Many companies innovate their industry practices by applying existing technology, modifying it, and evolve it to work in a novel environments where there is an unmet need. This is the case in Confined Space Robotics (CSR) where a robot named Alpha 1 was modified to work in hazardous environments – where industrial sandblasting is not safe for human to perform the task or where spaces are difficult to access by humans.
In Episode 1, Erin Moffatt and Mackay Spence share insights into how their company has evolved an existing robotic technology they call Alpha 1 to perform hazardous activities in new fields of industrial applications such as tanks and vessels in the energy and soon marine industry sectors. Here they introduce us to the descendants of Alpha2 – the robotic twins (not identical) who are now part of their robot family and team!
Stay tuned for Episode 3 where we chat to Erin and Mackay about how robots can make work safer for humans.
Erin’s Blog:
CSR is providing robotics technology to people all over the world, but with roots in Alberta it is exciting to see that Canadian, and more specifically Albertan, interest in the robotics industry is increasing. Bringing robots into the different technical industries is keeping people safer as well as creating jobs. Using robots still requires a person to run and maintain the robot while keeping people out of harms way. CSR’s robotic arms replace the need for people to enter dangerous tanks and vessels. The arms are able to accomplish anything a person could do, from cleaning to abrasive blasting to coating and maintaining a tank. CSR’s robotic arms are incredibly versatile, and they are also easily trainable. That means that CSR’s robotic arms aren’t reducing jobs, they’re simply reallocating them. The people who were once at risk in the tank are now running the robotic arm.
About Erin Moffat
Erin is the Business Development Executive at Confined Robotics. She holds a P.Eng, as a graduate of the BSc program in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Calgary. She has experience in project management and business development within Canada and abroad. Her skills range from years managing multimillion-dollar projects to Full Stack Software Development, to Social Entrepreneurship, and working in the Non-Profit Sector. She has had the privilege of speaking at entrepreneurial events and conferences has refined her interpersonal, leadership and communication abilities.
About Mackay Spence
Mackay Spence is robotics technician at Confined Space Robotics since 2019. He is involved in full scope of the business from the design and prototyping of the robotics parts to the operation and maintenance of the robot.
About Confined Space Robotics
Spence Corrosion Services is a Canadian company that specializes in on-site blasting and relining of storage tanks and pressure vessels exposed to corrosive or abrasive environments. They have served the Oil & Gas industry for over a decade and are familiar with the dangers present in their field. Even with all the administrative controls set in place and the PPE used, incidents have occurred during the abrasive blasting process. Norm Spence’s vision was to keep humans safe and out of harms way during the rehabilitation of tanks and vessels. Confined Space Robotics (CSR) was created to serve the industry need to eliminate or reduce humans working in dangerous confined space environment. CSR is a robotics solutions company that offers a technology that changes the industry approach to abrasive blasting and coating. CSR’s technology offering includes robots for inspections, abrasive blasting, coatings, and vacuuming.
