.
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| Last Updated ( Friday, 17 January 2025 ) |
