Fraunhofer Institute of Optronics, System Technologies and Image Exploitation IOSB
Fraunhofer Institute of Optronics, System Technologies and Image Exploitation IOSB
Großer Bagger baggert Erde, Führerhaus ist leer. Im Vordergrund steht ein vierbeiniger Laufroboter
© Fraunhofer IOSB, indigo

© Fraunhofer IOSB, indigo

Competence center ROBDEKON – Robotic systems for decontamination in hazardous environments

ROBDEKON building at Fraunhofer IOSB
© Fraunhofer IOSB
ROBDEKON building at Fraunhofer IOSB
Visualization of an autonomous excavator and volumetric mapping of its environment
© Fraunhofer IOSB
Ambient perception of an autonomous excavator

Short description of the project

The competence center “Robotic systems for decontamination in hazardous environments” conducts research on autonomous or semi-autonomous robotic systems for use in work that has so far been associated with a significant potential hazard for humans.

Project goals

ROBDEKON is a national knowledge hub for questions concerning robotic systems for decontamination in hazardous environments – with a constantly expanding network of experts and users. As part of its research and development activities, ROBDEKON deals with mobile robots for rough terrain, autonomous construction machines, robotic manipulators as well as decontamination concepts, planning algorithms, multisensory 3D environmental mapping and teleoperation using virtual reality. Artificial intelligence methods enable the robots to perform assigned tasks autonomously or semi-autonomously.

In the first project phase of ROBDEKON, the focus is on three relevant application areas:

  • Decommissioning of nuclear facilities
  • Decontamination of plant components and waste
  • Remediation of contaminated sites

Privacy warning

With the click on the play button an external video from www.youtube.com is loaded and started. Your data is possible transferred and stored to third party. Do not start the video if you disagree. Find more about the youtube privacy statement under the following link: https://policies.google.com/privacy

Project results

Among other things, Fraunhofer IOSB is working on autonomy kits that turn near-series construction machines into (partially) autonomous robots for the remediation of contaminated sites. A driverless 24-ton excavator has been developed that autonomously removes layers of soil and loads them onto the trailer of a tractor that also operates autonomously.

Project partners

  • Fraunhofer Institute of Optronics, System Technologies and Image Exploitation IOSB (lead management)
  • German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI) Bremen
  • Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)
  • FZI Forschungszentrum Informatik (Computer Science Research Center)
  • Götting KG
  • Kraftanlagen Heidelberg GmbH
  • KHG Kerntechnische Hilfsdienst GmbH
  • ICP Ingenieurgesellschaft Prof. Czurda und Partner mbH
 

© iStock.com/FactoryTh

Publications and media reports

Involved departments of Fraunhofer IOSB

Two departments of Fraunhofer IOSB contribute their competences to ROBDEKON:

 

Project details

Competence center “ROBDEKON – Robotic systems for decontamination in hazardous environments”

Project duration: since 2019

The competence center is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research.

To the ROBDEKON homepage

Our competences

Do you have similar challenges? We would be happy to work with you to find a solution. We adapt our services individually to your needs.

Research topic Autonomous robot systems for hostile environments