Robotic Glovebox’s arrival at RAICo1 marks significant milestone 

RAICo’s Robotic Glovebox (RoBox) has reached a new stage in its journey, with RoBox1 now relocated from the UK Atomic Energy Authority’s (UKAEA) Materials Research Facility (MRF) in Culham, Oxfordshire to RAICo1 in Whitehaven, Cumbria.  

Extensive stakeholder engagement and testing has already been undertaken at MRF with potential end users. This move marks a significant milestone in the development and future applications of this innovative technology. 

RoBox is a system designed to support robotic operations in complex and hazardous environments, particularly in the nuclear industry. Combining advanced robotics with precision engineering, RoBox enables the remote handling of materials in confined spaces, reducing risks to human operators.  

Equipped with technologies for teleoperation, automation, and material processing, it serves as both a development platform for emerging tools and a practical solution for decommissioning and maintenance tasks.  

Initially serving as a prototype to reduce risks associated with robotic operations in nuclear settings, RoBox1 has now taken on an expanded role. At RAICo1 it will act as both a demonstration model and a collaborative development tool.  

This enables stakeholders, including Sellafield Ltd and the University of Manchester, to engage directly with the technology, explore its capabilities, and evaluate its potential to transform nuclear decommissioning processes. It will also serve as a testbed for emerging technologies, broadening its contribution beyond risk reduction to support advancements in operational efficiency and safety. 

The next stage for RoBox1 at RAICo1 is its integration into digital twin technology. This cutting-edge initiative combines control systems with advanced modelling to create a simulated environment that mirrors RoBox’s operations.  

This allows for real-time monitoring, safety assessments, and predictive analysis, representing a major leap forward in digital tools for nuclear safety and operational decision-making. 

The system will also support academic research into teleoperation and operator-assisted technologies. Researchers from the University of Manchester are working to develop innovative methods for path planning and teleoperation in confined and complex environments, offering new ways to enhance operator control and effectiveness.  

Building on feedback from the prototype phase, further work is being undertaken to validate the system’s confinement integrity. These measures are essential for ensuring RoBox1 can operate safely in active environments and will address any findings from initial trials. 

Looking ahead, development of RoBox2 is already underway. With installation planned at MRF in April 2025, this next-generation system will incorporate the learnings from RoBox1, and introduce enhanced features that prioritise safety and automation. 

RAICo is a partnership between the UK Atomic Energy Authority, the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, Sellafield and the University of Manchester. It aims to accelerate the deployment of robotics and AI in nuclear decommissioning and fusion engineering.