CELEX: 51988PC0416
Language: en
Date: 1988-11-10
Title: Proposal for a COUNCIL DECISION adopting a research and training programme for the European Atomic Energy Community in the field of remote handling in nuclear hazardous and disordered environments (1989-1993) TELEMAN (presented by the Commission)

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COM (88) 416
Vol. 1988/0152
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 ---pagebreak---   COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
                                              COM(88 ) 416 final
                                              Brussels , 10 November 1988
( Proposai                                  for a
                                COUNCIL DECISION
         adopting a research and training programme for the European
         Atomic Energy Community in the field of remote handling in
}
                nuclear hazardous and disordered environments
                                   ( 1989-1993 )
                                      TELEMAN
                        ( presented by the Commission )
                                 09 10
 ---pagebreak---                                  - 1 -                  С*гг\ /Т/Ь
CONTENTS                                                         1
      SUMMARY                                                    2
1.0    INTRODUCTION                                              3
2.0   OBJECTIVES                                                 3
3.0   JUSTIFICATION                                              4
4.0   PROGRAMME PREPARATION                                     6
5.0   PROGRAMME  STRUCTURE  AND CONTENT                         7
5.1   COMPONENT AND  SUB-SYSTEM  DEVELOPMENT                    7
5.2   ENVIRONMENTAL TOLERANCE                                   8
5.3   RESEARCH MACHINE PROJECTS                                 8
5.4   PRODUCT EVALUATION AND STUDIES                            8
6.0   PROGRAMME  IMPLEMENTATION                                 8
6 . 1 METHOD OF WORKING                                         8
6.2   PROJECT SELECTION                                         9
6.3   BUDGET AND STAFF                                          9
6.4   COLLABORATION WITH OTHER PROGRAMMES                      10
6.4.1 COLLABORATION WITH OTHER COMMUNITY R&D PROGRAMMES        10
6.4.2 COLLABORATION WITH OTHER INTERNATIONAL R&D PROGRAMMES    11
7.0   BENEFICIARIES                                            11
ANNEX I    TECHNICAL CONTENT OF THE PROGRAMME                  12
ANNEX II   OPINION OF CGC 5                                   15
ANNEX III OPINION OF STC                                      16
PROPOSAL FOR A COUNCIL DECISION                               17
           ANNEX                                              19
           EVALUATION CRITERIA                                20
FINANCIAL STATEMENT                                           22
COMPETITIVENESS AND EMPLOYMENT IMPACT STATEMENT               26
 ---pagebreak---                                  -2-
                               SUMMARY
 The TELEMAN programme is a five year cost-shared research
 programme covering remote handling in the nuclear industry , in
 hazardous and disordered environments .
 TELEMAN’s technical objective is to strengthen the scientific and
engineering bases upon which the design of tele-operators for use
 throughout the nuclear industry rests . This will be done by
providing new solutions to problems of manipulation , material
 transport and mobile surveillance in nuclear environments and by
 demonstrating their feasibility .
The Commission 's motivations lie in the potential tele-operators
have to improve the separation of workers from radioactive equip ¬
ment . The same technology will also enable plant operators and
public authorities      to deal    more effectively with nuclear
accidents . Finally , gains in productivity , particularly in the
repair and maintenance area can be expected .
Community support is justified by the cost of the reliability and
autonomy required for the nuclear tele-operator , the need to
rationalise R&D investment in an area of increasing industrial
potential and a common interest in coherent responses to emergen ¬
cies .
A budget of 19 million ECU and a staff of four is proposed .
 ---pagebreak---                                       -3-
1 . INTRODUCTION
    A new activity is proposed to strengthen the scientific and
    engineering bases upon which the design of te 1 e - opera tor s for
    use throughout the nuclear industry rests .
    Applications for remotely operated equipment exist throughout
    the nuclear fuel cycle and in the areas of inspection , main ¬
    tenance , decommissioning and emergency response .
    The technology to be developed for application by industry is
    safe and cost-effective te le - opera t i on delivered by machines
    of appropriate autonomy , that is with some robotic characteris ¬
    tics .
    Although there is considerable commonality with industrial
    robot developments ,     the environments in which these machines
    must work place additional demands on the technology ; man 's
    working range will be extended rather than curtailed and the
    machines will help man to deal with the disorder that can arise
    from accident or ignorance .
    Markets ,  applications ,    technical objectives and a method of
    working have been discussed with experts from Member States .
    TELEMAN’s immediate relevance to concern about nuclear safety
    and the existence of substantial expertise and activity in the
    nuclear sector justifies execution under Sub-activity 5.1 .
    Fission : Nuclear Safety , of the Community 's Research and Tech ¬
    nological Development Framework Programme .       On the other hand ,
    the Framework Programme of Community research and technological
    development ( 1987-1991 ) ( 1 ) acknowledges under Sub-activity 1.3
    the importance of remote handling in environments incompatible
    or dangerous to man .    The work is complementary to that on
    advanced    robotics     underway     in ESPRIT ,   and will , where
    appropriate , draw upon ESPRIT 'S results .
2 . OBJECTIVES
    The Commission    wishes  to   stimulate the  utilisation and where
    necessary , development of the technologies of te le - opera t ion
    and robotics for nuclear industry needs . The aim is to
    strengthen the scientific and engineering bases upon which the
    design of tele-operators for use throughout              the nuclear
    industry rests . The Commission would like to see the dose -
    related constraints on inspections aimed at maintaining safety
    levels eliminated as far as possible by removing man from the
    inspected area . It would also like       to see costs and wastes
    arising from the use of special equipment required to protect
    operators engaged in maintenance and decommissioning reduced .
( 1 ) OJ N ° L302 , 24.1 0.1987 , p.l .
