High-Radiation-Tolerant Vision System for Nuclear Energy

Improvements and advances are needed in the technical area of vision system technologies for high-radiation environments, specifically in the operation and remote handling of equipment in nuclear reactor inspection applications. Currently, visual inspection systems for Nuclear Energy applications are extremely limited. Commercially available vision systems are not radiation- tolerant at the levels required under the specified application. Current radiation-hardened vision systems are large, heavy, and do not have sufficient lifetime and video quality for most applications. To address these needs, Vega Wave Systems will develop a radiation-hardened vision system for Nuclear Energy applications with a high-definition video resolution for prolonged lifetime in high-neutron-flux environments. Commercial Applications: The vision system developed in this program will enable improved inspection of remote handling of radioactive materials for nuclear physics. This will also be useful for nuclear energy systems, spent fuel, and nuclear accident sites. Key Words: vision systems, borescopes, radiation-tolerant inspection systems, nuclear power plants, nuclear accidents