A Northumberland robotics company is set to play a major role in how dangerous facilities in the nuclear and oil and gas sectors are dismantled as part of a revolutionary new project.
Blyth’s Tharsus Group - the reigning North East Company of the Year - is one of a number of companies involved in the Connect-R programme to design and build a robot capable of maintaining and decommissioning equipment in hazardous environments.
Connect-R involves developing a robot that can combine artificial intelligence with advanced engineering techniques so that humans do not need to access the dangerous areas.
The robot will be self-building and able to construct itself using “Meccano-like” sections that can be slotted into position.
The system means Connect-R can construct itself into a robotic arm, articulating derrick or provide necessities like gas, water and power to the site when needed.
A “Multi-task Bot” will also be developed to work alongside the Connect-R system. The bot will be used to deploy sensors, map the environment and carry out sampling work.
Tharsus is one of three private companies that are working on the project, which is being led by Cumbrian firm Barrnon. Other organisations involved in the project include Ross Robotics, Jigsaw Structures, and RACE - a centre of excellence for Remote Applications in Challenging Environments.
Two leading academic institutions - Royal Holloway University of London and the University of Edinburgh - will also be involved in the Connect-R programme.
Dave Swan, chief technical officer at Tharsus, said: “Tharsus is playing a very specific support role in the Connect-R project: our main task is to assist in the commercialisation of the finished product.
“We’re very proud to be involved in this ground-breaking initiative which has the potential to change the face of several industries for the better. The people we get to work with are recognised as global authorities in their specific areas of expertise and it’s fantastic to see so much advanced knowledge shared and applied to this challenge.”
Connect-R is being partly financed from the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund, through UK Research and Innovation.
The organisation ran a competition to secure funding for ground-breaking projects, and individuals were invited to take part in a five-day workshop called the Innovation Lab in September. Mr Swan represented Tharsus at the event where the original concept for Connect-R was created.