 ---pagebreak---                                    -4-
    Secondly , the Commission wishes to stimulate the provision of
    equipment for civil protection to deal with nuclear accidents -
    and possibly other disasters . This is an activity that falls
    firmly into the public domain as the risks are uninsurable and
    it is not the practice to saddle any industry , public or
    private , with uninsurable risks . All nuclear facilities need to
    make provision for responding to a major accident : it was felt
    that a Community based approach to such questions was desirable
    and that TELEMAN could provide the necessary focus .
    In addition   the exploitation   of advances       being made in tele ¬
    operation and robotics can be expected to enhance the produc ¬
    tivity of all remote handling operations , through gains in
    performance , reliability , maintainability and hence cost .
    Finally , the Commission would like to help nuclear research
    centres exploit their experience of remote handling in their
    quest for technological diversification ,         independence and new
    business opportunities . To achieve these objectives it will
    need to stimulate the training of engineers in advanced
    robotics .
    The programme   described below offer opportunities for collabo ¬
    ration and some rationalisation of investments in research .
3 . JUSTIFICATION
    Remote handling is a technology that contributes to the safety
    of many parts of a nuclear industry that currently supplies the
    Community with more than 35% of its electricity . Its importance
    is unlikely to be reduced by the introduction of new types of
    reactor since there will always be components exposed to radio ¬
    activity that are in need of inspection , maintenance or repair .
    Meanwhile the Community 's nuclear ins t a 1 1 at ions continue to age
    and demands for safety inspections continue to increase .
    While fuel     fabrication ,  reprocessing        and inspection are
    increasingly automated , provision still has to be made for
    dealing with breakdowns , leaks , component failures , new demands
    such as decommissioning and response to less structured events
    such as on-site emergencies in all types of nuclear plant . In
    these circumstances tele-operators having some of the flexibi ¬
    lity of man without his sensitivity to radiation come into
    their own . Analysis has shown that the introduction of computer
    assisted tele-operators should , in addition to reducing radia ¬
    tion exposure of workers , yield a financial dividend . Exper ¬
    ience has indicated that the equipment provided to respond to
    major accidents may have problems when called upon to work in
    another country . Experts have advised the Commission that a
    Community-based approach      to the     definition of equipment
    requirements was desirable .
 ---pagebreak---                                 -5-
While the   development of automation and industrial robots has
been profitable for industry and industrial robots are being
used in nuclear plants ,       the development of more autonomous
machines having the intelligence required to evaluate threats
to their well being from their surroundings and operate in
unfamiliar or disordered environments has been found to require
support from public funds . This is true in the Community and
also for our major competitors , Japan and the United States . In
addition ,  collaboration between utilities         in sponsoring and
evaluating products and a less fragmented market have made the
focussing of public funding that much more effective in these
countries than in the Community . TELEMAN would be expected to
improve the coherence of Community research in advanced robo ¬
tics .
To summarise , application of    advanced remote     handling techno ¬
logy can be envisaged for :
- more reliable manipulation of equipment in hot-cells ;
- faster and safer movement of materials and equipment in
  reprocessing canyons ;
- more searching inspection , safer repair and replacement of
  equipment in reactors , reprocessing and waste disposal faci ¬
  lities ;
- decommissioning of nuclear installations ,         expecially where
  damaged plant or unexpected situations arise ;
- damage assessment and control following major nuclear
  accidents that inhibit access for decontamination and repair .
Realisation of machines to work effectively in partnership with
man will depend upon foreseeable advances in actuator enginee ¬
ring , vehicle design , materials , telemetry , information proces ¬
sing , man machine interfaces and computer hardware . Technology
transfer , integration and co-ordination will        therefore be as
important as innovation . Man’s      limitations as a controller of
multi-task operations will dictate the development of autono ¬
mous , artificially intelligent software for control , scenario
analysis , and the performance of routine tasks .
The research machines to be developed under TELEMAN will build
where    possible    on    mainstream robotics developments ,      in
particular those in ESPRIT , and will             progress from the
mechanical master       slave manipulator       familiar to nuclear
engineers and laboratory workers .      Their characteristics will
include much enhanced autonomy , ability to comprehend as well
as sense their environment and mobility over a variety of
terrains .
The robot is being promoted from slave to expert assistant and
the operator to supervisor .
Finally the Framework Programme of Community Research and
Technological     Development    ( 1987-1991 ),    acknowledges   the
importance of remote handling in environments incompatible with
or dangerous to man and the need to contribute to improving the
level of scientific and technical knowledge relevant to nuclear
safety .
 ---pagebreak---                                       -6-
4 . PROGRAMME PREPARATION
    The Commission has made studies to assess the likely evolution
    of the nuclear market for tele-operators in the light of anti ¬
    cipated developments in         robotics and nuclear technologies :
    these have been presented       to invited experts from the Member
    States .
     In    addition    the    Commission organised two international
    seminars , one under the auspices of the 1985 Conference on
    structural Mechanics in Reactor Technology and a second with
    Centre d'Etudes des Systemes et des Technologies Avancees
     ( CESTA )  in    1986 ,    and Commission staff participated in
    conferences in the United States and Japan .
    Commission     staff   have   followed   the  International    Advanced
    Robotics Programme that followed the 1982 Versailles Summit .
    The large investments made by ESPRIT in software technology ,
    micro-electronics and advanced robotics and by BRITE in light
    strong materials have been examined with a view to future
    exploitation . In addition the           Commission can      call upon
    experience of manipulation equipment in its laboratories , its
    fusion projects ( JET and          NET ), and    its decommissioning
    programme .
    Formal presentation of TELEMAN to mandated representatives of
    Member States began in 1987 with presentations to the manage ¬
    ment committees concerned with nuclear affairs : CGC-5 Manage ¬
    ment and Coordination Advisory Committee for Nuclear Fission
    Reactors and Safety , Safeguards and Fissile Materials Manage ¬
    ment and CGC-6 Management and Coordination Advisory Committee
    for Nuclear Fission - Fuel Cycle , Processing and Storage of
    Radioactive Waste . A more technical presentation to an ad hoc
    group of experts nominated by these two CGC 's followed . This
    resulted in a positive advice which noted that TELEMAN was a
    highly desirable initiative that would make an important
    contribution to technological integration and co-ordination
    between the     various  initiatives   in nuclear robotics .  The tech ¬
    nology to be developed was seen as helping the nuclear industry
    to deal with unstructured and hostile environments in ways not
    covered by existing activities . The experts had also endorsed
    the conclusion that the technology required for most nuclear
    applications was more demanding than that to be found in 1987
    industrial robots and factory automation systems .
    In April 1988 CGC-6 , having considered , the positive advice of
    the ad-hoc experts group , expressed its approval of the broad
    lines of the TELEMAN programme . Subsequently CGC-5 delivered
    the favourable opinion given in full in Annex II .
   Both CGCs noted a desire on the part of experts to advance
   nuclear expertise in areas that are perceived to offer opportu ¬
   nities for diversification e.g. the application of tele-opera -
    tors in the chemical industry .
   The opinion of the        Scientific and Technical Committee will be
    f ound in Annex III .
 ---pagebreak---                                        -7-
5 . PROGRAMME STRUCTURE AND CONTENT
    TELEMAN will address basic problems associated with remote
    operations using computer assisted tele-operators with incre ¬
    asing degrees of autonomy , questions relating to tele-operation
    in nuclear environments and the integration of the disciplines
    that make up robotics .
    To serve the maximum number of nuclear industry users and
    entrepreneurs and minimise the risks associated with a rapidly
    evolving market , TELEMAN will invest most of its resources in
    the provision of generic building blocks for incorporation in a
    variety of specialised machines . These sub-system technologies
    in turn could then be used by industry in ways that cannot all
    be foreseen today .
    TELEMAN will demonstrate its research products by incorporating
    them into research machines that exist or are under development
    in   the    laboratories    of  its    contractors .   In the context of
    TELEMAN research machines will serve as         devices for    the inte ¬
    gration     of   technologies   and    technologists .   Analysis of the
    behaviour of research machines will show how machines will need
    to evolve to meet commercial demands and thus lay the ground ¬
    work for product development and demonstration programmes to be
    executed outside TELEMAN by industry in a competitive envi ¬
    ronment . It is accepted that advanced te 1 e - opera tor development
    requires a step between development of sub-system technology
    and the production of an industrial prototype as well as
    frequent interaction between constituent disciplines . Research
   machine construction therefore needs              a multi-disciplinary
   environment .
   Finally provision will be made for evaluation of the products
   of TELEMAN by users . This will include reliability assessments
    and mission simulations . Studies of issues of general interest
    such as what is needed for a minimum effective response to a
   major accident or the assessment of new technology as a prelude
    to its inclusion in the programme will also be made . Four
    technical      areas  have   been   identified   and    are described in
   greater detail in Annex I.
5.1    AREA  1
       Component and Sub-system Development .
       Examination of the machine functions required for a wide
       range of tele-operator applications showed that there is a
       recurring need for a relatively small number of basic techno ¬
       logies and in this area , there is a high degree of comple ¬
       mentarity with ESPRIT . These are connected with perception of
       surroundings , intelligent job or route planning and decision
       making ,    locomotion , manipulation and control . One should
       therefore expect TELEMAN to utilise in the nuclear industry ,
       where possible , mainstream robotic developments . The goal of
       this part of the programme is to respond to this need for
       basic technological building blocks . In general control
       equipment will be rather independent of the mission to be
       undertaken     whereas   sensors ,   communications    and locomotion
       tend to be rather job specific .
 ---pagebreak---                                     -8-
5.2 . AREA 2
      Environmental Tolerance
      Tele-operators to    work in   nuclear environments will need to
      tolerate radiation , heat , corrosive    chemicals , water , steam ,
      dust , electromagnetic interference , vibration and decontami ¬
      nation . TELEMAN will provide design methods and data on envi ¬
      ronmental tolerance and failure modes .
      This will   require the development of circuit elements , elec ¬
      tronic systems , sensors and materials resistant to these
      threats and having known and understood failure modes . In
      addition means to monitor damage to the machine so that it
      may remove itself from the threat will be needed .
      Electronic hardware    technology from ESPRIT would need to be
      ruggedised to make it applicable where radiation fields and
      temperatures were high . Finally ,       the desire to cope with
      disorder leads naturally to a need for devices to monitor
      mechanical stability and stress and provision must be made
      for rescue or repair of stranded machines .
5.3 AREA 3
      Research Machine Projects
      Research machines are experimental machines that precede
      prototypes . Their purpose is to demonstrate the integration
      of the disciplines of informatics , engineering , ergonomics
      and psychology involved in tele-operator construction into
      neat serviceable packages . They also serve as test-beds for
      novel components or control systems and essential aids for
      the training of engineers in tele-operation and robotics .
5.4 AREA 4
      Product Evaluation and Studies
      End-users of TELEMAN technology will be encouraged to test
      and evaluate the practicality and reliability of the products
      of the programme in realistic environments to guide their
      subsequent commercialisation by industry .        Studies will be
      made of topics relating to the application of new technolo ¬
      gies , new uses for computer assisted tele-operators , the
      evolution of guidelines and standards and programme develop ¬
      ment .
6'. PROGRAMME IMPLEMENTATION
6.1 Method of working
      TELEMAN will be executed as a shared-cost action according to
      the Commission 's     rules    governing    the   calculation of
      contractors' costs ,   financial control , contractor selection ,
     dissemination of results and evaluation . Up to 50% of the
      total cost of each project will be funded by the Commission .
 ---pagebreak---                                  -9-
    Provision will however be made for funding the whole cost of
    studies of the type described in Paragraph 5.4 above .
