Swedish Demolition Robots Arrive at Fukushima Nuclear Plant

Credit: Brokk

Swedish Brokk, the world´s leading manufacturer of remote controlled demolition machines, is delivering two Brokk 330 Diesel robots and a brand new larger robot to Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan. 
The first task for the machines is to provide access to highly contaminated areas and clean up contamination. “One key difference between Brokk’s demolition robots and other robots currently on site is that our machines are capable of carrying out multiple different and tougher tasks, such as tearing down concrete structures and take care of heavier contaminated materials” says Martin Krupicka CEO of Brokk. 

The first contact with Brokk and its Japanese partner BGE Company Ltd was taken soon after the accident at Fukushima, as Brokk demolition robots are known globally for decommissioning and material handling in radioactive environments. 

Brokk has successfully delivered robots for demolition, decommissioning and disposal of radioactive material to the nuclear industry for over twenty years, including to the USA, France, Great Britain, Russia and Japan. Brokk machines have for example been used for decommissioning and cleanup at Chernobyl in Urkraine. Brokk was chosen for this extremely challenging work by Taisei Corp, which works for TEPCO at Fukushima, because of  our extensive experience in the nuclear industry. Brokk has over two hundred machines at various nuclear sites worldwide. 

World's Largest Robot for Swedish Final Nuclear Repository

In 2025 robots and unmanned deposition machine Magne will take over the Swedish Final Nuclear Repository 400 meter under the ground of  Forsmark, Östhammar Municipality, according to plans from the
Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management Company (SKB). On 16 March 2011, SKB   submitted applications to the Swedish Radiation Safety Authority  (SSM) and to the Environmental Court to build the final repository for the 12,000 tonnes of spent nuclear fuel the nuclear power industry in Sweden needs to manage.

Unmanned Nuclear Waste Vehicle Magne

Credit: SKB

Meanwhile the probably world's largest fully automated robot for nuclear waste handling Magne, made by German Herbst GmbH, is tested 400 meter under ground at the Aspo Laboratory near Oskarshamns Nuclear Power Plant. It is the world wide first prototype robot for the emplacement of spent nuclear fuel.
In the final repository for both operation of the tunnels and deposit of the capsules the four-wheeled 100 ton fully loaded Unmanned Underground Vehicle (UUGV) will be used to align the canister in vertical position and lower it into the bentonite covered deposition hole. Unlike its predecessor the new deposition machine is not on rails, but on rubber tires. The nuclear waste UUGV can be moved between different tunnels in the repository and then it's easier with rubber wheels than if running on rails.

Security
Magne is equipped with both fire extinguishers and an automatic fire-extinguishing systems. Would Magne need emergency braking or stopped immediately during the deposition is done with the red emergency stop buttons in each corner. The machine can always be stopped within one meter on the emergency brakes when the speed is limited to 5 km / h (walking pace). To avoid puncture tires are filled with plastic foam. If the diesel engine would fail, the deposit still terminated by a built-in electric motor which is connected by cable
to the tunnel's power system. The deposit may also be supported in which made at any time and the capsule returned to the transfer station. All equipment, except vision cameras, can also be addressed in the shielded environment of a breakdown.

Autonomous operation and radiation shielding 

Navigation in the tunnels are of the same type of laser-based control systems used for different types of mining vehicles. The system reads the tunnel contour, learns the route and will be run independently of the tunnel. All logic is built into the machine and monitoring the vehicle via a wireless security network. As in the case of nuclear activity is of course the requirements for safety extra high. All management is also fully shielded.

The navigation system is developed by the Finnish company Navitec Systems Oy. The machine's control system consists of CAN-bus-based modules and takes care of all the measurements and controls of the machine. At the top of the control system hierarchy there is a navigation system, which is responsible for driving the machine automatically onto the deposition hole for lowering the canister into the hole. The navigation system is based on the InfraFREE navigation system developed by Navitec Systems Ltd. for Sandvik Mining and Construction Ltd.


$ 19 Billion Nuclear Power Reactors Cost in Sweden
According to latest cost calculations, submitted by SKB to the Radiation Safety Authority, total costs are estimated to SEK 123 billion (USD 19,2) in current monetary value. The calculations have been based on 50 to 60 years operating time for nuclear power reactors. Approximately SEK 31 billion have already been spent on building and operation of existing facilities as well as on planning facilities for management and disposal including research and development.

Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management Company (SKB)

The Swedish nuclear power companies jointly established SKB in the 1970s. SKB’s assignment is to manage and dispose of all radioactive waste from Swedish nuclear power plants in such a way as to secure maximum safety for human beings and the environment. The assignment is so extensive that SKB sees it as one of Sweden's biggest environmental-protection projects 

An interim storage facility for spent nuclear fuel (Clab) is near Oskarshamn. A final repository for short-lived radioactive waste (SFR) in Forsmark. Safe transport of the radioactive waste from nuclear power plants to the storage facilities is an important part of the system. Transport is by sea using the vessel M/S Sigyn. 

Eating Robot improves Quality of Life

Support for eating at elderly care homes is a very resource-heavy task that requires a helper spend between 20-30 minutes at least three times a day to feed a single citizen. The need of assistance for dining might be 1-1,5 hours per day and elderly, according to a Danish study with three municipalities.
The Danish Institute of Assistive Technology has recently started a project to demonstrate that eating robots can increase the quality of life for elderly, when able to eat independently at their own pace. At the same time caregivers can save time and use it to support other individual needs. The annual support for eating in Denmark is estimated to about 50 to 100 full-time care workers.
Robotic Help for Self Help
A smart solution to support eating comes from Sweden. The new robotic eating device Bestic was developed for persons with reduced or no capability in their arms or hands. Check out the video below.


 Individuals who are mobility impaired in their arms or hands can feel the freedom of eating on their own with the eating robot. The Bestic user can decide himself or herself which pieces of food to take, and when they should be lifted to the mouth. Bestic is made to suit dining environments with its discreet design, low sound level and soft movements. Bestic can be adapted to most individuals since every user can select the button or joystick which feels most comfortable for them. Bestic has the CE-mark and meets all European standards and regulations. It is registered at the Swedish Medical Products Agency. This makes it possible to purchase Bestic within EU.

50 Billion Connected Things 2020

Ericsson the world's leading provider of technology and services to telecom operators envisions over 50 billion connected devices in 2020. "In the future everything that will be benefit from being connected will be connected", said President and CEO Hans Vestberg in April 2010, when he met the shareholders in his new position for the first time at the Annual General Meeting of Shareholders in Stockholm. For every seven people on the face of the earth, there are now five mobile connections. In June 2010 the world passed the 5 billion subscription mark. 

Infonaut: ASIMO@AEC 2010

Connected Things 

• 30 billion connected consumer devices (3 billion x 10 connected devices)
• 1 billion vehicles
• 3 billion utility meters
• 100 billion embedded processors shipped (cumulative) 

Example from Sweden

Based on this vision Swedish telecom operator Telia expects 300 million connected devices in 2020, reports NyTeknik. Head of Telia Reseach Lars Klasson lists cameras, security alarms, washing machines and surveillance cameras as examples. Of Sweden's 12,2 million mobile subscriptions about 2 million (14%) devices, mostly utility meters, are already connected via the mobile network, but also alarms, cameras and vehicles are mobile connected.
What about Connected Robots?

Connected robots are not mentioned but will amount for some 100 millions in 2020-2035.  Here some predictions from Japan and South Korea. The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) expects the Japanese market for service robots based on domestic production will grow to US$ 12 billion by 2020 and US$ 60 billion by 2035. This means 24 to 120 million US$ 500 service robots.
"One Robot in Every Home"

In 2007 Bill Gates envisioned "one robot in every home". The Korean government has already a stated goal of one robot in every Korean Kindergarten by 2013 and one robot in every home by 2020. 
If service robotics takes a similar path as the mobile phone did in the 20th century we may have 5 billion mobile robots around year 2030. 
The Unknown Unknown

• What will this mean for society and our daily life? 
• What are the great opportunities, what are the great risks? 
• Are we prepared to live with billions of connected machines? 
• What questions haven´t been asked yet? 
• Any blindspots or tabus? 

Opera Mecatronica

35 meters below earth in a unique 13000 m3 exhibition space, which was Sweden’s first nuclear reactor, designed for scientific research, built in 1954 and phased out in 1970s, robot marionette Olimpia and robot swan Robocygne perform mecatronical dances at the Opera Mecatronica exhibition in Stockholm.
Olimpia is a three‐meter tall three‐dimensional creation built from rusty and patinated machine parts that dance in a curiously human like manner whilst singing an aria from The Tales of Hoffmann.


Swedish choreographer and dancer Åsa Unander-Scharin and her team of composers, visual artists, computer programmers and robot designers have created six installations at the exhibition Opera Mecatronica. The dancing robot swan Robocygne is dancing to Carl Unander-­‐Scharin’s electroacoustic version of Tchaikovsky’s majestic music from Swan Lake. Robocygne was developed at Mälardalen University and had its debut at the Swedish Book Fair in Gothenburg in September 2010.

