Hitachi deploys robots for Fukushima Daiichi decommissioning

Hitachi has developed PMORPH, HUMALT and underwater ROVs to inspect damaged reactors and survey radioactive deposits at Japan's Fukushima Daiichi plant. PMORPH squeezes through a roughly 10 cm pipe and unfolds inside the containment vessel, while HUMALT uses water-hydraulic actuators to work in high-radiation areas. More than 53,000 cleanup workers have exceeded 5 mSv of annual exposure since 2011.

• PMORPH passed through a ~10 cm pipe and unfolded into a U-shape inside the reactor
• Six types of underwater ROVs map deposits in 3D and collect samples
• HUMALT uses water-hydraulic actuators instead of radiation-sensitive electronics
• Over 53,000 workers have exceeded 5 mSv of annual exposure since 2011