The use of teleoperators in hostile environment applications

The author discusses past, present, and future applications of teleoperated equipment and current development work on several teleoperated devices. In particular it is pointed out that a wide variety of teleoperated vehicles, arms, and other equipment are used in hostile environment applications at the US Department of Energy´s Savannah River Site. Teleoperated hardware is purchased, modified, and developed to eliminate or significantly to reduce personnel exposure to radioactive isotopes while performing both routine and emergency tasks in hazardous environments. Teleoperators handle radioactive isotopes, perform radiological surveys, and provide video surveillance in radiologically controlled areas. Proposed future teleoperator applications include contaminated soil removal and the retrieval of a dropped reactor target assembly in the event of an accident