    It is recognised that not all end-users of remote handling
    equipment may be willing or able to participate in research
    projects . However , interested end-users will be expected to
    play an active role in project selection and program manage ¬
    ment and be encouraged to evaluate competing products .
    100,000 ECU have been       set  aside    for   evaluation  of the
    programme as a whole .
6.2 Project Select ion
    Experts from research organisations ,      industry and universi ¬
    ties nominated by CGC-5 for their familiarity with the
    research needs of the nuclear industry or their specialised
    knowledge of tele-operation will assist the Commission to
    select projects for funding . Those projects conforming to the
    technical themes of TELEMAN will be judged on the basis of
    their technical quality ,     their degree of innovation , their
    exploitation of advanced techniques or materials , and their
    ability to advance industrial performance and safety .
    Preference will be given to projects in which industry ,
    research organisations and universities           collaborate and
    participants come from more than one Member State .
    The Commission will also seek to exploit the capacity of
    small and medium-sized enterprises     ( SME ) to provide innova ¬
    tive solutions to technical problems and hence to expose SMEs
    to new technological opportunities .
    In cases where work , supported by national funds or entirely
    privately funded is already going on , the Commission 's role
    may be limited to simply organising the co-ordination of the
    work and the Community funding confined to covering the cost
    of such co-ordination activities .   However , in certain cases
    where it is clear that strategically important work requires
    a common approach ,    the Commission could ,      in consultation
    with the CGC , consider concerted action .
    Provision for training or mobility grants will be included in
    the programme specifically linked to the objectives of the
    projects undertaken . Such grants will normally be used to
    support individuals participating in projects .
6.3 Budget and Staff
    TELEMAN will require Community funding of 19 million ECU
    ( MECU ) and a staff of four . The programme is planned to run
    from   1989 to 1993 .
 ---pagebreak---                                     - 10-
    Breakdown of costs .                                   MECU
    A. Research and development projects
        - Component and sub-system development              8.0
        - Environmental tolerance                           2.3
        - Research machine realisation and evaluation       5.7
    B. Programme development . Guidance and                 0.7
        Evaluation ( Studies )
    C.  Administration
        - Staff ( 2A , IB , 1C for 4 years . 1A in 1989 )   1.6
        - Operating costs ( including the cost of           0.7
          programme évaluation )                           -
                                                           19.0
6 . 4 Collaboration with other Programmes
       The involvement of many technologies in remote handling and
       robotics makes collaboration with other programmes essential .
       This will be implemented within the Commission by contacts
       with other programme managers , during the formative stages of
       their programmes and by monitoring of progress meetings and
       reports .
       The external transfer of information , which may need to
       precede its publication , will be stimulated by introducing
       potential TELEMAN contractors to firms already developing
       useful technology or 'know-how *. Participation of a firm in
       more than one Commission programme is recognised as probably
       the most efficient mechanism for technology transfer , subject
       to the obvious caveat that paying twice for the same product
       must be avoided .
       The benefits expected from different liaisons are described
       below . In general TELEMAN will provide challenging applica ¬
       tions for the technologies listed below .
6.4.1     Collaboration with other Community R&D Programmes
    BRITE : Guidance on the properties and correct use of high
    strength , temperature resistant plastics and composites .
    COMETT   : Identification of centres of excellence .  TELEMAN could
    provide advanced training projects .
    DECOMMISSIONING : The decommissioning programme will be testing
    existing remote controlled semi-autonomous manipulators in
    order to qualify and improve their performance in an industrial
    context .
 ---pagebreak---     ESPRIT : Control and communication technology ,             standards ,
    knowledge based systems and advanced robotics .
    EURAM      : New   light , strong materials , magnets   for small high
    power density motors .
    STIMULATION : Identification of qualified academic researchers ,
    R&D support in electro-optics , materials and engineering .
    RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT : Specifications for tele-opera-
    tors to work in waste depositories .
    MARINE SCIENCE       AND TECHNOLOGY  : An alternative environment   in
    which to apply TELEMAN sub-system technology .
6.4.2 Collaboration with other International R&D Programmes
    ESA / ESTEC   :  Collaboration on hardened electronics    and advanced
    machine locomotion can be anticipated .
    EUREKA :      Identification of   contractors able    to use TELEMAN’s
    more basic technologies could lead to future commercialisation
    projects and outlets for TELEMAN 's underlying technology .
7 .  BENEFICIARIES
      The immediate beneficiaries of TELEMAN are likely to be :
      - High-tech        systems companies able to participate in the
          production and / or evaluation of research machines          and
          subsequently to develop a commercial product .
      - Operators of nuclear facilities requiring new technology to
          enhance the safety and quality of a service such as the
          inspection , maintenance and decommissioning of nuclear
          plants , storage of waste etc .
      - Academic institutions that have already         formed links with
          industry and established their ability       to manage research
          pro j ects .
      - National       laboratories and private   sector research organi -
          sat ions .
      - Public authorities engaged in civil protection .
 ---pagebreak---                                   - 12-
                                 ANNEX   1
  Description of the Proposed Research and Development Projects .
1 .   AREA  1
    Component and Sub-system Development .
1 . 1   Obj ect ives
    Examination of the machine functions required for a wide range
    of tele-operator applications showed that there is a recurring
    need for a relatively small number of basic technologies and in
    this area , there is a high degree of complementarity with
    ESPRIT where work on perception of surroundings , intelligent
    job or route planning and decision making , locomotion , mani ¬
    pulation and control are concerned . The goal of this part of
    the programme is to respond to this need for basic technolo ¬
    gical building blocks .     In general control equipment will be
    rather independent of the mission to be undertaken whereas
    sensors , communications and locomotion tend to be rather job
    specif ic .
1.2     Proposed Research and Development
        This sector of the programme is the most important since
        its products have the widest range of applications . It will
        continue throughout the life of the programme ;
      Research will be carried    out on    the modification ,  or where
      necessary , the development of :
      - sensors and vision systems for use in various nuclear envi ¬
        ronments for job control ,      navigation , obstacle avoidance ,
        touch e tc . ,
      - perception and comprehension        of  machine environment and
        autonomous decision making ,
      - means   for transmission of information within     a machine and
        between machine and control station ,
      - power transmission ,
      - the management or elimination of umbilical cables ,
      - the man machine interface ,
      - control with particular reference to the problem of combi ¬
        ning autonomous and tele-operated modes ,
      - engineering for mobility and dexterity with special empha ¬
        sis on power sources , power distribution and power / weight
        ratio improvement .
 ---pagebreak--- 2 .   AREA   2
      Environmental Tolerance
2 . 1 Ob j ect i ve
      Tele-operators to work in     nuclear environments   will need to
      tolerate radiation ,   heat , corrosive chemicals , water , steam ,
      dust , electromagnetic interference , vibration and decontami ¬
      nation , TELEMAN will provide design methods and data on
      environmental tolerance and failure modes .
      Radiation dose rates up to 1-100 Gy / h and integrated radia ¬
      tion doses up to 10 4 and 10° Gy will need to be considered
      depending on the intended application . Machines will usually
      need to work at temperatures up to 120°C , but operations in
      sodium would require a limit of 220 Deg .      C. ( LMFBR inspec ¬
      tion ). For reprocessing applications machines should tolerate
      nitric acid fumes and ozone . For post accident intervention a
      robot must    tolerate a  release of reactor   coolant and steam
      and possibly appreciably higher temperatures . Tele-operators
      should be resistant to the penetration of dust and provide
      for easy decontamination . Remote maintainability and recovery
      should be considered .
      This will require the development of circuit elements , elec ¬
      tronic systems , sensors and materials resistant to these
      threats and having known and understood failure modes . In
      addition means to monitor damage to the machine so that it
      may remove itself from the threat will be needed .
      The desire to cope with disorder leads naturally to a need
      for devices to monitor mechanical stability and stress .
      Finally provision must be made for rescue or repair of
      stranded machines .
2.2 Proposed Research and Development
      The starting point in these projects will usually             be a
      product developed for a normal market e.g. a factory .
      Research will be carried out throughout the life of the
      programme on the adaptation of sensors and electronic hard ¬
      ware to nuclear environments ,       the development of machine
      monitoring systems for self-preservation ,    and design strate ¬
      gies that permit repair or recovery of stranded machines .
3 .   AREA   3
      Research Machine Projects
3 . 1 Obj ect ive
      Research machines are experimental machines that precede
      prototypes . Their purpose is to demonstrate the integration
      of the disciplines of informatics , engineering , ergonomics
      and psychology involved in tele-operator construction into
      neat serviceable packages . They also serve as test-beds for
      novel components or control systems and essential aids for
      the training of engineers in tele-operation and robotics .
 ---pagebreak---                                    - 14-
3 . 2 Proposed Research Machine Projects
      The modification and , where necessary , the development of the
      following types of machine will be pursued :
      - a compact control station capable of being configured to
         suit a range of tele-operators and incorporating intelli ¬
         gent assistance to the operator ,
      - a mobile platform that could be used for plant surveillance
         under normal conditions and for information gathering
         following an accident ,
      - intelligent manipulators and cranes for use in high radia ¬
         tion fields .
      New    research  machine   construction will start   in the third
      year of the programme . The final decision on which projects
      will be pursued will be made following an appreciation of the
      development of the technology during the first two years of
      the programme and examination of proposals made by potential
      contractors in a second call for proposals .
4 .   AREA   4
      Product Evaluation and Studies
4 . 1 Ob j ect i ves
      This task has three objectives :
      - to involve end-users of tele-operators in TELEMAN by invi ¬
         ting them to test and evaluate concepts developed in the
         laboratory ,
      - monitoring of developments capable of influencing trends in
         tele-operator development ,
      - monitoring the status of tools for the assessment of
         performance , reliability and user friendliness .
4 . 2 Proposed Product Evaluation Projects and Studies
4.2.1 Testing
      TELEMAN will encourage objective testing , reliability analy ¬
      ses and evaluation of research machines to guide development
      and commercial choices . Trade associations , test houses and
      end-users will be encouraged to participate .
4.2.2 Studies
      100% funded studies will be carried out to evaluate issues of
      general interest , new technologies and new demands . Guidance
      will also be sought on the evolution of standards and
      training . In addition , the safety and reliability of tele ¬
      operators , simulation and standards for electronic communi ¬
      cation ( including that between research centres ) will need to
      be studied .
 ---pagebreak---                                ANNEX II
  OPINION OF MANAGEMENT AND COORDINATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR
          NUCLEAR FISSION REACTORS AND SAFETY , SAFEGUARDS
             AND FISSILE MATERIALS , MANAGEMENT ( CGC 5 ).
At its meeting of 16 June 1988 CGC-5 discussed the Commission’s
proposal for a research programme on remote handling in nuclear ,
hazardous and disordered environments : Programme TELEMAN , 1989 to
1 993 .
Having considered the opinion of its ad-hoc group of experts and
having also taken into consideration comments made by CGC-6 , CGC -
5 gives its support to the TELEMAN programme as described in CGC -
5 / 45 of 30 / 03 / 1988 . The committee noted the broad spectrum of
interests and expertise represented in the ad-hoc group , which
included two major electric utilities .
The Committee noted that :
- CGC-5 did not discuss the relative priority of TELEMAN versus
    other nuclear safety related issues ;
- The ad-hoc group did not discuss programme management as such .
    CGC-5 considers management to be an essential element in deter ¬
    mining the global effectiveness of the programme . In particular
    continuous feed back from end-users should be sought .
