Over the next 20 years, DOE will retire numerous strategic weapons, refurbish the remaining nuclear stockpile, clean up radioactive and other hazardous wastes that are the 50-year-old environmental legacy of nuclear weapons production, and dispose of the nation's spent nuclear fuel.

These activities must be accomplished in a manner that ensures worker safety, speeds waste remediation, and minimizes defects, costs, and cycle time in weapons manufacturing.

Over the past year, DOE has developed a five-year technology roadmap to integrate its research and development in robotics and intelligent machines (RIM) - systems composed of machines, sensors, computers, and software - throughout the DOE complex. In FY 2001, the DOE budget request contains funding in the Offices of Defense Programs, Environmental Management and Science.

This funding will carry out the first phase of an integrated research agenda. Activities will focus on applied research projects and prototype systems development including areas such as: sensor-based motion control; glove box automation; precision dexterity research; remote characterization of spent nuclear fuel; technologies for integration of RIM systems; multi-modal transportation systems; and micromanipulation.

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