ULC Technologies is set to showcase the Robotic Roadworks and Excavation System (RRES), a world-first robotic system to revolutionise methods of excavation, utility interaction and reinstatement, which made a UK debut earlier this year to conduct field trials on SGN’s gas network.
The system uses a precision robotic arm with swappable tooling, integrated artificial intelligence, and machine vision and utilises soft-touch excavation tools. RRES was designed with an ‘open-source’ design to support multiple industries overcome the typical challenges associated with roadworks, promising benefits including improved worker safety, less CO2 emissions, and a smaller physical footprint than traditional excavation methods.
Last year, the RRES system was successful in receiving the RBR50 award in the Application & Market Innovation class for utilities, and the ‘Innovative Product’ award at the UKSTT Awards.
ULC Technologies will also be showcasing spin-off technologies associated RRES which enable a smooth transition for implementing the systems capabilities into business-as-usual activities. This includes VEST, a vacuum excavation toolhead that uses supersonic air nozzles to agitate and break up the soil, and AUSMOS, a transportable below-ground asset mapping robot.
ULC staff will be on hand to demonstrate its new systems and talk to event delegates about the opportunities in developing new tooling and use cases for the platform to overcome challenges across multiple industries.
