Robotic Inspection Researcher - Glasgow, United Kingdom - University of Strathclyde

University of Strathclyde

Verified Company

Glasgow, United Kingdom

3 weeks ago

Posted by:

Tom O´Connor

beBee Recruiter

Description

Salary range:
£36,024 - £44,263

FTE:1

Term:
Fixed (12 months)

Closing date:27 March 2024

The project has been funded by the academic research theme of the Robotics and Artificial Intelligence Collaboration (RAICo).

RAICo is a collaboration between the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, UK Atomic Energy Authority, Sellafield Ltd and The University of Manchester that aims to lead the development and exploitation of robotics technology to address challenges in nuclear decommissioning.

RAICo is based in the RAICo1 facility, located in Whitehaven, Cumbria.

The project will be joining the expanding RAI academic community based at RAICo1 including projects from other leading UK institutions.

The project will address the challenge of remotely inspecting of the many miles of service ducts/trenches at Sellafield, through the development of remotely deployed robotic systems.

The project will develop a telepresence system for remote inspection (featured in this video Strathclyde-InService).

It will build upon existing work to control a robot through a VR interface, improved by tightly coupling the inspection results into the virtual environment.

Thus, enabling the operator to easily navigate through the inspection area, and visualise past and present inspection data superimposed onto the structure, allowing for better real-time decision making.

This will greatly aid in performing repeat inspections (for trending over time), ensure full coverage, and easily highlight areas of concern.

The project presents the following research challenges:

Ensuring consistency between the real and virtual worlds, in terms of geometry and robot localisation. In this project we will use a 3D model of the inspection location and work to track the position of the robot relative to the model.
Developing software to visualise inspection results in VR (1st and 3rd person perspective).
Implement AI algorithms to interpret inspection data in real-time, enabling natural inspection strategies.
Deployment of inspection sensors using the robot's arm.

As a Research Associate, you will be responsible for the technical delivery of the project, under the management of Prof's Dobie and Pierce.

Dr William Jackson will provide hands-on technical mentoring and leadership, spending at least 20% of his time at RAICo1 supporting the project.

The primary goal is be to use the RAICo1 facility as a launchpad to get fundamental research out of Strathclyde's SEARCH laboratory and integrated into the RAICo Programme for the benefit of nuclear end users including Sellafield Ltd and the wider NDA estate.

This will involve working with engineers at Strathclyde, RAICo, Sellafield and UKAEA to develop a proof-of-concept demonstrator remote inspection system - more details are provided in the job description below.

Robotic Inspection Researcher (RA

Department:
Electronic and Electrical Engineering

Posted:12/03/2024

Closing date:27/03/2024

Closing time:23:59