Tool Development for Remote Maintenance of Equipment in a High-radiation Environment
June 18, 2026NorthStar Medical Radioisotopes Engineering, 2025–26
Liaison(s): Dr. Michael Skulski, Dr. Brandon Jackson, Adin Goings
Advisor(s): Golsa Mirbagheri
Students(s): Daniel Kotkosky (TL-S), Jasper Cox (TL-F), Michael Mateo-Gaspar, Audrey Gruian, Samantha Riter (S), Amanda Kitrell (S), Kyra Burns (F), Carlos Ojeda de Silva (F)
NorthStar Medical Radioisotopes is a radiopharmaceutical company that uses an electron beam accelerator to produce radioisotopes for novel therapeutics used in treatment for cancer. To minimize worker’s exposure to harmful radiation, the team has designed tooling to allow workers to perform maintenance tasks on the accelerator system from a remote location. The design includes a torque driver to remove and install bolts, a gripping mechanism, a pipe cutting tool, a lubrication tool and a camera, all attached to a robotic arm.