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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2026

A Modular Accelerator Robotics Framework for AD Robotics

Accelerator tunnels, such as the ones at Fermilab, remain highly radioactive after beam shutoff due to induced radiation from the beam. This residual radiation creates a hazardous environment for manual inspection and repair of beamline components. To minimize worker radiation dose and reduce beam downtime, the AD Robotics Initiative previously built a fleet of low-cost custom mobile robots. However, the custom Python sockets server-client architecture lacked standardization, causing development delays and complicating the integration of new sensors and actuators. Here, we developed a modular system using ROS2 and Docker to standardize the teleoperation and control interfaces. This system was validated by implementing a teleoperation controller with real-time, low-latency, and high-definition video feedback. The aim of this framework is for a new feature or even a robot to be integrated into the system simply by documenting the hardware configuration. Current integration of LiDAR, Odometry, and Depth Cameras provides the foundation for Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) tasks. Finally, future work involves integration into the accelerator control system and the attachment of a 6 degree-of-freedom robotic arm for telemanipulation.

Rayyan Khan, M. [Fermilab; Rensselaer Poly.; Unlis↗
DOE OSTI2026

ARCH Technology Snapshot Autonomous Robot Control Hierarchy (ARCH): A universal software system that removes the need to rebuild robotic software for every new platform or task

Robots are increasingly used to perform repetitive, hazardous, and time-sensitive tasks, improving safety and operational efficiency. However, most robotic systems remain difficult to adapt because they are tightly tied to specific hardware and require extensive reprogramming for each new configuration.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2026

A Real2Sim Digital Twin Pipeline for Photorealistic Robot Simulation: Evaluating VLA Policy Deployment on a Bimanual Mobile Robot

Digital twins that are automatically constructed from robot sensor data offer a promising pathway for scalable Real2Sim and Sim2Real transfer. However, it remains an open question whether photorealistic reconstruction alone is sufficient to support reliable deployment of vision-language-action (VLA) policies. We present a generative-AI-assisted Real2Sim pipeline that generates simulation-ready digital twins from real-world RGB observations with minimal manual intervention. The pipeline uses prompted segmentation to isolate scene components and a generative 3D model to directly produce simulation assets, eliminating the need for traditional multi-view reconstruction or manual 3D modeling.\r\nTo evaluate simulation fidelity, we deploy and compare policies from two VLA models in both the real robot and the reconstructed\r\nsimulation under identical tasks and initial conditions. We compare joint-level action trajectories and analyze how divergence evolves over time in closed-loop execution. Although the reconstructed environments are visually accurate, we observe increasing trajectory divergence during closedloop operation. These results indicate that photorealistic reconstruction alone is insufficient to preserve closed-loop control behavior\r\nin VLA policies, particularly in contact-rich manipulation settings where small perceptual errors compound over time.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
DOE OSTI2023

A Lizard-inspired Tube Inspector (LTI) Robot

This final report summarizes the research findings of the current project. This project is a collaboration between New Mexico State University (NMSU) as a lead (Recipient) and Arizona State University (ASU) as a Co-Recipient. Tubular structures are common components of boilers and heat exchangers in power plants. Over time, these components may suffer corrosion, cracks, and stress-corrosion cracks in either the body or the welded connections. A single tube leakage can cause an outage of several weeks. Regular inspection is a key safety factor when ensuring that power plants are maintained in reliable, operational condition. This inspection, however, is challenging, time-consuming, and in many cases impossible due to accessibility issues and safety concerns. Recent developments in robotic-based inspection can offer a great solution. Hard-to-reach places can be inspected without overhauling the unit, saving time and cost. Although several robots have been designed and implemented successfully for inspecting power plant components, in particular tubular structures, their mobility and flexibility are limited. Most of these robots use wheels for mobility which reduces their maneuverability of these robots. Moreover, they usually use magnets to attach to tubes which will not work on tubes with non-ferromagnetic materials. These robots usually carry measurement tools for a particular non-destructive testing (NDT) method such as ultrasound testing (UT) that requires a couplant to perform a point-by-point (scanning) inspection of the tubular structure. In this project, we developed a versatile lizard-inspired tube inspector (LTI) robot with embedded inspection sensing components for tube inspection which removes the need for point-by-point scanning of tube surface for crack and corrosion detection. Inspired by a “lizard”, the novelty of the current project is the integration of couplant-free ultrasound sensing and transmission, advanced data-driven defect detection and imaging, and friction-based mechanical mobility components in a single robot to eliminate a need for smooth surfaces and simple geometry for mobility and scanning. The LTI robot could replace the wheel-based approach with friction-based mobility to significantly increase the flexibility and maneuverability of the robot. The LTI robot can get into a power plant unit, such as a boiler, from a small area allowing it to access a component of interest for inspection (e.g., move on OD, curved and flat surfaces, non-ferromagnetic or ferromagnetic materials, and tubes with rough surfaces and complex geometries). Additionally, an advanced data-driven method using ultrasound data was pioneered to allow the robot to detect defects in the entire area between the robot’s multi-functional mobility system (grippers). Integrating a couplant-free ultrasound sensing in the robot’s grippers as well as using advanced data-driven methods allowed the LTI to detect defects in the entire cross-section of a tube using its grippers when stationary and when mobile.

