ITER (through Fusion4Energy) has commissioned GTD to develop the GenRobot project, a critical software package designed to control a large part of the fusion plant's robots. ITER has entrusted GTD with the creation of GenRobot, a robotic control software that will be used in one of the world's most ambitious engineering projects. ITER, Latin for "the way," is an international initiative that is building a plant in southern France to generate large-scale clean energy through fusion, an energy source based on the same principle that powers the sun and stars. To this end, more than 35 countries around the world are collaborating in the design and construction of what will be the world's largest fusion reactor. Fusion4Energy, based in Barcelona, is the organization responsible for coordinating contributions from European countries. GTD is investing in GenRobot for robotics within the energy sector and has been selected to lead this project for its nearly 30 years of experience in developing critical systems. A team of 10 people, led by Álex Cantos, has been working on this software for months from our headquarters in Madrid. "Remote Handling (or Tele-Manipulation in Spanish) is a discipline that allows an operator to perform specialized manual work without having to be present," explains Álex Cantos. At ITER, Remote Handling systems will be very important for maintenance tasks inside the reactor. "These tasks are complicated because they require great precision and sometimes involve transporting very heavy loads," adds the project manager, who also points out that "these Remote Handling systems are already used in other smaller nuclear reactors." GenRobot is critical software, like that found in airplanes, space launchers, or trains. This means that "it has to be safe because lives are at risk." GTD specializes in this type of software, whose main characteristic is that it must have a very low probability of failure and, if it fails, it must do so in a controlled manner. "In this case, the system would be degraded but would remain safe for people and infrastructure," summarizes the project leader. GenRobot is a product that GTD is developing for ITER through Fusion4Energy. Its great advantage is that "it's a generic controller, highly configurable and customizable," says Álex Cantos, "and it has to be that way because it will control very different robots at ITER." This versatility is one of GenRobot's most important commercial assets, and it could be adapted in the future for use in sectors other than energy. Currently, the team led by Cantos already has a first version implemented, which has been tested in simulators and is progressing satisfactorily, although many more steps remain before it is installed at ITER. "We're on schedule, but we have a few hectic years of work ahead of us," comments the project leader. "The current horizon is 2025, when we will have the first reactor ignition. For now, we want to complete the second version of GenRobot in 2018 and, from there, begin integrating it with robots to verify that it actually works well in the real world." GTD is a well-established company that has been dedicated for years to providing engineering solutions to sectors such as aerospace, logistics, transportation, science, energy, and security. Joining ITER is a step forward, "and a source of pride for us, because we're working on one of the most important projects in the world. From a technological perspective, it empowers us and gives us a vision for the future in robotics. Furthermore, on a personal level, it's very motivating because you see that what you do can have a real impact on a problem as important as energy," says Álex Cantos.
