Houdini: Reconfigurable in-tank robot
RedZone Robotics, Inc. and Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) are developing a tethered mobile robot, Houdini, to work inside waste storage tanks in support of the Department of Energy`s Environmental Restoration and Waste Management (EM) Program. This project is funded by the DOE`s Environmental Management Office of Technology Development through the Morgantown Energy Technology Center (METC). Our goal is to develop technology that is useful for in-tank operations throughout the DOE`s EM program. The first application of the Houdini system is to support the waste retrieval action planned for the final remediation of the Fernald site`s waste silos. RedZone and CMU have discussed potential applications for the system with personnel from several other DOE sites, and have found that the system would be widely useful in the DOE complex for tasks both inside and outside of waste storage tanks. We are tailoring the first implementation of the Houdini system to the specific needs of the Fernald silo remediation. The Fernald application-specific design constraints are primarily interface issues and should not interfere with the utility of the system at other sites. In addition, DOE personnel at the Oak Ridge National Laboratories (ORNL) have expressed a strong interest in the Houdini system. They have a target application scheduled for mid-1996. This program represents a unique opportunity to develop a new technology that has immediate application in two CERCLA cleanup actions; the proposed applications at Fernald and ORNL support Federal Facility compliance agreements.
- Research Organization:
- Redzone Robotics, Inc., Pittsburgh, PA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AR21-95MC32092
- OSTI ID:
- 167216
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/MC/32092-96/CO621; CONF-9510108-42; ON: DE96003691; TRN: 96:003176
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Environmental technology development through industry partnership, Morgantown, WV (United States), 3-5 Oct 1995; Other Information: PBD: 1995
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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