Cleaning Robot Idea for Development

Swedish Electrolux offshored its vacuum cleaner production to Hungary in 2004 and closed the Swedish factory in Vaestervik. Robot cleaner Trilobite 2.0 became the second and last generation from the Swedish  consumer robotics pioneer. Sad for customers but also for creative developers behind a concept idea of a multi-functional robot cleaner. The idea responds perfectly to what cleaning experts claim for a healthy home - not only cleaning of floors but also textile furniture. Take a look at the video below. 





BTW, Electrolux had launched the Ergorapido 2in1 manual stick vacuum in 2004 and the idea of robot cleaner and stick vac was not so new in 2006. But the idea is great and I´m sure multi-functional cleaning robots will come. Who will be first with a green, affordable and effective solution? 


At Yanko Design a very similar All-In-One Robot Cleaner design concept of In-oh Yoo & Sun-woong Oh for Metatrend Institute  was published May 2010. 

Swedish Service Robotics 2010

Country Profile Sweden  - Service Robotics 2010
Sweden has a highy developed robotics industry with market leaders in industrial, service and consumer robotics such as ABB Robotics, Atlas Copco, Delaval, Electrolux and Saab. These global players are supported by small highly specialised development companies in optronics, system design and integration.
The network graph below shows leading Swedish service robotics companies and some of their links to each other.
(Click on the image for large view).

Image: GRB/Infonaut 2010

If you are interested in this or other robotics industry graphs from around the world contact Infonaut.   

The End of Swedish Countermine Technologies

According to the Landmine Monitor 2010, a total of 66 states and seven other areas were confirmed or suspected to be mine-affected. At least 1,041 people were killed, 2,855 were injured by landmines.

Credit: Countermine Technologies AB

"From Mined Land to Farmland" was the business idea of the Swedish company Countermine Technologies. October 28, 2010 Swedish Countermine Technologies declared bankruptcy after years of technical problems and economic scandals.
The story started in 1998 with the design concept for the mine-clearing machine based on a forestry machine with double flails and a forward positioned mine clearing device and the establishment of Scandinavian Demining Group 1999. The prototype “Scanjack” was built and sent to Croatia for certification., "yielding excellent results" according to Scanjack history webpage.

In tests conducted by the SWEDEC ( Swedish EOD and Demining Centre) of the three machines 2001 Scanjack was judged to be the best on the market. Scanjack was chosen as the winner based on effectiveness, resistance to detonation and driver safety. Scanjack left behind only 2% undetonated personal mines whereas Hydrema 910 MCV single flail left 9% undetonated or intact mines and Bofors Mine Guzzler with tiller left 30% fully functioning mines. Scanjack AB was primarily engaged in the development and production of equipment for mechanical industrial landmine clearance. Later on the Company was active through eight subsidiaries and had operations in Sweden, the United Kingdom, Croatia, Turkey, Egypt and Libya.Obstacle Removal And Clean Land Equipment (ORACLE) was built by Countermine Technologies and U.S. Caterpillar (CAT ) Inc. using one of Cat's off-the-rack loaders. The cost of remote controlled ORACLE was said to be 1/100 as much as a military system to set up and run. ORACLE is mentioned in Springer Handbook of Robotics 2008, page 1105.

In May 2009 Scanjack AB was acquired by Countermine Technologies AB through a stock purchase agreement. Scanjack AB continued to operate as a subsidiary in the Countermine Group.

Chairman of the Board of Directors and largest investor in Countermine Technologies AB was Mr. Björn Wolrath, the former Managing Director of Skandia (1981-1997), a large Swedish insurance company, Chairman of the Swedish Credit Corporation, and member of the Board of Directors of several industrial corporations. He is a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences.

Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors was Air Marshall Sir John Walker, former Chief of Defence Intelligence and Deputy Chairman of the Joint Intelligence Committee at the MoD and until recently Special Adviser to the House of Commons Defence Committee. He is former MoD Director of Forward Policy (RAF). He is also a member of the Board of Directors of several corporations. Sir John is a regular commentator on national television, radio, and press and has lectured on mine-warfare.

A sad story about demining robotics especially for those waiting for land mine cleared farmland.

Dancing Robot Swan

The Dying Swan turns smooth and gentle, sometimes dramatic and fiery as the Tchaikovsky's majestic music from the ballet Swan Lake is playing. But this is no ordinary ballet dancer, but a robot in the form of a swan, created at Mälardalen University and choreographed by professional dancer Åsa Unander-Scharin. On September 23 to 26 displayed swan robot for the first time to the public in Sweden's largest book fair in Gothenburg.