20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Wearable robotic systems for supporting a load

Wearable robotic systems including robotic limbs for supporting a load while a user moves through an environment and their methods of use are described. In one embodiment, a robotic system includes robotic limbs with first and second robotic limb segments that are movable between different configurations to support a load while a user is standing or crawling. In another embodiment, a robotic system includes first and second robotic limbs that are substantially located within a plane parallel to a frontal plane of a user when the robotic system is worn. In another embodiment, a wearable robotic system includes first and second robotic limbs and an associated base that is attachable to a user's torso. The first and second robotic limbs may include a plurality of actuators and associated robotic limb segments to couple the robotic legs to the base and control their movement.

Asada, Haruhiko Harry↗
DOE OSTI2020

Development of the Intelligent, Preventive Infrared (IR) Inspection System Housed in Hybrid Robotic Platforms

Robots and robotic systems that are designed for inspection, environmental study, and health and safety aid are becoming an increasing necessity. However, there is a number of challenges that accompany robots that are designed for these specific applications. These challenges include: navigating compact, enclosed spaces, travelling over multiple terrains and large obstacles, using the proper sensing and detection methods to assess an environment, and the use of lightweight and durable materials. The robotic platforms currently in development look at all of these challenges and attempt to overcome them. These designs specific use of hybrid robotic platforms, or platform that utilizes soft and rigid materials, allows for a more flexible platform and makes environments more navigable. To further improve the navigation of the platforms and environmental assessment, a novel infrared detection system is housed in the platforms to create a robot that can be used for the applications listed above and more. Objectives: Further develop two types of robotic platforms that utilize additive manufacturing, soft materials, and rigid materials. Continue the development of an intelligent and inhibitory infrared detection system based on an artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm. Continued study and fabrication of active soft materials designed for both sensing and actuation in hybrid robotic systems. Improve additive manufacturing fabrication to design rigid and semi-rigid components for hybrid robotic platforms. Transformable Wheel Robotic Platform: The chassis, wheels, tires and inspection system housing use different additive manufacturing techniques for fabrication. Continued work with additive manufacturing has lead to studies in metal-based printing and modular design and manufacturing. The new platform design with integrated electrical component printed. This will allow integration of the sensor housing onto the platform. Electrical components are being tested for battery life and performance. To improve this performance, such as integration of Lithium Polymer (LiPo) batteries. Snake Robotic Platform: The main focus of the development has centered around liquid-based soft actuators. That act on the principles of electrostatic and hydraulic actuation. A liquid dielectric sits between two compliant electrodes, contained by a flexible polymer shell. The electrodes and film gradually collapse toward each other from one corner of the electrode to the other. When the electrodes and film close together, a majority of the fluid is pushed into the area not covered by an electrode. A thin layer of the liquid dielectric remains between the electrode. The actuators will be stacked to cause large displacement, and move the linkages. The chassis of this platform uses purely additively manufactured linkages. Intelligent, Preventive IR Inspection System: Development of the AI for the system has lead to using a Scikit-Learn which assists in creating predictive models based on Regression, clustering, classification etc. To improve the infrared thermometry for low emissivity sources, work on the fabrication of a tandem photoconductive infrared thermometer was a main focus. Distance-Voltage-Temperature response data has been collected in the range of 7 cm - 100 cm and 200-400 deg. C. Modifications were made to the existing test bench to have a better control over the data. Automated data collection was realized using a Python code and an Arduino controlled stepper motor to increase the sample rate. A protective enclosure has been built around the setup to minimize the effect of the environment on the measurements. To better predict temperature, different AI models are being optimized. The regression model, LARS showed a high accuracy but had convergence issues and only works for the current test set-up. Results: The Transformable Wheel Robot has developed into a more flexible and modular platform. With the improvements to the current work, effort on the tire or soft gripper design been a large focus. The soft grippers will be interchange able to allow for increased performance in identified terrain types. The development of the liquid-based actuators allows the snake robotic platform to achieve the goals of being flexible and able to navigate confined spaces. However, there is room for improvement. Optimization work is currently being done in COMSOL Multiphysics. With the current IR system set-up the LARS model perfectly predicts the data; however, considering the mobility aspect of the project other models will allow for an optimized system. Testing of other model types is currently being done.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2020

