Call for the European Robotics Hackathon

The unique feature of the 5th Hackathon is the work with real radiation sources and the realistic conditions. The nuclear reactor is almost identical in construction to the nuclear power plant in Fukushima, where one of the biggest reactor disasters occurred in 2011. Almost complete darkness in the building, tight corners, narrow rooms, steep stairs, self-closing doors and no or only limited communication options are part of the realistic starting conditions for all EnRicH teams.

There are several levels of narrow gratings with waist-high railings leading to the other parts of the nuclear power plant. Pipes and cables run along the meter-thick concrete walls and a number of valves protrude from the wall. These are anything but ideal conditions for flying UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles). And yet this is precisely part of the task at EnRicH 2025. "For the first time, there will be a combined scenario for flying and moving systems next year," reveals EnRicH organizer Dr Frank E. Schneider, Deputy Head of the Cognitive Mobile Systems department at Fraunhofer FKIE.

Drone flights in meter-high, narrow shafts are among the challenging tasks that the teams will have to solve in 2025. © Fraunhofer FKIE/Fabian Vogl

The tasks were designed and developed by a team from the Fraunhofer Institute for Communication, Information Processing and Ergonomics FKIE in coordination with the Austrian Armaments and Defense Technology Agency (ARWT). The host and co-organizer ARWT is also providing real radiation sources for the event. "In 2025, the participants will have to complete a full hazardous materials mission, including searching for radioactive material, handling it if necessary and mapping difficult environments," says Schneider. For him, this is a task that could hardly be more topical, as many operations are too risky for humans due to the high radiation load in the event of incidents, as well as the decommissioning or dismantling of old nuclear facilities. "Special robot systems need to be developed for these radiological and nuclear scenarios," says Schneider. "However, although there is a great need for such solutions, there are no market-ready systems in sight for the near future. One of EnRicH's goals is therefore to promote robotic solutions in this area too."

Teams compete in three categories

In 2025, the teams compete in three different categories and can complete any combination of tasks. The "Mapping" category, for example, comprises two exploration tasks in which radiation must be detected, measured and marked on a digital map, and a digital 3D map of the area must be created. The "Manipulation" category is also divided into two subtasks. The teams have to use their robotic system to identify a container with radioactive coolant and then close the associated valve.

In the "Search and Rescue" category, dummies of injured workers are distributed throughout the building, which must be found, their position marked on the map and - if possible - brought to a safe area. However, it is mandatory for all participating teams to recognize and measure radiation.

AI-assisted bomb disposal

Another new scenario at EnRicH focuses on AI-supported assistance functions for bomb disposal. In EnRicH 2025, the robotic systems move across several levels and an area of around 5,000 square meters. The distances are therefore significantly longer and the tasks more complex than in EnRich in 2023.

The Agency for Innovation in Cybersecurity will be taking part for the first time in 2025 and will assess the achievements on show in order to derive possible disruptive innovations for this particularly security-relevant area. All of the achievements on show will be assessed by an external jury, which includes Dr. Michael Gustmann, Kenneth Pink and Professor Daniel Watzenig, all proven experts in robotics and nuclear technology. However, Schneider clarifies: "EnRicH is not about competition. Rather, it gives users the opportunity to test the performance of the robotic systems in actual and absolutely real scenarios."

EnRicH 2025 will take place from June 30 - July 4, 2025.
The registration deadline for teams is February 28, 2025.