"We would like to explore where the boundaries of what a robot can do, what human expression that can take and how it affects people's perception of the robot when it appears in art and dance, "says Lars Asplund, Professor of Computer Science at Mälardalen University in Västerås. He has designed the approximately one meter tall dancing swan on the basis of a robot that was previously a thesis student of robotics, Alexander Larsson. The robot swan is built by a so-called modular system and in the white wings, neck, beak and feet are a total of 19 different joints, which makes it very flexible.

The idea for the dancing robot hatched jointly by Lars Asplund and his colleague Kerstin Gauffin, who works with theater at Mälardalen University. "With our tail, we are showing that we can use robots in new ways: simply because they are beautiful and give the audience experiences, "says Kerstin Gauffin, who wants to see robots play theater venues along with" ordinary "actors.
Source: MDH, Forskning.se

€ 0,6 Million for Fully Autonomous WheeL Loaders

Researchers at the AASS Learning Systems Lab at Örebro University collaborate with Swedish construction company NCC and truck builder Volvo CE to develope a generic, modularized system for autonomous wheel loaders that carries out all parts of the material handling cycle in the context of an asphalt production site.

This project is co-sponsored by the KK-foundation, Vinnova and Robodalen.

US Spherical robot

Colorado State grad student Greg Schroll has developed a spherical robot as a thesis project at MIT. Among those applications for this robot are use on environmentally hazardous sites, underwater and space exploration. Schroll has been named one of Popular Mechanics' 10 Most Brilliant Innovators of 2009.

A similar robot called Groundbot designed to detect and report intruders has been developed by a Swedish start-up company Rotundus.

€ 405 Million for Flying Demorobot nEUROn

Image: Saab
At Swedish Saab in Linköping the construction of Europe's experimental Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle (UCAV), nEUROn, has now started. The nEURON is a €405 million cooperation between several European countries, with French Dassault as master builder. France will provide €202.5 million, half of the program's €405 million budget, while the remaining funds will be supplied by the other participating member nations. Sweden has a 25% stake in nEUROn, with Saab’s responsibilities including supplying its core avionics and mission computer, working on its autonomous capabilities and manufacturing its front and centre fuselage.

nEUROn is a delta wing stealth UCAV demonstration project and not for military operational deployment. A main aim of the nEUROn programme is to sustain and develop European manufacturers' aeronautic and other technologies for next-generation combat aircraft and UAVs.

New chief for ABB Robotics Sweden

ABB Sweden has appointed Mr. Dennis Helfridson as new chief of the Swedish Robotics division. He will also be responsible for the Swedish business unit Robotics Products and will also become a member of the ABB Sweden management group.

Mr. Helfridson came to ABB in 1995 where he has worked with product development, construction, production, procurment and business development. Today he is global product manager for medium motors and chief for business unit LV Motors in Sweden.

Last year Mr. Helfridson has been ranked as the most influencial technology person under 40 years by the Swedish technology newspaper Ny Teknik.

Mr. Anders Nylander today pro tempore manager for the Swedish robotics division, will continue as global manager for the business unit Robotics Products.

100.000 Robotic Lawn Mowers from Sweden

Image: Husqvarna

Husqvarna Automower®, the world's first robotic lawn mower, counts 100,000 units sold since 1995. Automower®, now sold in 30 countries, is a fully automatic and silent robotic lawn mower for homeowners and hotels. Without emissions, day or night, rain or shine, it fertilizes and cuts the lawn to perfection, all by itself.

Husqvarna, the world's largest producer of lawn mowers, chainsaws and portable petrol-powered garden equipment such as trimmers and blowers, intends to implement a number of structural changes in order to reduce costs and improve the Group's competitiveness. The measures are aimed at eliminating overlap and duplication within production and administration, and involve consolidation of production in Sweden and the US, and of the sales organization in Europe and Asia/Pacific.

The changes are scheduled to be implemented in 2009-2010 and will affect approximately 1,200 employees. As a result of an increase in the number of employees in other production facilities in Poland and China, the net reduction in the number of employees is estimated at 400.

New Unmanned Naval Patrol Vehicle from Swedish Kockums

According to Swedish press the Swedish warefare shipyard Kockums will next week present a new type of unmanned, autonomous, remotely controlled naval patrol vehicles called Piraya. The four meter long vehicles can be used for patrolling and surveillance missions. The Pirayas can be controlled as a group by only one controller, without exposing personnel and capital assets to unnecessary risk. Patroling costs can also be reduced significally.

Kockums is part of ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems.