Written by SCK CEN
As part of the ANUBIS project, the Belgian nuclear research centre SCK CEN and technology company MAGICS joined forces to tackle an important question in the nuclear sector: How can we collect reliable data in places that are inaccessible to humans? Their answer is an advanced camera that is not only resistant to extreme levels of radiation, but can also detect and analyse gamma rays. This collaboration, based in Belgium’s Kempen region, has resulted in an innovative tool that supports inspections and enables safer, more efficient dismantling of nuclear installations.
In nuclear facilities, there are some areas that people simply cannot or may not enter. These include areas experiencing high radiation levels, such as reactor vessels, contaminated pipelines, or hot cells, where unprotected direct human intervention is prohibited. Yet, it is crucial that we still carry out accurate monitoring in these areas for safety reasons, to maintain operational control, or to prepare dismantling activities. In environments like hot cells, specialists must also conduct visual inspections or manage spent fuel remotely. So, scientists began to wonder: How can we see, measure, and understand what is happening in places where no humans can go?
This challenge brought together the SCK CEN research centre and technology company MAGICS. Their solution involves leveraging MAGICS’ rad-hard CMOS imaging technology to develop cameras that can continue to function, even in high radiation environments. The result is a camera that can get close to radioactive hot spots, providing both visual imaging and on-site gamma spectrometry for precise radiation detection – a unique feature for locating and identifying radioactive sources during dismantling activities.
“Standard cameras and detectors often fail in high-radiation areas, either breaking down or becoming overloaded near intense sources. With this new technology, we can get closer, capture visual data and accurately analyse gamma radiation. This is a major step forward in ensuring safe and effective nuclear inspections and radiation protection.” – Mahmoud Abdelrahman, nuclear engineer at SCK CEN
Thanks to this technology, operators will be able to monitor sites remotely, assess risks more accurately, and improve overall safety. While it’s not yet possible to operate the full setup remotely, the camera and CZT sensor can already be positioned close to high-radiation areas, with the control unit located at a safe distance (up to ~20 metres in this first prototype). In the future, the system could be scaled down and integrated into a mobile robotic platform or operated remotely using a network connection. These capabilities will be explored as part of ongoing R&D efforts in the future.
CZT and Compton: technology in tandem
The camera prototype developed by SCK CEN and MAGICS is much more than a robust visual sensor. At its core, the system contains a CZT sensor: a semiconductor especially suited to detecting gamma radiation. CZT sensors can not only detect radiation but also perform spectral analysis. They detect gamma radiation and analyse its energy signature to identify which radioactive materials are present.
Another unique aspect of the prototype is its potential to evolve into a compact Compton camera in the future. The system uses a Compton camera principle, implemented through the image sensor itself. When gamma rays scatter off electrons, there is a change in both their trajectory and energy levels – a phenomenon known as the Compton effect. By capturing several such interactions, the camera can reconstruct the origin of the radiation, even without a direct line of sight. This allows it to visualise radiation sources in hard-to-access areas such as shafts or tanks.
By measuring these interactions, the system can not only pinpoint the location of the radiation source but also identify the type of radioactive material involved. Combined with visual and depth imaging, this makes it possible to accurately locate and assess radiation hotspots, even in confined or shielded environments such as pipes or enclosed spaces. The compact CZT crystal is especially suited to high-radiation environments, as its smaller volume reduces the risk of detector saturation or damage when operating near intense sources.
The mobile setup created by SCK CEN and MAGICS thus combines visual monitoring and radiation imaging in one portable device: a unique 2-in-1 solution that is extremely valuable in nuclear environments where safety and precision are critical. The true innovation lies in the seamless integration of features that the teams managed to bring together in one tool: from the mechanical and electrical design to advanced R&D in gamma spectrometry, image processing and the software algorithms that unify it all.
"This radiation-detection camera prototype is the perfect demonstration of an application in which our rad-hard camera technology excels. It’s great to see that by using MAGICS’ rad-hard camera technology, in combination with a CZT sensor and custom image sensor processing developed by SCK CEN, we have created something unique, enabling reliable performance in environments where standard electronics fail." – Jelle Van Rethy, product manager at MAGICS Technologies
“A real gamechanger”
“The radiation-detection camera will be a real gamechanger”, says Mahmoud Abdelrahman, nuclear engineer at SCK CEN. “It combines visual monitoring with gamma spectrometry, allowing us to identify radioactive materials on the spot. Unlike existing systems, this technology can operate close to high-radiation zones, enabling us to detect hot spots more accurately. That’s the real breakthrough. Our expertise in radiation modelling, Monte Carlo simulations, and calibration ensures the system is both precise and reliable – opening new doors for research and intervention in extreme environments.”
MAGICS developed the camera prototype’s core electronics system and hardware. This consists of the camera module, including the CMOS image sensor and communication chip, as well as the hardware to drive the motorised rad-hard lens. The team has also developed a mobile rack control unit to make the full camera setup portable. SCK CEN determined the requirements, enabling the system to function in a nuclear environment, and designed mechanical parts such as the camera housing and PAN/TILT system to ensure the configuration fits well into existing installations, for example in hot cells. SCK CEN was responsible for the image sensor processing, as this is very specific to the application this research project is targeting.
“It was an intensive process where we optimally leveraged each other’s strengths”, says Jelle Van Rethy, product manager at MAGICS Technologies. “Although developing radiation-resistant technology is fully within our core expertise, building a complete camera system was an exceptional challenge for us. Together with SCK CEN, we developed a prototype exclusively for research purposes. This system is not a final product but a pilot that taught us a lot about the practical applications of our technology. Those insights also pave the way for use in other sectors where robust and reliable imaging under extreme conditions is needed.”
Ready for further research
The next step in the ANUBIS project’s research is to further develop the characterisation feature in the mobile camera. Ultimately, SCK CEN aims to make the system even more robust and compact so it can be deployed remotely or via a robot in zones with high radiation levels.
Recap of the ANUBIS project & Belgium and Europe’s recovery plan
Let’s rewind to 2021, when the European Union awarded SCK CEN with funding for the ANUBIS project, which stands for “Advancing NUclear dismantling in Belgium through Improving Sustainability”. The main goal of the project is to develop technology and expertise in reusing materials released during nuclear dismantling in a cost-efficient way. This also includes the construction of a new research, development, and demonstration facility and associated installations that will drive innovation in dismantling projects across Belgium.
The project not only fits into the Belgian-European plan for economic recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic, but is also perfectly aligned with the sustainable dismantling of the Doel and Tihange nuclear power plants. This collaboration between SCK CEN and MAGICS is a concrete example of how ANUBIS is focusing on innovation to make the decommissioning of nuclear installations smarter, safer, and more sustainable.
