Transformative RAICo and University of Glasgow 3D reconstruction tool is showcased at headquarters of the UKAEA

Technology being developed through RAICo’s collaboration with the University of Glasgow was recently showcased at the headquarters of the UK Atomic Energy Authority in Culham.

Emma Liying Li and Zhen Meng from the University of Glasgow demonstrated a 3D reconstruction tool that could have a transformative impact on the nuclear decommissioning process.

The system – known as a teleoperation and 3D telepresence pipeline – is in the early stages of development but could eventually be used to deliver 3D representations of objects of interest in hazardous environments.

Nuclear decommissioning environments demand highly realistic 3D visualisation to provide operators with a more immersive experience, enhancing their operational efficiency.

Using current processes, the removal of objects and the generation of real-time 3D reconstructions to create digital twins present a number of challenges.

The pipeline under development addresses these issues by enabling operators to use a haptic-enabled touch controller to teleoperate a robotic arm for real-time exploration and reconstruction of objects.

For the demonstration, Emma and Zhen used replicas of tiles from the JET (Joint European Torus), which until its recent scientific operational shutdown, was one of the largest and most powerful fusion research machines in the world and is now in the initial phase of decommissioning and repurposing.

As operators navigate various viewpoints, the teleoperation and 3D telepresence pipeline generates precise 3D models which improve with additional data and time.

It incorporates advanced image recognition and segmentation to focus exclusively on the tiles, with final outputs exported as mesh files for seamless integration into simulation and planning workflows.

Academia is one of the key themes of the RAICo programme.