14.07.2022 // The Arctic is increasingly being referred to as 'the storehouse of the 21st century.' But before we begin to dispose of its riches, this 'storehouse' must first be put in order. Robots will clean up the garbage left behind by people over several decades. One of them has already been tested in high latitudes and proved to be able to clean the Arctic coasts.

The Atlas robot is a six-wheeled vehicle weighing about 4 kg with a platform for installing cameras and manipulators. It was created by Alexander Gordeychik, a 4th-year student of the Department of Automation, Robotics and Control of Technical Systems of the Northern (Arctic) Federal University. By becoming a member of the Arctic Floating University expedition, the developer was able to test how successfully his robot would move along the Arctic coast. The trials took place in Russian Harbour on the island of Severnaya Zemlya of the Novaya Zemlya archipelago.

'Now mostly running tests in terms of cross-country capability and depending on speed were performed. It turned out to be better than I expected. It didn't stick almost anywhere where pebble stones of various sizes occurred on the shore. There were no problems going up the hill near the beach, and there were no problems turning around on the spot,' said Alexander Gordeychik.

Alexander is convinced that a great future awaits his robot. Primarily because the Atlas will be able to collect garbage or take soil and water samples in dangerous places, for example, on steep slopes, on the banks of turbulent rivers or under a snowbank canopy.

There is no risk for the operator: they will not even need to go ashore, the robot can be operated directly from the ship, because it recognises the signals at a distance of 5 km. But more importantly, there will be no risk to the fragile Arctic ecosystems either: the vehicle weighing only 4 kg will not damage the vulnerable layer of mosses and lichens.

To ensure that new technologies come to the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation as quickly as possible, a scientific and technical council will be created as part of the State Commission for Arctic Development. This decision was made on 12 July at the meeting on the use of scientific and technological reserves and human resources of universities and scientific organisations.