The financial     ceiling of 19 MECU was considered to be consistant
with the aims of TELEMAN .
Brussels ,  16 June 1988
 ---pagebreak---                               ANNEX  III
                                ADVICE
          OF THE SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL COMMITTEE ON THE
                          TELEMAN PROGRAMME
1 . The STC supports the TELEMAN programme as described in the
    paper of 17 June 1988 , complemented by the Commission 's
    presentation of 31 October and the report of the Expert Group
    set up by CGC 5 and CGC 6 .
2 . The programme should focus on two     fields : decommissioning and
    accident management .
3 . A top-down approach to identifying projects is recommended .
    The first action required is to involve those potential users
    willing to experiment and evaluate new or improved tools , in
    the definition of their needs and the technical specifications
    of machines .
4 . This spécification exercise      will lead     to  R&D   on generic
    issues such as environmental     tolérance ,   control , communica -
    t ions etc .
5 . Designs for machines meeting the specifications referred to in
    Paragraph 3 above should then be invited and evaluated by a
    group of experts . Subsequent ly ,   the construction of selected
    machines and execution of corresponding R&D should be carried
    out by international consortia under shared-cost contracts and
    evaluated by a group of experts with the participation of the
    future users .
6 . Technical evaluation     by users      and distribution     of  all
    experience gained would complete the programme .
 ---pagebreak---                      PROPOSAL FOR A COUNCIL DECISION
               ADOPTING A RESEARCH AND TRAINING PROGRAMME
                FOR THE EUROPEAN ATOMIC ENERGY COMMUNITY
               IN THE FIELD OF REMOTE HANDLING IN NUCLEAR
                  HAZARDOUS AND DISORDERED ENVIRONMENTS
                                 ( 1989 - 1993 )
                               T E L E M A N
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Atomic
Energy Community , and in particular Article 7 thereof ,
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission , submitted
after consulting the Scientific and Technical Committee ( 1 ),
Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament ( 2 ),
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee
(3) ,
Whereas the Council ,        by adopting the framework programme of
Community research and technological development ( 1 98 7 - 1 99 1 ) , ( 4 )
acknowledges the importance of contributing to improving the
level of scientific and technical knowledge relevant to nuclear
safety ;
Whereas the      inherent radioactivity of nuclear plant makes remote
handling essential for the conduct of nuclear operations on an
industrial scale ;
Whereas the safety of nuclear installations and protection of
their environment depends on operators being able to inspect ,
maintain and repair plant when necessary ;
Whereas exposure of man         to radiation     should be kept as low as
reasonably practicable ;
Whereas an action in research on remote handling in nuclear ,
hazardous and disordered environments offers an opportunity to
realise these goals more efficiently ;
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION :
( 1 ) OJ N°  C
( 2)  OJ N°  C
( 3)  OJ N°  C
( 4 ) OJ N ° L302 , 24.10.-1987 , p.l
 ---pagebreak---                                        - 18-
                                    Article     1
  A research and training programme for the European Atomic Energy
  Community in the field of remote handling in nuclear hazardous
  and disordered environments , as defined in the Annex , is hereby
  adopted for a period of five years from 1 January 1989 .
                                    Art icle 2
 The amount deemed necessary for the execution of the programme
  is 19.0 Million ECU including expenditure on a staff of four .
                                    Article 3
 The Comm i s s ion " s ha 1 1 be assisted in the implementation of the
 programme by the Management and Coordination Advisory Committee
 CGC-5 for Nuclear Fission Reactors and Safety , Safeguards and
 Fissile Materials Management , set up by Council Decision 84 / 338 /-
 Euratom / ECSC / EEC   ( 5 ).
 The contracts entered into by the Commission shall regulate the
 rights and obligations of each party ,           in particular the methods
 of disseminating , protecting and exploiting the research results .
                                   Article 4
 In the      third year        of the       programme implementation , the
Commission shall undertake a review of the programme and it
shall report to the Council and to the European Parliament on
the results thereof , together ,         if necessary ,   with any proposals
for modification or prolongation .
An evaluation of the results achieved will be conducted by the
Commission , which shall report thereon to the Council and the
Parliament .
The above mentioned reports shall be established having regard to
the objectives set out in the Annex to this Decision and in
conformity with the provisions of Art . 2 ( 2 ) of the framework
programme .
                                   Article    5
The Commission is authorised to negotiate ,              in accordance with
Article 101 of the EAEC Treaty ,             agreements or contracts with a
third State , an international organisation or a national of a
third State , with a view to associating them wholly or partly
with this programme .
                                   Article 6
This decision is addressed to the Member States .
Done at                                      For the Council
( 5 ) OJ N ° L 1 77 , 04.07.1984 , p.25
 ---pagebreak---                                 - 19-
                                ANNEX
                REMOTE HANDLING IN NUCLEAR HAZARDOUS
                     AND DISORDERED ENVIRONMENTS
                            T E L E M A N
OBJECTIVES
TELEMAN’s objective is to reinforce the scientific and technolo ¬
gical base used for the design of nuclear remote handling equip ¬
ment . Tele-operators contribute to the safety and profitability
of man and plant employed in all parts of the nuclear industry ,
from mining through reactor operation to reprocessing and decom ¬
missioning .
The tele-operators of interest are mechanical arms to which a
variety of tools and sensors can be attached , manipulators
attached to movable gantrys and partially autonomous vehicles
equipped for specialised jobs .
In particular TELEMAN will help the nuclear industry to comply
with the requirement that workers be exposed to the minimum
practicable amount of radiation , always remaining within relevant
limits , without compromising inspection , maintenance and repair
operat ions .
PROGRAMME TECHNICAL CONTENT .
AREA  1 : TELE-OPERATOR COMPONENT AND SUB-SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT
Research and development will be carried out on the utilisation ,
modification and , where necessary ,    the development of sensors ,
perception and decision making systems , information transmission
and engineering for tele-operator mobility and dexterity in
nuclear environments .
