GENROBOT: The Software Europe Will Use in Its Share of ITER Remote Handling Systems

Representatives of GTD and F4E recently gathered around the GENROBOT test bench at GTD’s offices in Madrid, Spain, where the system is undergoing its final validation phase before deployment.

Supporting ITER: The World’s Largest Fusion Device

ITER, currently under construction in France, is the biggest fusion device ever built. The machine includes at least one million main components — and when subcomponents and interfaces are added, the complexity places ITER among the most ambitious scientific projects ever undertaken.

Operating and maintaining such a facility presents enormous engineering challenges:

• Manufacturing unique, one-of-a-kind equipment
• Seamless integration of highly complex systems
• Safe and reliable operation in extreme conditions

Because humans will not physically enter ITER’s massive vessel due to radiation exposure, all inspection, maintenance, repair and replacement tasks must be carried out remotely.

Remote Handling: Robotics in Extreme Environments

The ITER Remote Handling system integrates robotics and tooling required to inspect, repair, move and replace radioactive components.

European and Japanese teams, together with industrial partners and laboratories, are designing and manufacturing robotic equipment including:

• Manipulators
• Movers
• Cranes
• Actuators

These systems must operate with extreme precision and coordination — like a perfectly synchronized choreography — communicating in a common coded language to perform complex tasks safely and efficiently.

From GENERIS to GENROBOT: European Innovation in Robotics Software

The roots of GENROBOT trace back to the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) in Ispra, Italy, where the GENERIS software platform was originally developed.

Led by Emilio Ruiz Morales, now at F4E, the GENERIS initiative benefited from EU-funded R&D projects in:

• Mobile robotics for nuclear storage surveying
• Telerobotic surgery with tactile feedback

Building on this foundation, F4E and GTD jointly developed GENROBOT, a new-generation industrial software system tailored to the demanding requirements of ITER’s Remote Handling systems.

A Safety-Critical Software Platform (SIL-2 IEC 61508)

GENROBOT allows engineers to adapt and configure different robotic equipment within a harmonized operational environment.

“This software allows us to install a sense of harmony in the operating system and rigorously control all ITER Remote Handling machines that Europe has to manufacture,” explains Emilio Ruiz Morales.

GENROBOT delivers:

• Adaptability to multiple robotics platforms
• Time and cost savings
• Industrial-grade robustness
• Compliance with SIL-2 IEC 61508 safety standards

The achievement represents a significant innovation in the robotics software market.

Driving Innovation Beyond Fusion

According to Carlo Damiani, Head of ITER Remote Handling systems at F4E, ITER’s demanding environment acts as a catalyst for innovation:

“With further investment, we created innovative software that meets our needs and potentially those of other sectors using remote applications, such as nuclear decommissioning, defense, medicine and space.”

GENROBOT’s architecture and safety-critical design open opportunities beyond fusion energy, positioning it as a transferable technology platform.

GTD’s Entry into the Robotics Market

For GTD, GENROBOT marks a strategic milestone.

“GENROBOT allowed us to enter the robotics market by contributing through our expertise in safety-critical software,” says Alejandro Cantos, GTD Robotics Manager.

The project has enabled GTD to:

• Acquire new robotics capabilities
• Expand beyond its traditional domains
• Strengthen its position in high-assurance industrial software

Being part of Europe’s contribution to ITER represents a landmark achievement for the company and reinforces its role in mission-critical systems.

Next Steps: Testing and Deployment in Finland

The GENROBOT testing phase at GTD’s facilities in Madrid is nearing completion. Final fine-tuning is scheduled before the software is transferred to the ITER Remote Handling Facility in Tampere, Finland.

There, experts will receive training and conduct additional testing at the Divertor Test Platform (DTP2), a critical step in validating Europe’s Remote Handling systems for ITER.

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