7 ms·

Boston Dynamics Spot Measured Background Radiation in Chernobyl Exclusion Zone

61 points by app4soft 6y ago

sargun 6y ago
Now, do this for Hunter's Point in San Francisco, CA.
- phendrenad2 6y ago
  Is that really still contaminated? I see a lot of new apartments going in there.
  - haram_masala 6y ago
    No one is really sure, which is a pretty unsatisfactory answer. The original radiation measurements were performed with a gamma spectrometer mounted on a helicopter, which is not useful for finding radioactive contamination in the ground - and the officials who knew this at the time, yet claimed the site was clean, are now in a lot of trouble. https://sf.curbed.com/2020/1/23/21075707/shipyard-radiation-tests-hunters-point-scientist-panel-sf https://sf.curbed.com/2020/1/23/21075707/shipyard-radiation-... Side note, Treasure Island also has, or had, a pretty serious radioactivity contamination. I've measured slightly elevated emissions there myself, as a matter of fact.
deleted 6y ago
[deleted]
burlesona 6y ago
In case anyone else needs a google translated link: https://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?depth=1&hl=en&nv=1&pto=aue&rurl=translate.google.com&sl=auto&sp=nmt4&tl=en&u=https://www.ukrinform.ua/rubric-technology/3122689-robotpes-vid-boston-dynamics-zamirav-radiaciu-u-zoni-vidcuzenna.html&usg=ALkJrhjaeHPcsdQCYjo9QR5mEiMfdFCG6Q https://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?depth=1&...
- app4soft 6y ago
  Here is better link (sl=uk;tl=en)[0] [0] https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=uk&tl=en&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ukrinform.ua%2Frubric-technology%2F3122689-robotpes-vid-boston-dynamics-zamirav-radiaciu-u-zoni-vidcuzenna.html https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=uk&tl=en&u=h...
  - Aachen 6y ago
    It appears this is more celebrity news about our favorite dog having been there, not anything actually interesting or new about the radiation at chernobyl. > According to the results of the works, 3D images and radionuclide activity distribution maps will be obtained at Pidlisne and Buryakivka. Researchers also promise to provide images of the Red Forest item with high-dose areas. The performed works will allow SSE "CPPRV" to update the maps of radiation pollution distribution.
- app4soft 6y ago
  Also here is a video[0,1,2,3] version of Spot journey trip inside Chernobyl New Safe Confinement[4]. [0] https://ukrainian.voanews.com/a/5637778.html https://ukrainian.voanews.com/a/5637778.html [1] (360p; 7,3 Mb) https://av.voanews.com/Videoroot/Pangeavideo/2020/10/5/53/53f32fd8-2689-438a-85c3-623a2cfddbce.mp4?download=1 https://av.voanews.com/Videoroot/Pangeavideo/2020/10/5/53/53... [2] (720p; 22,7 Mb) https://av.voanews.com/Videoroot/Pangeavideo/2020/10/5/53/53f32fd8-2689-438a-85c3-623a2cfddbce_720p.mp4?download=1 https://av.voanews.com/Videoroot/Pangeavideo/2020/10/5/53/53... [3] (1080p; 39,2 Mb) https://av.voanews.com/Videoroot/Pangeavideo/2020/10/5/53/53f32fd8-2689-438a-85c3-623a2cfddbce_1080p.mp4?download=1 https://av.voanews.com/Videoroot/Pangeavideo/2020/10/5/53/53... [4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chernobyl_New_Safe_Confinement https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chernobyl_New_Safe_Confinement
bArray 6y ago
If only they had the robotics we have today for the initial clean-up process. I'm not saying the robots wouldn't have died from radiation, but better a robot discover a high source of radiation to its peril than a human. It seems clear to me that autonomous systems will be the only way to go in such scenarios - most types of external communication are near impossible and the situation itself can be dynamic. I've occasionally seen some very awesome work come out of Japan and the Fukushima nuclear cleanup process. Fingers crossed we can advance robotics far enough for the devastating scenario where they are really needed.
- Baeocystin 6y ago
  I don't know if it possible to have advanced robots is such high-rad environments. The inspector-bots in Fukushima, although supposedly rad-hardened, all failed quickly. I agree it would be ideal if possible. https://www.theverge.com/2017/2/17/14652274/fukushima-nuclear-robot-power-plant-radiation-decomission-tepco https://www.theverge.com/2017/2/17/14652274/fukushima-nuclea... You mentioned good work coming from the Fukushima site cleanup effort. Do you have any links? I'd love to read about what successes they've had after the initial problems with the ones discussed above.
  - phendrenad2 6y ago
    I think that with modern fiber-optics it might be possible to make a really long robot arm without any sensitive circuits at the extremity.
    - meditative 6y ago
      I'm not sure how fibre optics could help here, an you expand?
      - Already__Taken 6y ago
        They're describing running the computers 100's of meters away with fibre to the robot. But it won't help with motor encoders and sensors that all must be onboard. Interesting idea though. To some degree is probably possible. No such thing as a rad hardened cmos though
mandragon 6y ago
PSA: The site redirects me to a malware advertisement for a sketchy VPN app.
- app4soft 6y ago
  That is off-topic, but you may report any issues to UKRINFORM team directly.[0] [0] https://www.ukrinform.net/info/contacts.html https://www.ukrinform.net/info/contacts.html
jonstewart 6y ago
I don’t understand why you’d need a Boston Dynamics nightmare dog when you could fly a drone. Also, although there are problematic pockets, my understanding is that most of the zone is relatively these days.
- Swizec 6y ago
  1) because you want to show off the nightmare dog in a practical scenario to attract funding 2) radio communication doesn’t work in high radiation environments
  - mianos 6y ago
    It's a product already for sale so I guess 1) is close, but more to attract sales. 2) There is no problems with radio communications anywhere but in the core of a running reactor (also dependant on the wavelength if you want to use it almost in the core).
    - bigbubba 6y ago
      They're selling a toy for the wealthy but know that market is limited so they arrange for stunts like this to convince people that it's good for something other than impressing Jeff Bezos' friends at parties.
  - anotheryou 6y ago
    If 2) was a problem it would be even bigger for the dog.
- elimgta 6y ago
  Raising radioactive dust is something to avoid. Chernobyl zone can be dry especially in summer month. In addition, dog is uniquely positioned for indoors explorations of inside of sarcophagus - not only it is super dusty, but it is much harder to fly the drone indoors.
  - float4 6y ago
ezekiel68 6y ago
I'm happy to see technology used in this way. Sadly, the article provides no bottom line numbers. Perhaps keep an eye out in the mid-term future for articles regarding the "University of Bristol" and "Chernobyl". In the final paragraph, we learn that funds have been cut to programs in the area, leading one to imagine that 1) this is how the door was opened for the University of Bristol project and 2) we got suckered into a HN slashvertisement promoting Boston Dynamics.
- app4soft 6y ago
  Boston Dynamics vs. SpaceX on HN now is "1:1" ;)
danbmil99 6y ago
Maybe a this is'nt English warning?
Fnoord 6y ago
I watched an hours long video of a daredevil/stalker with a guide. Sometimes the levels go insanely high. What I am curious about: are radiation levels crowdsourced anywhere?

