A major step forward in the use of robotics and artificial intelligence in the UK’s nuclear sector has been achieved after Sellafield Ltd and the Robotics & AI Collaboration successfully completed the first live trial of a specially designed contamination swabbing tool mounted on a quadruped robot.
The trial, carried out in an area containing radioactive material, demonstrates how advanced robotics can support routine health physics work while significantly reducing the need for people to enter potentially hazardous environments. For workers and communities around nuclear sites, the development highlights how technology is being used to strengthen safety without slowing progress.
Swabbing is a daily and essential task at Sellafield, with health physics teams carrying out hundreds of checks each day across contaminated areas. Using circular paper filters, these swabs monitor radiation levels on a wide range of surfaces, providing critical data that informs decommissioning decisions and ensures strict safety regulations are met.
The new swabbing tool was developed through RAICo, a UK-wide collaboration involving the UK Atomic Energy Authority, the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, Sellafield Ltd and the wider NDA nuclear estate, alongside the University of Manchester and AWE Nuclear Security Technologies. The partnership aims to accelerate the practical use of robotics and AI in nuclear decommissioning and fusion engineering.
At the heart of the innovation is the tool’s ability to replicate the complex, non-linear hand movements normally performed by humans. This has been achieved through a uniquely shaped attachment, an off-the-shelf haptic controller from Haply Robotics and custom software developed by RAICo. The system captures an operator’s real-time hand movements and translates them into precise commands for the robot’s manipulator, allowing for accurate and human-like control from a safe distance.
The deployment was conceived and delivered by Sellafield’s Remote Technology Group, which leads the evaluation and rollout of robotics, AI and unmanned systems across the site. During the controlled trial, the quadruped robot, known as Spot, was sent into a restricted area to inspect a simulated radiological spill and take a physical swab from a mock-contaminated surface.
Using the new tool, the robot successfully collected a sample of blue chalk, chosen to simulate radioactive contamination, and returned it for analysis. The trial showed that a task traditionally performed by humans in high-risk environments could be completed remotely without compromising accuracy or safety.
The success of the test opens the door for wider use of robotics across Sellafield and the wider UK nuclear estate. By reducing human exposure to radiation, improving efficiency and maintaining high safety standards, the technology could play a key role in speeding up decommissioning work while protecting the workforce.
Deon Bulman, ROV Equipment Programme Lead at Sellafield Ltd’s Remote Technologies Group, said the trial demonstrates the significant opportunity to improve both safety and efficiency in nuclear decommissioning. He noted that the quadruped robot’s agility allows it to access areas that are hazardous for people, while intuitive haptic feedback enables precise, confident sample collection.
Dr Kirsty Hewitson, Director of RAICo, said the deployment shows the value of collaboration between government bodies, academic institutions and UK supply-chain companies. She explained that by working as a single integrated team, partners are avoiding duplication and delivering greater value from public investment, while directly supporting the day-to-day tasks of frontline nuclear workers.
The Sellafield trial follows a similar successful inactive test carried out at the Joint European Torus facility in Culham earlier in 2025, suggesting the technology could have wide-ranging applications across both nuclear decommissioning and future fusion engineering sites.
For diaspora professionals working in engineering, robotics and advanced manufacturing, developments like this underline the UK’s growing leadership in high-tech safety-critical industries. At Chijos News, we continue to track how innovation funded by public investment is shaping safer workplaces, skilled jobs and long-term opportunities across Britain’s science and technology sectors.
