Genderless Connector - Defined Verification and Validation

The Connect-R project aims to develop an industrial-scale self-building modular robotic solution to provide access to worksites in hostile and hazardous environments. The objective of this self-configurable robotic scaffolding system is to provide structure in unstructured environments, and to afford other smaller robotic systems (with advanced end effectors), easy access to the required zone to carry out essential tasks.

The initial deployment of the Connect-R system focuses on a nuclear decommissioning use case, but the system can also deliver capability in other sectors, such as offshore oil and gas, deep mining, and space exploration. The Connect-R system enables access to areas that were previously inaccessible, it unlocks huge potential in a variety of sectors, and it reduces the risk to human life by removing people from extreme and dangerous environments.

It is our goal to provide quality, reliable, engineering products that consistently work in hazardous environments to allow our clients to decommission their aging, dangerous and hazardous installations.

A key enabler to our Connect-R self-reconfigurable modular robotic structure is the Genderless Mechanical Connection (GMC). We believe that the GMC provides a generic solution for the mechanical docking and undocking between modules; it also gives a robust and effective connection for hydraulic power and data. The main objectives of this project extension are to mature the readiness of the GMC technology through further targeted Testing, Validation & Verification, and Demonstration, not only to our current stakeholders from the Nuclear market but also to representatives of the Oil & Gas sector.