Kevin Roe: The Ultimate Robot Challenge at Fukushima

Kevin Roe, Patent Attorney

The triple meltdowns at Fukushima could be the greatest industrial disaster in history. But the disaster is not over, it has only just begun. Without repair at the reactors, endless radionuclide contamination from Fukushima will poison the Pacific Ocean.

Roe is a patent attorney in Silicon Valley and was formerly an electrical engineer specializing in computers and integrated circuits at companies such as IBM and Xerox PARC.  He has written several patent applications for robotics and artificial intelligence for all environments, including very high radiation environments. He explains the reasons why neither humans nor conventional robots can repair the reactors, the potential consequences if cleanup efforts fail, and a possible alternative approach to conventional robot technology.

October 9, 2014