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Inside a Fukushima Reactor: How VR Offers a Scary-Real Nuclear Experience

posted by martyb on Saturday March 09 2019, @02:58AM   Printer-friendly
from the glowing-recommendations dept.

Phoenix666 writes:

CNet:

I'm inside one of the reactors at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, site of the worst nuclear disaster in history. It's pitch black, with only a flashlight to light my way. I glide over a metal catwalk, heading deeper into the reactor. But then, when I turn to walk down the stairs, I hit an obstruction.

At that moment, a loud buzzer, like something out of an old game show, blasts into my ears, breaking the whole illusion.

OK, so I'm not actually in the Unit 1 reactor at Fukushima –- the radiation level at its core is high enough that even minutes inside would be a death sentence. I'm in a virtual reality setup at the Naraha Center for Remote Control Technology, about a half-hour drive south of the Daiichi facility.

VR could be a solution for work in environments like Fukushima where humans dare not go.

Original Submission

 
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  • (Score: 1) by Ethanol-fueled on Saturday March 09 2019, @03:28AM (6 children)

    by Ethanol-fueled (2792) on Saturday March 09 2019, @03:28AM (#811916) Homepage

    " I'm inside one of the reactors at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, site of the worst nuclear disaster in history. It's pitch black, with only a flashlight to light my way. I glide over a metal catwalk, heading deeper into the reactor. But then, when I turn to walk down the stairs, I hit an obstruction.

    At that moment, a loud buzzer, like something out of an old game show, blasts into my ears, breaking the whole illusion. "

    Reads like the inside of a NES game instruction booklet.

  • (Score: 2) by RandomFactor on Saturday March 09 2019, @03:37AM (4 children)

    by RandomFactor (3682) Subscriber Badge on Saturday March 09 2019, @03:37AM (#811921) Journal

    A hollow voice says 'Plugh'

    --
    В «Правде» нет известий, в «Известиях» нет правды

    • (Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday March 09 2019, @05:08AM (1 child)

      by Anonymous Coward on Saturday March 09 2019, @05:08AM (#811946)

      The flashlight slowly flickers out...

      It's pitch black. You are likely to be eaten by a grue.

      • (Score: 4, Funny) by krishnoid on Saturday March 09 2019, @08:27AM

        by krishnoid (1156) on Saturday March 09 2019, @08:27AM (#811971)

        As you wander around in the dark, you see a dimly glowing grue and are able to avoid it!

    • (Score: 4, Funny) by driverless on Saturday March 09 2019, @06:44AM (1 child)

      by driverless (4770) on Saturday March 09 2019, @06:44AM (#811955)

      You see a maze of twisty little melted fuel rods, all alike.

      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday March 09 2019, @08:13AM

        by Anonymous Coward on Saturday March 09 2019, @08:13AM (#811966)

        You pick one up to light your way. It feels energizing to your hand, almost in a good way. So you walk on....

  • (Score: 2) by Hyperturtle on Saturday March 09 2019, @11:05AM

    by Hyperturtle (2824) on Saturday March 09 2019, @11:05AM (#811991)

    An intrepid explorer would have been concerned about being eaten by a Grue, as he stumbled about the ruins of a dilapitated Zorkian power plant--although I think they primarily used hydroelectric dams in the Flathead empire...

    (I am not so sure about a NES manual, but aside from the Grue, I was reminded of Haunted House on the Atari 2600.)