Robots to Retrieve Radioactive Sandbags at Fukushima Plant 

The tsunami-crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant is seen from Namie Town, Fukushima prefecture, Japan August 24, 2023, in this photo taken by Kyodo. (Kyodo/via Reuters)
The tsunami-crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant is seen from Namie Town, Fukushima prefecture, Japan August 24, 2023, in this photo taken by Kyodo. (Kyodo/via Reuters)
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Robots to Retrieve Radioactive Sandbags at Fukushima Plant 

The tsunami-crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant is seen from Namie Town, Fukushima prefecture, Japan August 24, 2023, in this photo taken by Kyodo. (Kyodo/via Reuters)
The tsunami-crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant is seen from Namie Town, Fukushima prefecture, Japan August 24, 2023, in this photo taken by Kyodo. (Kyodo/via Reuters)

Robots will begin moving sandbags that were used to absorb radiation-contaminated water after the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster as soon as next week, a spokesman for the plant operator said Friday.

TEPCO, the operator of the stricken Japanese power plant, says the bags on underground floors of two buildings have been left untouched following the worst nuclear accident since Chernobyl.

Radiation levels on the sandbags' surface are as high as 4.4 sieverts per hour, which means "humans can die if they approach" them, TEPCO spokesman Tatsuya Matoba told AFP.

Japanese media reports said there were 2,850 bags to be collected, a number which has not been confirmed by TEPCO, which says that they weigh 41.5 tons (91,500 pounds) in total.

Two robots developed to collect the bags, one with a moving claw, were on Wednesday placed on the underground floors, Matoba said.

Workers will use them to "carefully" bring the sandbags out in an operation that TEPCO aims to finish by the end of the 2027 fiscal year.

The bags will then be placed inside containers for radioactive material and kept at a temporary storage site outside the buildings, the spokesman said.

Three of Fukushima's six reactors went into meltdown 14 years ago after a huge tsunami swamped the facility.

The tsunami, triggered by a 9.0-magnitude earthquake, left 18,500 people dead or missing.

No one was recorded as having been directly killed by the nuclear accident, which forced evacuations and left parts of the surrounding area uninhabitable.

In addition to contaminated sandbags, around 880 tons of radioactive debris remain in the plant.

Removing this is seen as the most daunting challenge in the decades-long decommissioning project because of the dangerously high radiation levels involved.

A trial removal of nuclear debris from the plant began last year.



SDAIA Launches 'National AI Index' to Measure Saudi Govt Readiness for Adopting AI 

SDAIA Launches 'National AI Index' to Measure Saudi Govt Readiness for Adopting AI 
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SDAIA Launches 'National AI Index' to Measure Saudi Govt Readiness for Adopting AI 

SDAIA Launches 'National AI Index' to Measure Saudi Govt Readiness for Adopting AI 

The Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) launched the "National AI Index," with over 180 representatives from participating government entities attending the first assessment cycle.

The goal of the index is to evaluate institutional readiness for adopting artificial-intelligence (AI) technologies, regularly monitor progress, and provide recommendations to support development efforts and achieve the desired national impact, reported the Saudi Press Agency on Wednesday.

The index aims to align government efforts and national priorities in the field of AI, while providing the necessary enablers to support government entities in adopting and developing effective and sustainable AI solutions that contribute to achieving the goals of Saudi Vision 2030.

The index is built on three main pillars, seven core dimensions, and 23 subcategories to ensure a comprehensive assessment of government entities' readiness in the AI field. It provides results that reflect the maturity level of AI adoption across entities, along with the necessary support to enhance their capabilities in developing innovative solutions that sustain national efforts and maximize their impact in priority sectors.

The index is part of SDAIA's broader efforts as the national reference for data and AI in the Kingdom, overseeing their regulation, development, and application.

It aims to promote the adoption of AI technologies and improve institutional performance, thereby advancing digital transformation across government entities. The initiative aligns with SDAIA's strategic partnerships to support the goals of Saudi Vision 2030 to build a knowledge- and innovation-based economy.