Robots Enter Fukushima Reactor Building for First Time

[jpak]

http://www.pcworld.com/article/225395/robots_enter_fukushima_reactor_building_for_first_time.html

A pair of remote controlled robots entered a reactor building at the stricken Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant on Sunday morning for the first time.

Plant operator Tokyo Electric Power is hoping the iRobot Packbots will be able to provide data on the current condition inside the buildings, parts of which contain high levels of radioactivity and are hazardous for workers to enter.

The robots entered the plant's number 3 reactor building and were due to take radiation and temperature readings. They are equipped with video cameras that can provide a live feed to operators.

Photos released by Tokyo Electric Power (TEPCO) showed one of the robots manipulating a handle on the second of a pair of double doors that lead into the reactor building.

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[FBaggins]

1. Must have hardened electronics.

I wonder how far into the plant they can get.

[Turbineguy]

2. Let's hope for some success

and we get some solid data to go forward with instead of relying on guesses and speculation as to what's really going on in there.

[flamingdem]

3. Sehr gut

Now let's hope they share the information.

[Fledermaus]

4. Packbots....military & hazmat robots

http://www.irobot.com/gi/ground/510_PackBot/for_HazMat_Technicians/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rryF6S0FKM0