Current location:health >>
China develops robot for cultural relics protection
health19582People have gathered around
Introduction(Xinhua) 14:41, February 28, 2024BEIJING, Feb. 28 (Xinhua) -- China's strides in space technology ar ...
BEIJING, Feb. 28 (Xinhua) -- China's strides in space technology are now enriching the preservation of cultural relics, as spacecraft engineers have repurposed a robot originally designed for orbital missions to protect tomb artifacts.
The China Academy of Space Technology (CAST) recently announced the development of such a robot. Combined with electron beam irradiation technology, it can be used as an intelligent mobile system to eradicate bacteria that thrive on ancient murals in small tombs.
Equipped with a robotic arm mounted on a mobile wheeled chassis, this device can scan scenes of tomb walls and domes.
Similar to the radiation disinfection technology used in medical treatment, the electron beams can eliminate harmful bacteria that cause murals to fade or chip over time.
The project was initiated by the Dunhuang Academy, an institute for the protection and research of the World cultural heritage of Dunhuang Grottoes in China. It has accumulated rich experience in cave painting conservation over the past decades. From 2020 to 2022, the academy has taken the lead in on-site protection of national tomb murals.
"The tomb mural preservation poses a great challenge," said Yu Zongren, head of the academy's conservation institute.
Being buried deep underground for extended periods exposes tomb murals to highly humid environments, fostering the proliferation of microorganisms that accelerate their deterioration. Furthermore, given the generally confined space within tombs, any negligence in cleaning and protection work can result in additional damage to these invaluable relics.
The conventional disinfection approach involves the use of chemical agents, which, unfortunately, may pose health risks to the people involved as well as affect the murals.
As immovable cultural relics, murals need on-site protection, so using traditional biocide agents is not a sustainable option, Yu noted.
In response to the demand for on-site protection of tomb murals, researchers from the Institute of High Energy Physics (IHEP) under the Chinese Academy of Sciences have undertaken the development of an intelligent mobile irradiation sterilization device. They proposed the requirement of "maintaining a small and precise size while prioritizing safety," and collaborated with engineers from the CAST to develop the robot.
Despite rich experience in developing robotic arms for large space capsules, the engineers have never created a robot specifically for tomb artwork clearing before.
"We had dedicated much of our efforts to reducing size and enhancing the flexibility of the robot, making it more suitable for tomb applications," said Xu Jianping, head of the engineering team.
Laser sensors, installed on the remotely operated robot, can detect and avoid obstacles, ensuring a safe distance between the robot and the murals.
According to Xu, these technologies had been used on China's spacecraft.
Although most of the engineers had never seen mural artworks before, they take pride in using space technology for the protection of centuries-old cultural relics, Xu noted.
The robot was showcased for the first time at a domestic exhibition on cultural relic protection last September. The research team plans to conduct more experiments before putting it into service.
Tags:
Reprint:Friends are welcome to share on the Internet, but please indicate the source of the article when reprinting it.“Stellar Sphere news portal”。http://chile.downmusic.org/content-29c599930.html
Related articles
A third of foreign students seeking to stay in the UK are at just SIX institutions, figures show
healthMore than a third of foreign students who went on to claim asylum in Britain were sponsored to come ...
【health】
Read moreVOX POPULI: Nikkei index soars but real economy still feels sluggish
healthWhen watching a Hollywood movie, the first thing you see is the production logo, the “face” of the f ...
【health】
Read moreOffering a chair to older colleague at work could count as age discrimination, judge rules
healthOffering a chair to an older colleague at work could count as age discrimination, an employment judg ...
【health】
Read more
Popular articles
- 8th Aswan int'l women film festival opens in Egypt
- VOX POPULI: Abe faction’s ‘amended’ funds report is simply worthless
- Latest review should 'put to bed' methane debate, minister says
- Minister 'not convinced' Fire and Emergency needs further levy boost
- At least 40 people die in Kenya after dam collapses
- Iceland violent volcanic flare
Latest articles
3 dead, 4 missing in explosion at Italy power station
VOX POPULI: Young texters have rendered punctuation marks obsolete
China News Jack Ma: Alibaba's founder turns up in Japan as college professor
ASEAN summit: Myanmar community asks Parliament to block junta representatives
Stunning Michigan castle near Detroit hits market for $2.3M
Cheng Lei China: Jailed Australian TV anchor jailed releases rare message
LINKS
- Good News: Stories that cheered us up for the week of 1
- Ongoing withdrawals from savings pressure Brazil’s real estate market
- VOX POPULI: Not everyone loves school lunch but it’s still vital for many
- More rats found in Dunedin supermarket
- China news: Alibaba founder Jack Ma to give up control of tech business
- Russia, China condemn Australian nuclear submarine deal
- Russia, China condemn Australian nuclear submarine deal
- Waikato schoolchildren pitch into major kiwi relocation project
- Most HK civil service dismissals in past 5 years over Covid vaccine rules
- How Hong Kong's unique cityscape helps boost its cultural identity and image