Abstract
This special issue is focused on promoting telerobotic remote handling technologies integrated with system engineering. Integration matters are particularly relevant in scientific facilities such as CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research), GSI-FAIR (Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research), JET (Joint European Torus) and ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor), where the complexity of these facilities require top-down analysis.
Fourteen papers have been reviewed and accepted to this issue. These papers are related to specific topics concerning the application of robots in scientific facilities and how to integrate and schedule them in the lifecycle of scientific facilities, specifically as it relates to CERN and GSI. Three papers describe the primary maintenance tasks performed in these facilities and how robots are integrated within maintenance plans. Five papers focus on several topics around system engineering such as lifecycle processes and advanced planning techniques. Six more papers focus on matters related to telerobotics, mobile platforms and augmented reality techniques applied to maintenance tasks in scientific facilities.
Papers published in this issue were produced by researchers participating in the PURESAFE (264336) ITN-Marie Curie project funded by the Seventh Framework Programme. This network is led by Tampere University of Technology (TUT) in Finland in partnership with Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM) in Spain, the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) in Germany, the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) in Switzerland, the Helmholtz Centre for Heavy Ion Research/Facility for Ion and Antiproton Research (GSI) in Germany, Oxford Technologies Ltd (OTL) in the UK and SenseTrix Ltd and bgator Ltd Finland.