61 points by app4soft 6y ago

sargun 6y ago

Now, do this for Hunter's Point in San Francisco, CA.

phendrenad2 6y ago
Is that really still contaminated? I see a lot of new apartments going in there.
- haram_masala 6y ago
  No one is really sure, which is a pretty unsatisfactory answer. The original radiation measurements were performed with a gamma spectrometer mounted on a helicopter, which is not useful for finding radioactive contamination in the ground - and the officials who knew this at the time, yet claimed the site was clean, are now in a lot of trouble. https://sf.curbed.com/2020/1/23/21075707/shipyard-radiation-tests-hunters-point-scientist-panel-sf https://sf.curbed.com/2020/1/23/21075707/shipyard-radiation-... Side note, Treasure Island also has, or had, a pretty serious radioactivity contamination. I've measured slightly elevated emissions there myself, as a matter of fact.

deleted 6y ago

[deleted]

burlesona 6y ago

In case anyone else needs a google translated link: https://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?depth=1&hl=en&nv=1&pto=aue&rurl=translate.google.com&sl=auto&sp=nmt4&tl=en&u=https://www.ukrinform.ua/rubric-technology/3122689-robotpes-vid-boston-dynamics-zamirav-radiaciu-u-zoni-vidcuzenna.html&usg=ALkJrhjaeHPcsdQCYjo9QR5mEiMfdFCG6Q https://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?depth=1&...

