HKPC’s Autonomous Transformable Wheel-legged Inspection Robot “HazardBot” Wins Bronze at the 2026 Edison Awards World’s First Transformable AI Inspection Robot for Nuclear Power Plants Drives Intelligent Upgrades to Energy Infrastructure in the Greater Bay Area

(Hong Kong, 17 April 2026) The Autonomous Transformable Wheel-legged Inspection Robot “HazardBot,” a collaboration among the Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC), CGN (Shenzhen) Operation Technology and Radiation Monitoring Co., Ltd., Sun Yat-sen University, Xi’an Jiaotong University, and Direct Drive Technology Co., Ltd., has secured the Bronze award at the esteemed global Edison Awards. With funding from the Innovation and Technology Fund under the Innovation and Technology Commission, HazardBot integrates cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI), a unique transformable design, and advanced navigation capabilities in environments with limited signal access. This innovation significantly enhances safety and efficiency during inspections in high-risk nuclear power settings. HazardBot has successfully completed on-site trials and demonstrations at the Taishan Nuclear Power Plant in Guangdong and is set for phased deployment across other nuclear facilities in the Greater Bay Area.

Mr. Mohamed BUTT, Executive Director of HKPC, said: “This marks the fourth consecutive year that HKPC’s R&D projects have been honoured by the Edison Awards, highlighting ongoing international recognition of Hong Kong’s scientific and technological achievements. Developed to address the critical challenges in nuclear inspection, HazardBot has been successfully implemented in key national infrastructure, showcasing the collaborative strength of ‘R&D in Hong Kong, deployment in the Greater Bay Area’ and affirming the effectiveness of Hong Kong’s Government-industry-academia-research partnership model. This locally developed system combines AI software with transformable wheel-legged robotic hardware, enabling robots to effectively take over high-risk tasks and achieve intelligent, unmanned inspections. With early investments in AI R&D, HKPC is witnessing the deployment of related innovations. Looking ahead, we aim to align closely with the nation’s 15th Five-Year Plan, promote the application of cutting-edge technologies, accelerate the modernisation and sustainability of traditional industries, foster high-end and emerging sectors, support high-quality development in the Greater Bay Area, and meet national needs.”

AI powered Autonomous Navigation with Transformable Robot Enables Unmanned, Intelligent Inspection in Nuclear Power Plants
Operating and maintaining a nuclear power plant is highly complex, with safety being paramount to the regional power supply. Traditional inspections in the cooling water pump rooms of nuclear plants face significant challenges, including cramped spaces, numerous meters, low inspection efficiency, and radiation hazards. Engineers must physically enter these pump rooms, which requires extensive manpower and exposes personnel to radiation risks, time constraints, and harsh conditions, ultimately limiting efficiency and increasing safety concerns.

As a silver award winner of the 2025 R&D 100 Awards in the Corporate Social Responsibility Special Recognition category, HazardBot is the world’s first nuclear inspection robot that integrates wheel-leg transformation with AI. Utilising AI modules for perception, mapping, localisation, planning, and control, it achieves autonomous navigation in signal-denied environments, adapting its path in real time based on ground conditions. With advanced AI detection models, it boasts 96% accuracy in reading and analysing meter data and enabling remote monitoring by engineers. Its edge computing capability allows it to operate fully offline, autonomously executing tasks even in shielded or interference-prone areas. The transformable wheel-leg design addresses the challenges of navigating cramped facilities and dense instrument panels. In wheeled mode, it moves swiftly across flat surfaces with 360-degree steering; in legged mode, it navigates flexibly through tight, complex spaces, overcoming obstacles like stairs and railings, thereby outperforming traditional robots and manual inspections.

The integrated software and hardware solutions address localisation issues in poor signal environments and the complexities of nuclear plants. This synergy allows HazardBot to replace humans in high-radiation zones, significantly reducing personnel exposure and ensuring safe, efficient operations. It can also inspect high-temperature, high-humidity, and confined spaces, further minimising on-site risks during emergencies and enhancing overall nuclear safety.

Looking ahead, the technologies developed for this project have potential applications across Hong Kong’s urban infrastructure, including water facilities like treatment plants, pumping stations, sewage treatment works, and electrical rooms and power stations. These innovations will facilitate intelligent inspections in enclosed environments and drive the smart upgrading of energy infrastructure in Hong Kong and the surrounding region.

About the Edison Awards
First held in 1987, The Edison Awards are among the world’s most prestigious honour in science and technology, recognizing groundbreaking research achievements and innovative products distinguished by originality, creativity, and technological excellence. Past award winners include Genentech, General Electric, General Motors, GoPro, IBM, NVIDIA and others. For more information about the 2026 Edison Awards, please visit: https://edisonawards.com/

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About the Autonomous Transformable Wheel-legged Inspection Robot “HazardBot”: Video

Mr. Mohamed BUTT, Executive Director of HKPC and Dr. Lei XU, Consultant of the Robotics and Artificial Intelligence Division of HKPC, received the award on behalf of HKPC’s award-winning technology R&D team at the 2026 Edison Awards Gala hosted in Fort Myers, Florida, USA.

The “Autonomous Transformable Wheel-legged Inspection Robot HazardBot,” developed by the Hong Kong Productivity Council and partners, has won the Bronze award at the global Edison Awards, supported by the Innovation and Technology Fund. By integrating edge AI, a transformable design, and precise navigation in signal-denied environments, HazardBot enhances safety and efficiency in high-risk nuclear power inspections.

HazardBot was tested on-site at the Taishan Nuclear Power Plant in Guangdong. The top-left image shows LiDAR-based mapping and autonomous navigation, while the top-right displays the gimbal-mounted camera capturing meter reading tasks.

HazardBot has completed on-site trials at the Taishan Nuclear Power Plant in Guangdong and is set for phased deployment to other nuclear power plants in the Greater Bay Area.