AREA 2 :  ENVIRONMENTAL TOLERANCE
Research will be carried out throughout the life of the programme
on the adaptation of sensors and electronic hardware to nuclear
environments , the development of machine monitoring systems and
design    strategies  that  permit    easy  repair or   recovery of
stranded machines .
AREA  3 : RESEARCH MACHINE PROJECTS
Products of research on components and sub-systems will be demon ¬
strated by incorporating them into research machines that already
exist or into new machines . Development will be focussed on tele ¬
operators that typify nuclear industry requirements ,        such as
intelligent manipulators and cranes for use in high radiation
fields , and a mobile platform for information gathering under
normal and abnormal conditions .
 ---pagebreak---                                 - 20-
AREA 4 : PRODUCT EVALUATION AND STUDIES
End-users of TELEMAN technology will be encouraged to test and
evaluate the practicality and reliability of the products of the
programme in realistic environments to guide the subsequent
commercialisation of successful ones by industry . Studies will be
made of topics relating to the application of new technologies ,
new uses for computer assisted te le - operator s , the evolution of
guidelines and standards and programme development .
IMPLEMENTATION
Implementation of the projects shall be through cost-shared
research and development actions , concerted actions ,   studies and
coordination    activities .   Training / mobility grants shall be
included to facilitate the assembly of relevant skills at appro ¬
priate locations for the work of the projects , and to promote
effective diffusion of knowledge .
The Community’s   participation in    shared-cost research contracts
will not exceed 50% .
Preference will be given to projects in which industry , univer ¬
sities and research organisations          from Community countries
collaborate and participants come from more than one member
state .
EVALUATION CRITERIA FOR TELEMAN PROGRAMME
The Commiss ion requires that where possible the objectives and
milestones of each research programme be set out in a quantita ¬
tive form to facilitate evaluation .
The long term objectives ( 2000 ) are that operators of nuclear
installations should be able to buy world class computer assisted
tele-operators from Community based . manufacturers and that the
radiation exposure of workers should be appreciably reduced .
TELEMAN 's principal technical objectives relate to reinforcing
the scientific and engineering base upon which the design of
nuclear remote handling is based , to solving problems of mani ¬
pulation , material transport and mobile surveillance within the
nuclear environment and to demonstrating the feasibility of the
solutions offered .
The technical criteria in terms of which the different aspects of
the programme are to be evaluated , initially in 1992-3 and more
thoroughly in about 1996 are :
- the extent to which   projects    were   selected against credible
  technical criteria ,
- the development achieved within TELEMAN projects e.g. whether
  TELEMAN projects achieved a significant ( 100% ) improvement in
  performance and performance / price ratios . Typical performance
  parameters might be sensor resolution , power / weight ratio ,
  system response time etc .,
 ---pagebreak---                                 - 21 -
- the extent   to which  different technologies have been integra ¬
   ted ,
- the performance and acceptance of research machines in tests
  conducted with the participation of potential end-users ,
- whether the projects were of high scientific value as judged by
  the number and impact of patents ,       publications in refereed
  journals and invited contributions to conferences . Output
  should be compared with that from other similar programmes
  being executed elsewhere .
TELEMAN 's industrial objectives relate to more effective applica ¬
tion of investment in research , generation of awareness of the
potential of computer assisted te 1 e - opera tor s , and creation of a
pool of experienced firms and engineers able to exploit research
machines and manage the application of the new technology .
The industrial criteria in terms of which the different aspects
of the programme are to be evaluated are :
- whether the calls for proposals attracted sufficient industrial
  interest to permit formulation of a coherent programme . The
  criterion of sufficiency would be that          the ratio resources
  proferred by industrial contractors to Community funding be
  greater than 1.5 ,
- the extent to which projects were selected against credible
  industrial criteria ,
- that at least half the proposals received envisage a major role
  for a university or research laboratory in a Member State other
  than that of an industrial partner ,
- the extent to which links formed to execute TELEMAN projects
  have continued and led to joint development of industrial
  products , new multi-national firms or new research projects ,
- application of technology and patents arising from TELEMAN are
  applied by other firms and in other industries .
 ---pagebreak---                                   - 22-
                         FINANCIAL RECORD   SHEET
1 . Budget heading
    Code No . : 7353 ( 1989 )
    Title     : TELEMAN ,
2.  Legal basis
    Article 7 of the        Treaty    establishing        the     European Atomic
    Energy Community .
3.  Description and objective of the action
    The TELEMAN programme is a new five year shared cost research
    programme . The technical area covered is remote handling in
    nuclear hazardous and disordered environments . A programme in
    this area is included in the " Framework Programme for Commu ¬
    nity Activities in Research and Development ( 1987-1991 )"
    accepted by the Council in Decision 87 / 516 Euratom , EEC of 28
    September 1987 ( OJ No L 302 , 24 . 1 0 . 1 987 , p . 1 . ) . TELEMAN will be
    carried out under sub-action 5.1 . Fission : Nuclear Energy .
    The TELEMAN programme comprises :
    1 . Pre-compet i t ive research and development and concerted
        action in the basic technologies required for the success ¬
        ful realisation of computer assisted tele-operators in a
        variety of nuclear environments . A computer assisted tele ¬
        operator is a machine able to work with varying degrees of
        autonomy at a distance from its operator .
    2 . The adaptation     or development     of tele-operator components
        resistant    to   radiation     and chemical          hazards   found  in
        nuclear plant .
    3 . Demonstration that the many disciplines involved in tele ¬
        operator realisation have been successfully integrated .
    4 . Exposure of the pre-compet i t ive technology developed in the
        TELEMAN programme to potential users of a future commercia ¬
        lised product .
