Serac Imaging Systems Limited, the developer of platform imaging technology Seracam have deployed a system at the UK’s Sellafield site. It will support Sellafield Ltd’s ongoing programme of radiological characterisation across legacy facilities scheduled for decommissioning.
This marks the first commercial, facility-wide installation of the Seracam system at a major nuclear facility. The underlying technology was originally a compact, portable gamma-optical hybrid camera intended for medical molecular imaging at a patient’s bedside. It overlays a live optical video feed with a gamma radiation heat map.
This lets workers literally “see” the exact shape, size, and location of radioactive hotspots in real time, rather than relying on delayed data or audio clicks. Sellafield is the UK’s most complex nuclear decommissioning site. The device will support radiological characterisation, helping teams safely identify and sort residual nuclear waste in legacy facilities slated for clean-up.
The transition from a clinical prototype to an industrial nuclear tool was supported by the Game Changers innovation programme. This initiative, a partnership involving Sellafield Ltd, FIS360, and researchers at Loughborough University, allowed the technology to be trialled inside active facilities to prove its viability in high-complexity radiation environments.
Following this commercial rollout, Serac Imaging Systems is designing further configurations for harsh nuclear environments. This includes mounting the 5kg camera head onto articulated arms or remote-operated vehicles (ROVs) to keep human operators at a safe distance. Submersible Models are being designed to create waterproof housings for underwater radioactive source localisation in fuel storage ponds. Another configuration will develop machine learning algorithms for automated radiation feature recognition.
Over the coming 12 months, Seracam will move into a structured integration programme at Sellafield. This phase will involve additional testing using further point sources, pilot use across a number of selected facilities, and closer collaboration with operational teams to identify how Seracam could be deployed in practice. The aim is for Seracam to become an established, everyday tool supporting decommissioning work, both at Sellafield and more widely across the Nuclear Decommissioning Authorityds group and internationally.
During a demonstration of the system, Bill Johnson, Technology Demonstration Manager at Sellafield noted: “The technology was very impressive. It was exciting to see the areas of contamination within the gloveboxes with this level of detail. Seracam will enable us to better understand our environments and by doing it in a safer way, the data we collect will better inform decommissioning.”
Mark Rosser, CEO of Serac Imaging Systems, said gamma imaging has long been constrained by the trade-off between image quality, speed of imaging and display, and practical deployment. “Seracam fundamentally changes that. Being selected by Sellafield Ltd is a powerful validation that the technology delivers in real-world, high-complexity radiological environments. We believe Seracam’s real-time, precise imaging with superb spatial resolution represents a genuine step change in gamma imaging capabilities for the decommissioning sector.”
