Newsgroups: comp.robotics
Path: brunix!news.Brown.EDU!noc.near.net!MathWorks.Com!europa.eng.gtefsd.com!uunet!newsflash.concordia.ca!mizar.cc.umanitoba.ca!mona.muug.mb.ca!rgallen
From: rgallen@muug.mb.ca (Rennie Allen)
Subject: Re: Were there Chernobyl robots? Info. nee
Message-ID: <1993Nov1.174403.28311@muug.mb.ca>
Organization: Manitoba Unix User Group, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
References: <md6lc8INNib2@appserv.Eng.Sun.COM> <CFruII.L0q.2@cs.cmu.edu>
Date: Mon, 1 Nov 1993 17:44:03 GMT
Lines: 59

In <CFruII.L0q.2@cs.cmu.edu> fitz@frc.ri.cmu.edu (Kerien Fitzpatrick) writes:

>Our research group had some interaction with the Soviets right after the
>incident and then hosted a visit from one of the principals involved in
>the cleanup (and his KGB sidekick).

>My memory is a bit rusty.  I believe any of the "robots" would have been
>the remoted machines (dozers and I think concrete-forming machines) used
>for cleanup and stabilization outside the building.  Our group was contacted
>by the Soviets to see if they could obtain our RWV (Remote Work Vehicle)
>for use during the cleanup.  At that time, GPU Nuclear owned the machine
>so it couldn't make the trip to Russia.  The conversation turned to building
>them a new machine, but all the delays/hassles with the US government
>caused that to be dropped (we had two CMOS 6502 processors in the robot..).

Ooooo... scary.  Couldn't let the Soviets get a hold of that advanced 6502
technology could we :-)

>My boss, Red Whittaker, travelled there at the request of one of the persons
>overseeing the cleanup.  He has the best knowledge of what equipment was
>used (red@frc.ri.cmu.edu).  I don't know if I would have gone - trust wasn't
>running high at that time (Sure we are at a safe distance....).

>The last interaction we had was when one of the principals in the cleanup
>effort visited CMU to speak at our Robotics Institute 10th anniversary.  He
>showed some videotape (which the KGB guy kept VERY close tabs on) and spoke
>about what when on.  Soldiers had to run down corridors to the rooftop, scoop
>up a shovel full, throw it over the edge, and run back.  We have one or two
>pictures provided by them - very fuzzy due to all the radiation.

Gee, I had always thought that the US was always pressing (at that time) the
Soviets on human rights issues.  Funny, that when it came time for the US
to send over a couple of 6502's which could've saved some lives (or at least
lengthend them), that it just wasn't feasible (in case the ruskies cloned the
6502 - which they could buy in thousands btw, and made a guidance system or
something).

This reminds me of Austin Code Works being asked to register as an
international arms merchant, since they sell encryption algorithms ????

>As they close (for the most part) the site - I believe a lot of that was
>down with remoted equipment.  Its too bad the US or some other country
>doesn't lead more of an effort in this area - if another major event 
>occurred we wouldn't be much better off.  The most money would probably
>be spent on a study....if we were to hear about it.  Did anyone catch
>the segment on TV about Rocky Flats?  It might have been Dateline or
>some such show.  When billions of $$ are involved - don't kid yourself
>about how nice it is to live in a democracy.... 

Exactly.  The 6502's probably wouldn't have worked at the higher radiation
levels anyway (1802 might), but it would have provided extremely valuable
information to have something used in a real cleanup situation 7000 miles
away....


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