    5.  Studies of items of interest to TELEMAN contractors and new
        technological opportunities .
    TELEMAN 's objective      is to   reinforce the scientific and tech ¬
    nological base used for the design of nuclear remote handling
    equipment . Tele-operators contribute to the safety and profi ¬
    tability of man and plant employed in all parts of the nuclear
    industry , from mining through reactor operation to reproces ¬
    sing and decommissioning .
 ---pagebreak---                                  - 23-
      The   immediate beneficiaries of the TELEMAN programme are
      expected to be high-tech systems companies , research centres ,
      universities and nuclear plant operators . In the longer term
      one can expect the benefits of tele-operation to be sought by
      other industries operating in difficult or hazardous environ ¬
      ments . High-tech systems companies can be small , specialised
      and deserving of public support for the exploitation of inno ¬
      vative  ideas .
4 .   Justification
      TELEMAN 's fundamental justification lies        in the potential
      computer assisted tele-operators have to improve the separa ¬
      tion of workers from radioactive equipment . The same techno ¬
      logy will also enable plant operators and public authorities
      to deal more effectively with nuclear accidents . Finally ,
      gains in productivity , particularly in the repair and mainte ¬
      nance area can be expected .
      Community support is justified by :
          the high cost of developing tele-operators with the auto ¬
          nomy required to evaluate and respond intelligently to
          threats posed by hazardous , disordered and unfamiliar
          environments .
          the need to rationalise    R&D investment   in an increasingly
          fragmented industry .
          the need for a Commun i ty - w ide approach to those questions
          that could restrict diffusion of the technology and limit
          the assistance that could be given by another country in an
          emergency .
      Success in the latter areas would serve to      counter the import
      of more coherently developed technology .
5.    Financial implications
5.1 . Total cost of TELEMAN programme
      Approx . 40 million ECU ( MECU )
5.2 . Source of funds
      Community budget                                          19 MECU
      National budget and contractors                  approx . 21 MECU
 ---pagebreak---                                         - 24-
5.3 . Schedule of Communi tv appropr iat ions
                      Commitment appropriations ( MECU )
                    1989    1990    1991      1992    1993    1994   1995   1983-9
Staff               0.114   0 . 253 0.365     0.381   0 . 399                1.512
Admin i s tra t ion 0.122 0.132 0.142         0.148   0.156                  0 . 700
Contracts           1 . 764 7.735   5.373     1.916 0 . 000                 16.788
TOTAL               2 . 000 8.120   5.880     2.445   0.555                 19 . 000
                            Payment appropriations ( MECU )
                    1989    1990    1991      1992    1993    1994   1995   TOTAL
Staff               0.114   0 . 253 0 . 365   0.381   0.399                   1.512
Administration      0.122   0.132 0.142 0.148         0.156                  0 . 700
Contracts           0 . 464 2.617   4 . 878   4 . 738 2.882   1.017 0.192   16 . 788
TOTAL               0 . 700 3 . 002 5.385     5 . 267 3 . 437 1.017  0.192  19 . 000
5.4   Method of calculation
5.4.1 .   Staff
      Staff costs were estimated on the following basis :
      - For 1989 , 1A grade official from 1.7.1989
      - For 1990-93 ,       2A grade officials ,           IB grade official and 1C
          grade official . Staff costed at 50% in their year of joining
          the programme .
The data used to calculate the cost of this management team are
those established for the provisional draft budget for 1989 i.e.
93,000 ECU for an A , 58,000 ECU for a B and 37,000 ECU for a C. An
annual inflation rate of 4% has been provided for .
Appropriations for staff include              provisions for       missions , consul ¬
tants and temporary staff .
 ---pagebreak---                                   - 25-
5.4.2 .  Administration
      Provisions for administration costs cover :
      - organisation of working group meetings
      - use of data processing and t e le - commun i ca t ions facilities
      - supporting co-ordination activities and information dise ¬
         mination
      - programme évaluation
      Estimates are    based  upon    the experience       of  other similar
      programmes .
5.4.3 .  Contracts
      The appropriations cover the financial contribution of the
      community to expenditures incurred by contractors performing
      research and development under the programme ( typically 50% ),
      studies , and training and mobility grants .
6.    Financing of expenditure
      The appropriations required to cover the financial participa ¬
       tion of the Community in this action will be entered into the
       future Community budgets .
7 .   Control system to be applied
      Administrative control by the Directorate General            for Finan ¬
      cial Control and by the Contract Division of the Directorate
      General for Science , Research and Development , as regards the
       implementation of the budget and regularity of expenditures .
      Scientific Control by the competent Management and Co-ordina ¬
      tion Advisory Committee ( CGC ) and by responsible officials in
      the Directorate General for Science , Research and Development .
      Eva lua t ion in accordance with the " Community plan of action
      relating to the evaluation of Community research and develop ¬
      ment activities for the years 1987 to 1991 ( C0M(86 ) 660
      final ) .
 ---pagebreak---                                  - 26-
         STATEMENT ON THE IMPACT ON SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED
            ENTERPRISES , COMPETITIVENESS AND EMPLOYMENT .
  Although TELEMAN is not primarily aimed at the support of small
  and medium-sized enterprises , or at the solution of the problems
  of industrial competitiveness and employment , positive results
  can be expected .
  1 .  Innovative    SMEs will  be   encouraged  to  partner national
       laboratories and   other  research   institutions   in research
       projects . In doing so they will be exposed to new and wider
       technological opportunities     in their own countries and
       abroad . Some may find themselves in a position to take new
       licences from other participants    in the programme or enter
       new markets .
  2.   The ultimate users of machines built using TELEMAN techno ¬
       logy can expect to reduce their repair and maintenance costs
       and hence become more competitive .
  3.   The quality of labour required to perform remote operations
       will improve , working conditions will become less onerous
       and the exposure of workers to industrial risks should be
       reduced .
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