Development and implementation of a multifunctional inspection and rescue robot system for fusion facility

The Remote Handling (RH) system is the key component in tokamak fusion facility for the remote maintenance. In order to improve the safety and reliability of the RH system, a RH Multifunctional Inspection and Rescue Robot (MIRR) is developed and implemented to perform inspection, maintenance and rescue tasks for deployed RH systems outside tokamak vacuum vessel in fusion facility. This paper introduces the system structure and designs for each module of the robot. The MIRR mainly consists of three parts: an Omnidirectional Mobile Vehicle (OMV), an Operation Robot Arm (ORA), and an Inspection Robot Arm (IRA). The OMV driven by mecanum omnidirectional wheels is maneuverable to move under narrow-space and multi-obstacle environment and has good load capacity for necessary transportation. The ORA based on force feedback control method performs multiple operations with different quick-change tools. The IRA achieves flexible inspection and auxiliary functions for remote operation. Eventually, the results of experiments verified the designed functions of MIRR.