Viam, the engineering platform for data, AI and automation, announced a partnership with Swiss nuclear engineering company Transmutex. Viam’s platform supports Transmutex in building robust and enduring ion source systems that break down nuclear waste.
Transmutex is focused on transforming long-lived radioactive waste into shorter-lived isotopes, addressing a critical challenge in nuclear waste management. While ion sources are critical to nuclear waste transmutation, they are typically optimized for performance rather than longevity. When an ion source shut offs unexpectedly, it can take up to 5 days to restart fully. Reducing these shut downs requires collecting detailed data from a complex network of sensors and leveraging AI/ML to identify root causes.
Viam provides the infrastructure to capture this data and build AI models that can pinpoint error sources in real time. The insights gained can quickly diagnose hardware failures and identify optimization opportunities, allowing Transmutex to quickly get reliable ion sources back up and running.
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“Transmutex is working to combat one of the most complex challenges in the nuclear energy sector,” said Viam Founder and CEO Eliot Horowitz. “Our work together demonstrates Viam’s ability to drive actionable insights within even the most complex of systems.”
Transmutex’s project is supported by a $4.2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy’s ARPA-E under the NEWTON program. The Geneva, Switzerland-based Transmutex was founded in 2019 by former CERN physicists and focuses on advancing technologies for nuclear waste transmutation, including accelerator-driven systems (ADS) and fast neutron reactors, which promise safer, more efficient waste management.
“To solve major challenges around nuclear waste, we need advanced technology that can help build enduring ion sources,” said Franklin Servan-Schreiber, Co-Founder and CEO of Transmutex. “Viam exists at the intersection of data and AI, allowing us to access a level of real-time visibility that is essential for our operations.”
SOURCE: PRNewswire