Integrating Commercial Ready Autonomous Robotic Platforms to Enhance Worker Safety and Efficiency - 20053

This paper will explore the challenges and triumphs of implementing advanced robotic systems and the supporting technology for the waste management industry. Deployment-ready solutions for autonomous robotic platforms are new to the radioactive waste management industry and have been slow to implement across the complex. Specifically, it will explore Hanford Tank Operations Contractor's implementation of ground-based autonomous robotic platforms to enhance workforce safety and efficiency. The first objective of the project is to demonstrate safe operation of autonomous instrumented robots, followed by a scaling up of capabilities for the platform to meet any additional requests of internal stakeholders. Autonomous robotics platforms offer a fantastic range of capabilities that will aid in decreasing long-term liability of radioactive waste management industry by enhancing clean-up efforts and worker safety. Over the past five years, deployment-ready solutions for autonomous robotic platforms have come a long way. Autonomous robotic platforms are increasingly available to purchase from many vendors, often for prices under $100,000. Additionally, the vendors who produce these products are efficient in accommodating customized solutions to unique challenges, such as those often found in the radioactive waste management industry. However, the newness of this technology to the radioactive waste management industry and has resulted in a slow implementation across the complex. This paper will explore the challenges and triumphs of implementing advanced robotic systems and supporting technology for the waste management industry. Specifically, it will explore Hanford Tank Operations Contractor's implementation of ground based autonomous robotic platforms to enhance workforce safety and efficiency. While the company has utilized robots in many parts of the tank farms mission, this was first attempted in the deployment of an autonomous platform that required no operator with only minor maintenance and created challenges not yet encountered. These challenges included stakeholder buy-in, operational safety, procurement uncertainties, adaption of 'off the shelf products, overcoming the 'Fukushima complexity' perception, security concerns, and the initial criteria down select. Hanford Tank Operations Contractor's management identified the need for a workforce protecting low cost robotics solution in the fall of 2017. The project scope generated was part of the response to the Tank Vapor Assessment Team recommendation to enhance the safety of the workforce by utilizing new technology. Since the projects inception, it has been incorporated into the Tank Stewardship Plan. This project was unique to Hanford Tank Operations Contractor, as the company does not frequently incorporate advanced technology for field deployment quickly. The project was also progressive to the Hanford Tank Operations Contractor as it functions as a partnership project with a local university. The first objective of the project is to demonstrate safe operations of autonomous instrumented robotics, monitoring and collecting data, and the wireless transmission of data to a central computing system. Following the completion of this first objective, the project will scale up capabilities of the platform to meet the requests of additional internal stakeholders throughout the tank farms - including completion of specific in-field tasks. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2024

Herbicide‐resistant weed management with robots: A weed ecological–economic model

