BeABLE, a company based in Fukushima Prefecture, is developing robots equipped with physical AI to operate in high-radiation environments. The firm is currently constructing a new 3,000-square-meter facility in Futaba, located near the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. Production and testing are scheduled to commence in March 2027.
The new facility will focus on manufacturing large robotic systems and simulating nuclear decommissioning tasks. Engineers will test autonomous control systems, allowing robots to perceive their surroundings and make real-time decisions. A dedicated area will be reserved for testing autonomous transport vehicles designed for hazardous zones.
The company's expertise stems from its involvement in the 2011 disaster cleanup. Between 2019 and 2020, BeABLE remotely dismantled a 120-meter exhaust stack between the first and second reactor units. Due to extreme radiation levels, the team had to build custom cutting equipment and repeatedly refine the system to overcome environmental challenges like wind and vibrations.
BeABLE aims to utilize the new plant to advance robotics for critical tasks, such as extracting molten fuel and spent nuclear material from damaged reactors. By establishing this center, the company intends to position Fukushima as a global hub for physical AI development specifically tailored for nuclear decommissioning and disaster recovery operations.
