Customer Spotlight - The Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility

We had the opportunity to talk with Theo McGuckin from Jefferson Lab (www.JLab.org) to learn more about how they use their CoroBot, dubbed Cora the Explorer. 

The Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science.  As a user facility for scientists worldwide, its primary mission is to conduct basic research of the atom's nucleus at the quark level.

About 8 years ago they began to consider using robots to remotely monitor and inspect a particle accelerator located in a concrete tunnel 30 feet underground.  The idea was shelved because the technology wasn't yet available.  When they recently revisited the idea, an Internet search took them to CoroWare's website. CoroBot's low cost, compact design, Wi-Fi control capability and Linux operating system made it the ideal candidate for the job.

When the particle accelerator is operating, workers are not allowed into the tunnel due to unsafe conditions caused by high radiation levels and electrical hazards. This makes it difficult to diagnose problems in the tunnel when the accelerator is running.   CoroBot's expandability enabled JLab to purchase and install an off-the-shelf USB radiation probe to get readings from the tunnel in real-time.  They were also able to capture screenshots throughout the tunnel from the robot's camera.  The success of JLab's first test with the CoroBot has the organization brainstorming ways to customize their robot for long-term use in the tunnel.