The heavy reliance on herbicides for weed control has led to an increase in resistant weeds in the United States. Robotic weed control is emerging as an alternative technology for removing weeds mechanically using artificial intelligence. We develop an integrated weed ecological and economic dynamic (I‐WEED) model to examine the biophysical and economic drivers of adopting robotic weed management and simulate the optimal timing and intensity of robotic adoption within and across growing seasons. We specify a cohort‐based weed growth model that relates yield damages to effective weed density and treats the susceptibility of weeds to herbicides as a renewable resource that can be regenerated by using mechanical weeding robots, due to a fitness cost that makes resistant weeds less prolific. Compared to myopic weed management which ignores resistance development, forward‐looking management leads to earlier adoption of robots and treating robots as complements instead of substitutes to herbicides. This weed management results in adopting fewer robots, deploying robots on a smaller portion of the land, higher profitability, and lower yield loss in the long run, relative to myopic management. Counterintuitively, myopic management leads to a lower resistance level through its higher robot adoption intensity. We also find that a lower level of initial weed seed resistance and/or a higher fitness cost result in a higher level of resistance because they create incentives for farmers to delay the adoption of robotic weed control. Our analysis shows the importance of jointly considering the interactions between weed ecology and economics in analyzing the incentives and effects of robotic weed management on weed resistance.

agricultural robotics↗
DOE OSTI2026

Online task-space motion control for positioner-coordinated multi-robot manufacturing systems

Incorporating multiple robotic manipulators into large-scale manufacturing systems enhances production efficiency and expands manufacturing capabilities beyond those of single-robot systems. Workpiece positioners in robotic manufacturing have demonstrated significant benefits for process optimization, but coordination strategies for multi-robot systems with shared positioners have received limited attention. This work presents a task-space coordinated trajectory-tracking control framework for multi-robot manufacturing systems, in which robots coordinate their motions within a shared, dynamic workpiece positioning frame. A workpiece positioner actively adjusts the pose of the manufactured component to enable greater operational concurrency and improve overall production efficiency. The proposed motion-coordination scheme employs a distributed and scalable architecture, supporting coordination across heterogeneous multi-robot systems. Two optimization methodologies are introduced to manage kinematic redundancies and maintain continuous, near-optimal operation throughout the manufacturing process. The first strategy exploits a task-space dimensionality reduction to achieve locally optimal configurations by leveraging symmetry-axis rotations of the tool. The second strategy utilizes the workpiece positioner to drive the coordinated robots toward stable and kinematically favorable configurations. For both optimization strategies, multiple objectives are defined to improve key performance metrics, including manipulability, configuration consistency, proximity to mechanical limits, and motion efficiency. Addressing a key limitation of existing coordination approaches, the framework is designed around online setpoint modification, allowing coordinated robots to respond effectively to in-situ process feedback. The proposed control framework is validated using the Robot Operating System (ROS) middleware on a combination of physical and simulated multi-robot system hardware.

Arbogast, Alex [ORNL] (ORCID:0000000154740723)↗
DOE OSTI2026

Synthetic Digital Environments for Training Robots on Earth & Beyond [Poster]

Creating physical replicas of real-world environments to train robots for challenging outdoor tasks, whether constructing energy infrastructure like solar farms on Earth or on the Moon and Mars, is prohibitively expensive. This project will prototype a high-fidelity digital twin framework using NVIDIA IsaacSim to create realistic digital representations of robotic systems and their operating conditions, including varied terrains and environmental factors, allowing robots to learn and adapt in a faster, safer, and more affordable way to tackle unpredictable challenges in terrestrial and extraterrestrial applications. The Robotic Space Exploration (RoSE) Lab at Colorado School of Mines focused on the development and testing of synthetic digital twins to explore multi-physics interactions between robots and unstructured environments, with emphasis on lunar conditions such as deformable regolith, reduced gravity, and terrain-robot contact dynamics. The Industrialized Construction Innovation (ICI) team at National laboratory of the Rockies (NLR), simulated robotic apparatus and construction workflows using synthetic digital twins to inform real-world deployment, targeting application-driven use cases such as robotic construction of a scaled prototype of a photovoltaic energy infrastructure. Joint efforts between RoSE and ICI are continuing to explore how environment-scale multi-physics modeling and application-level robotic system simulation could be integrated to support robotic construction of energy infrastructure in highly unstructured environments, including scenarios relevant to the Lunar South Pole.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2026

