Out of sight, but near the core

For 20 years Cea has been developing remote controlled devices to operate inside nuclear power plants. One of these devices is the robot Centaure, this robot is able to move in area with a lot of obstacles, it receives information through a 350 meters long cable that it folds/unfolds behind it since radio transmissions do not operate in such complicated area. The last version of Centaure is able to open the entrance door of a lock chamber, to enter it and to close it after its crossing. This challenge has been made possible by the use of 2 radio relays that are set by the robot itself, one near the entrance door and the other just after the exit door of the lock chamber. The robot can continue investigating the place because it receives information through its cable that is linked to the second radio relay. A complete wireless version of Centaure is presently being developed, the robot will be able to set radio relays all along its way wherever the radio signal needs to be strengthened. (A.C.)