DEEP-NAV project put through its paces

A collaboration between Game Changers funded engineering experts Eadon Consulting and Jacobs has resulted in a successful demonstration of a deployment navigation system called DEEP-NAV at Sellafield’s Centre of Excellence.

The purpose of the project, which attracted Game Changers feasibility funding, was to develop novel positioning technology to enable the precise navigation of long-reach deployment tools. Nuclear cell environments can be very congested and DEEP-NAV has been designed to reduce the risk of collision within cells when deploying tools remotely.

Precise deployment location information relative to the cell environment also enables more accurate measurements and the use of end effectors for activities such as radiation mapping or sample gathering. 

DEEP-NAV has been designed to be easily integrated and compatible with any long-reach tool, including manual or robotic devices. The electronics and software needed to operate the navigation system have been developed by Jacobs, while Eadon’s REACH tool has used as the example deployment platform.

REACH, also developed with Game Changers funding, offers a range of benefits over traditional deployment methods including allowing for the negotiation of complex geometries and obstacles. The tool also enables long range, high payload capacity deployments both vertically and horizontally.

DEEP-NAV is a novel system combining multiple sensors to give an operator a virtual third-person view of a robotic system in an area that would normally be obscured. The operator’s view is as if they were standing by the tool in the lab, allowing much easier and safer operation of the device.

Further development of DEEP-NAV could include redesign to reduce overall size, designs for a radiation-hardened version and development of a 3D camera unit to be integrated with the visualisation software.