Nuclear energy and robots, victors at KTH

KTH's energy research stands in great repute at the Scientific Council's annual call for contributions to research in science and technology. A total of SEK 216 million – approximately one quarter of the Scientific Council’s available funds of SEK 950 million – will go to researchers at KTH. Of this money, one quarter will be sent in turn to Jan Wallenius for research on new nuclear fuels for the fourth generation reactors, and to James Drake for the development of future fusion reactors.

Another researcher who will also receive a considerable sum of money – a little more than SEK 10 million – is Danica Kragic Jensfelt who is conducting research in the field of robotics. Her project goes under the name Two-hand manipulation, and aims to make a pair of robot hands work together.

“It is particularly useful when large heavy objects need to be lifted, or when two things need to be done at the same time,” says Danica Kragic Jensfelt, professor of robotics at KTH.

Some of her research will be to develop algorithms which can synchronise the movements of the robot’s arms.

“Industry will be able to make use of this in a major way, for example when two parts have to be assembled (screwed together),” says Danica Kragic Jensfelt.

Among other researchers at KTH receiving money, there are research projects about spin transistors, the protection of personal information from social network services on the Internet, wireless communication systems and fuel cells.

If you would like to know more about nuclear energy or robots, contact James Drake at james.drake@ee.kth.se / 08 - 790 77 21, Jan Wallenius at janne@neutron.kth.se / 08 - 553 78 200 or Danica Kragic Jensfelt at danik@csc.kth.se / 08 - 790 67 29.

Peter Larsson