Robot Protecting Nuclear Safety Also Active at Construction Sites

Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute's 'Armstrong' Robot Technology Transferred to Private Companies
Moves Heavy Objects and Cuts Pipes Like Human Hands at Construction Sites

A robot that was active in nuclear power plants has been assigned to perform dangerous tasks at construction sites on behalf of humans.

The high-load dual-arm robot Armstrong, developed independently by the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, is cutting a pipe using a cutter. Photo by Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute

The Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (Director Joo Han-kyu) announced on the 15th that the research team led by Dr. Park Jong-won of the Robot Application Research Laboratory has transferred the technology related to the heavy-load dual-arm robot ‘ARMstrong’ developed in-house to ITOne (CEO Kim Young-pyung). The terms include a fixed technology fee of 200 million KRW and a running royalty of 5% of sales.

ITOne is a smart construction safety diagnosis solution company that collects data within construction sites using Internet of Things devices and diagnoses risk factors in advance.

Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute transferred the Armstrong high-load dual-arm robot technology it developed in-house to IT One Co., Ltd. (From right) Joo Han-kyu, President of Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, and Kim Young-pyeong, CEO of IT One Co., Ltd. Photo by Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute

Dr. Park Jong-won’s research team has developed various disaster prevention robots for accident response and recovery operations since 2015, following the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident in Japan. The accident response robot ‘ARMstrong’ was developed with a human-like structure and can freely move objects weighing 200kg using robotic arms mounted on both sides. It can also move over rough terrain with its continuous track system resembling tank treads. It is especially useful at accident sites where handling heavy concrete or waste drums, spraying fire extinguishing water, debris removal, and valve operation are required. Using a dedicated control device called the ‘master device,’ shaped like a human arm, the arms of ARMstrong can be moved exactly like human arms. Last year, the institute successfully completed the Disaster Response Safety Korea Drill by deploying disaster prevention robots including ARMstrong for the first time domestically at a nuclear power plant to perform tasks such as blocking radiation leaks.

ARMstrong, which has been verified at nuclear power plants, is expected to take on tough jobs at construction sites as well.

Joo Han-kyu, director of the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, said, “This technology transfer is the first case of robot technology developed for nuclear safety being applied to the private construction sector,” adding, “We will continue to expand advanced nuclear technology to other industrial fields and strive to lead the development of technology in our country.”