Researchers at the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science in China have found a way to use robotics to optimize the machinery of fusion reactors.
Fusion reactors create nuclear fusion energy, which the U.S. Department of Energy has described as the result of joining two light atoms (usually hydrogen atoms) together.
Nuclear fusion avoids the dangerous, long-lasting radioactive waste of nuclear fission, the process of splitting atoms that is used in power plants today. Fusion's main byproducts are helium and heat. It's essentially the same process that stars use to burn brightly across our universe.
According to a HIPS press release and the published study, the new research used advanced robotic technology to make the machinery for assembling and maintaining a fusion reactor more efficient, even in the "complex and hazardous environments" expected in future fusion power plants.
In particular, according to the release, the "peg-in-hole" act of assembling a reactor requires a lot of precision. The new machinery will make the assembly process safer for humans and will be incredibly accurate. And in this case, "accurate" means having a margin of error below one tenth of a millimeter. This was accomplished by using a 2D camera (as opposed to 3D) and a force/torque sensor.
The research team used a type of artificial intelligence that emulates human hand-eye coordination to do the job. The tools are a part of a "deep reinforcement learning" process that the machinery uses to navigate space, according to the university report. Deep reinforcement learning is a machine learning method that allows machinery to learn skills via experience.
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While fusion energy isn't viable yet for creating power plants, it could eventually provide a tremendously abundant and more sustainable source of energy.
In operation, fusion energy doesn't create polluting gases like dirty forms of energy (as in coal and gas) do. Like wind and solar, fusion energy could one day help us create cleaner, safer power for our communities.
Other fusion advancements are happening left and right. The U.K.'s government announced plans earlier this year to write a policy statement that would make fusion projects easier to facilitate. And the University of Wisconsin's Physical Sciences Laboratory is revolutionizing how magnets play a role in creating fusion energy.
It's uncertain when fusion technology will be widely available. Estimates vary, and targets for delivering fusion power to the grid range from about a decade to decades or more. But learning about and advocating for planet-friendly tech when possible can help keep innovations like this in the public eye. More importantly, it'll allow people to do this crucial research in laboratories.
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The press release ended by summarizing the improvements to the supporting tech: "Together, these innovations mark a significant step toward building intelligent, heavy-duty robotic systems capable of carrying out complex and high-risk maintenance tasks in future fusion power plants."
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