BLISSS - Barrnon Limited Integrated Sort and Segregate System

BLISSS is a funded R&D project won by Barrnon to develop an autonomous system that emulates human beings to sort and segregate nuclear waste. The system is the technological equivalent of a radiologically-resistant, fatigue-free human being. Currently, sort and segregate tasks are performed by human beings. This approach is inefficient and dangerous and the BLISSS is the proposed solution to the issue. The BLISSS mechatronics have already been developed and consist of a pair of robotic arms and end-effectors (the Barrnon Integrated Decommissioning System minus the ROV element - see uploaded image). The software challenges within the BLISSS project: 1. To integrate a number of existing software systems and to develop the required 'glueware'. 2. To write code that interprets two sets of data in terms of a third set of categories. 3. To write code that creates a mission plan for the mechatronic system (to grasp, transport and deposit items in appropriate containers). 4. To write code that controls the mechatronic system. Barrnon will be working with a number of external organisations that bring the existing software systems to the project and/or sector-specific expertise. The R&D project's purpose is to develop a system that will perform a live demonstration, sorting & segregating a range of items, in an environment that is generally representative of a nuclear decommissioning cell. The timescale for the project is November 2021 to November 2022 with the demonstration taking place September / October 2022, followed by reporting. The role / roles We require the services of one or more robotics engineers with open-source experience to work within our experienced, highly innovative team. You will be involved in the lifecycle of software development from architectural design and planning through to delivery of well-designed, testable, fully-documented and commented, efficient code. Responsibilities ● Collaborate on the creation of a Software Requirements Specification document (flow-charts, layouts and documentation to clarify requirements & solutions). Produce specifications and determine operational feasibility ● Write well-designed, testable code. Integrate software components into a fully functional software system ● Develop automated software test plans and quality assurance procedures ● Document and maintain software functionality ● Troubleshoot, debug and upgrade existing systems ● Fully document all work Desirable ● Experience in Agile software development and use of related collaborative tools ● Embedded systems, simulators (Gazebo), deploying code on hardware ● Electronics knowledge and experience. Networking and comms. (Ethernet, COFDM) The opportunity Barrnon has established itself as a highly effective innovator in the nuclear decommissioning industry. Opportunities exist to take these technologies into adjacent industries. The BLISSS project is the latest in a number of ground-breaking approaches to revolutionising methodologies in the nuclear industry. If this challenge is for you, please respond and tell us about yourself and why you'd be a great addition to the team.