WM26 Paper Multi-Robot Collaboration for Hazardous Environments

Hazardous nuclear and industrial facilities are rarely designed for robots. Work in these domains demand precise manipulation and robust mobility in cluttered, constrained spaces where off-the-shelf platforms struggle and “one-size-fits-all” machines become costly and complex. Idaho National Laboratory (INL) is developing an autonomous, multi-robot inspection system that coordinates task-specific platforms rather than relying on a single omni-tool robot. An electric truck serves as a power and compute hub for a custom manipulator co-developed with Florida International University (FIU), a commercial mini crawler, a pan–tilt–zoom camera, and a Nexxis Argus LiDAR mapping system. Working in concert, these robots generate spatial, radiation, and temperature maps of the pit environments at the Hanford Waste Tank Farms. These systems will capture visual records and environmental telemetry to allow for analysis post inspection. The system architecture uses Robot Operating System 2 (ROS 2) for publish/subscribe integration, NVIDIA Isaac Sim and Unity for simulation and visualization, and algorithms such as NVBlox to fuse data into unified 3D overlays. This robot-agnostic approach reduces operator burden by enabling autonomy across heterogeneous platforms and lets each robot be used where it is strongest. Having autonomous functions means operators don’t have to fully control multiple different components. The ease of use could allow for more widespread adoption of advanced robotics at waste management sites that see continued use. By coordinating simpler, purpose-built mechanisms, the approach lowers design and manufacturing complexity, reduces capital risk in contaminated settings, and improves controllability for complex inspection and manipulation tasks. We present the architecture, early results, and lessons learned from building and deploying this coordinated multi-robot system, with the goal of accelerating safe, cost-effective adoption of advanced robotics at waste-management sites.

42 - ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2020

Irradiation Assessment of a Lightweight Industrial Robot - Towards Faster, Safer and Sooner Waste Decommissioning - 20317

Robotic systems have been successfully applied in the nuclear industry for several decades as a safe approach to minimize the exposure dose of human operators. As nuclear waste management and decommissioning gathers pace, there is an emerging interest integrating modern off-the-shelf industrial robots in nuclear robotic systems which make use of complex electronics and software to improve functionality over traditional machines. The use of the industrial robots will significantly increase the pace of development of automated waste management systems at a reduced cost, and although these off-the-shelf robots are proven robust in typical industrial environments, performance in radioactive environments is less clear. This paper investigates the performance degradation of a lightweight industrial robot (KUKA iiwa 7 LBR 800) in a controlled radiation field, aiming to simulate conditions in highly radioactive nuclear waste handling facilities. The degradation of the industrial robot's performance is identified while measuring the air kerma dose-tolerance of sensitive components, via a systematic experimental methodology. The experience from this experiment has demonstrated the significant capabilities of industrial robots, which tolerated a large gamma dose of 164 Gy before a system failure. Future tests are planned, aiming to enable faster, safer and sooner waste management and decommissioning using complex robotic systems. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2024

Robotics for Systems Integration in Buildings - Pilot Study of Viable Approaches to Install Hygrothermal and Rigid Electrical Systems: Preprint

The Industrialized Construction Innovation (ICI) team at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has been exploring the use of robotics to integrate hygrothermal, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems in prefabricated building assemblies (offsite construction) and 3D Printed buildings (onsite construction). Such multi-system integration tasks often require specialized robots and custom end-effectors for handling a range of rigid and non-rigid building components. This paper begins with a brief overview of the current state of robotics in construction, followed by a pilot study exploring the use of robotics to integrate a simple prototype multi-trade wall assembly composed of structural studs, hygrothermal layer, wall finishing, and electrical fixtures. The study was funded by the Department of Energy's (DOE) Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies Office (AMMTO). Insights about the implementation of design for manufacturing and assembly (DfMA) principles in designing the prototype wall for robotic assembly, and selection of appropriate robotic end effector hardware for handling these components are included. Detailed comparison of computational toolpath simulations of the robotic assembly process and real-life demonstration of the same is presented. Finally, limitations and lessons learned from this study along with future research recommendations for robotic assembly of more complex multi-trade assemblies, including potential scenarios such as robotic outfitting of facilities in extra-terrestrial environments is included.

advanced manufacturing↗