app4soft 6y ago
Here is better link (sl=uk;tl=en)[0] [0] https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=uk&tl=en&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ukrinform.ua%2Frubric-technology%2F3122689-robotpes-vid-boston-dynamics-zamirav-radiaciu-u-zoni-vidcuzenna.html https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=uk&tl=en&u=h...
- Aachen 6y ago
  It appears this is more celebrity news about our favorite dog having been there, not anything actually interesting or new about the radiation at chernobyl. > According to the results of the works, 3D images and radionuclide activity distribution maps will be obtained at Pidlisne and Buryakivka. Researchers also promise to provide images of the Red Forest item with high-dose areas. The performed works will allow SSE "CPPRV" to update the maps of radiation pollution distribution.
app4soft 6y ago
Also here is a video[0,1,2,3] version of Spot journey trip inside Chernobyl New Safe Confinement[4]. [0] https://ukrainian.voanews.com/a/5637778.html https://ukrainian.voanews.com/a/5637778.html [1] (360p; 7,3 Mb) https://av.voanews.com/Videoroot/Pangeavideo/2020/10/5/53/53f32fd8-2689-438a-85c3-623a2cfddbce.mp4?download=1 https://av.voanews.com/Videoroot/Pangeavideo/2020/10/5/53/53... [2] (720p; 22,7 Mb) https://av.voanews.com/Videoroot/Pangeavideo/2020/10/5/53/53f32fd8-2689-438a-85c3-623a2cfddbce_720p.mp4?download=1 https://av.voanews.com/Videoroot/Pangeavideo/2020/10/5/53/53... [3] (1080p; 39,2 Mb) https://av.voanews.com/Videoroot/Pangeavideo/2020/10/5/53/53f32fd8-2689-438a-85c3-623a2cfddbce_1080p.mp4?download=1 https://av.voanews.com/Videoroot/Pangeavideo/2020/10/5/53/53... [4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chernobyl_New_Safe_Confinement https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chernobyl_New_Safe_Confinement

bArray 6y ago

If only they had the robotics we have today for the initial clean-up process. I'm not saying the robots wouldn't have died from radiation, but better a robot discover a high source of radiation to its peril than a human. It seems clear to me that autonomous systems will be the only way to go in such scenarios - most types of external communication are near impossible and the situation itself can be dynamic. I've occasionally seen some very awesome work come out of Japan and the Fukushima nuclear cleanup process. Fingers crossed we can advance robotics far enough for the devastating scenario where they are really needed.

Baeocystin 6y ago
I don't know if it possible to have advanced robots is such high-rad environments. The inspector-bots in Fukushima, although supposedly rad-hardened, all failed quickly. I agree it would be ideal if possible. https://www.theverge.com/2017/2/17/14652274/fukushima-nuclear-robot-power-plant-radiation-decomission-tepco https://www.theverge.com/2017/2/17/14652274/fukushima-nuclea... You mentioned good work coming from the Fukushima site cleanup effort. Do you have any links? I'd love to read about what successes they've had after the initial problems with the ones discussed above.
- phendrenad2 6y ago
  I think that with modern fiber-optics it might be possible to make a really long robot arm without any sensitive circuits at the extremity.
  - meditative 6y ago
    I'm not sure how fibre optics could help here, an you expand?
    - Already__Taken 6y ago
      They're describing running the computers 100's of meters away with fibre to the robot. But it won't help with motor encoders and sensors that all must be onboard. Interesting idea though. To some degree is probably possible. No such thing as a rad hardened cmos though

mandragon 6y ago

PSA: The site redirects me to a malware advertisement for a sketchy VPN app.

app4soft 6y ago
That is off-topic, but you may report any issues to UKRINFORM team directly.[0] [0] https://www.ukrinform.net/info/contacts.html https://www.ukrinform.net/info/contacts.html

jonstewart 6y ago

I don’t understand why you’d need a Boston Dynamics nightmare dog when you could fly a drone. Also, although there are problematic pockets, my understanding is that most of the zone is relatively these days.

Swizec 6y ago
1) because you want to show off the nightmare dog in a practical scenario to attract funding 2) radio communication doesn’t work in high radiation environments
- mianos 6y ago
  It's a product already for sale so I guess 1) is close, but more to attract sales. 2) There is no problems with radio communications anywhere but in the core of a running reactor (also dependant on the wavelength if you want to use it almost in the core).
  - bigbubba 6y ago
    They're selling a toy for the wealthy but know that market is limited so they arrange for stunts like this to convince people that it's good for something other than impressing Jeff Bezos' friends at parties.
- anotheryou 6y ago
  If 2) was a problem it would be even bigger for the dog.
elimgta 6y ago
Raising radioactive dust is something to avoid. Chernobyl zone can be dry especially in summer month. In addition, dog is uniquely positioned for indoors explorations of inside of sarcophagus - not only it is super dusty, but it is much harder to fly the drone indoors.
- float4 6y ago

ezekiel68 6y ago

I'm happy to see technology used in this way. Sadly, the article provides no bottom line numbers. Perhaps keep an eye out in the mid-term future for articles regarding the "University of Bristol" and "Chernobyl". In the final paragraph, we learn that funds have been cut to programs in the area, leading one to imagine that 1) this is how the door was opened for the University of Bristol project and 2) we got suckered into a HN slashvertisement promoting Boston Dynamics.

app4soft 6y ago
Boston Dynamics vs. SpaceX on HN now is "1:1" ;)

danbmil99 6y ago

Maybe a this is'nt English warning?

Fnoord 6y ago

I watched an hours long video of a daredevil/stalker with a guide. Sometimes the levels go insanely high. What I am curious about: are radiation levels crowdsourced anywhere?