Paper:
Research on Debris Removal Robot
Yohei Kobayashi*, Kenta Morita*, and Shigekazu Suzuki**
*National Institute of Technology, Maizuru College
234 Shiroya, Maizuru, Kyoto 625-8511, Japan
**National Institute of Technology, Fukushima College
30 Nagao, Kamiarakawa, Taira, Iwaki, Fukushima 970-8034, Japan
This study developed a debris removal robot for the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. The creative robot contest for decommissioning the nuclear reactors of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station is an annual competition based on problem-based learning. It aims to stimulate students’ interest in decommissioning nuclear reactors while simultaneously imparting problem-solving skills. The development of our debris removal robot started with this contest. The proposed robot can travel in a pipe, has a 3 m telescopic arm, and is equipped with a debris removal device known as a spiral catcher. This report provides an overview of this robot. We expect that complex robot development will be achieved by putting forth several ideas from various fields and fostering advanced problem-solving skills by encouraging students to address difficult tasks. Therefore, we successfully fostered the social implementation skills of students and developed a debris removal robot.
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