Product profile
ROMAN
ROMAN is a serial robotic manipulator developed by Sòphia High Tech for remote inspection and maintenance inside the RFX-mod2 nuclear-fusion research machi...
Facts
- Company
- Sòphia High Tech
- Product type
- industrial_robot
- Status
- delivered
- Website
- https://www.sophiahightech.com/en/roman/
About ROMAN
ROMAN is a remotely operated serial manipulator developed by Sòphia High Tech for inspection and maintenance inside the RFX-mod2 nuclear-fusion research machine. It enters through twelve access ports and reaches first-wall sections, where a custom end effector grasps, removes and reinstalls the graphite tiles lining the chamber.
Sòphia High Tech handled mechanical design, kinematic and structural analysis, manufacture, surface treatment, metrology, assembly, testing and system integration. HeRobots and the University of Naples developed automation and kinematic control for the arm. Two ROMAN units were delivered to the university's Department of Industrial Engineering in March 2026, establishing the system as a commissioned project platform for a specific nuclear-research facility.
Market context
NEFERTARI, robot_system, custom first-wall graphite-tile handling tool, products/sophia-high-tech-roman/roman-official-product-2026-03-04.jpg, remote_operation, RFX-mod2, robotics_assets, 2, hazardous-environment remote inspection and maintenance, https://www.sophiahightech.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/ROMAN_Sophia.jpg, Unaltered official Sòphia High Tech product photograph copied to Korthos-managed storage because the source host rejects direct hotlink requests., https://www.sophiahightech.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/ROMAN_Sophia.jpg, University of Naples Federico II, Department of Industrial Engineering, stationary_manipulator, industrial_robot
Summary
Type: Nuclear manipulator
Core: Custom end-effector
Function: Remote maintenance
Audience: Fusion researchers
Specifications
- access_ports
- Twelve equally spaced access ports ports
- control_mode
- Remote operation with automation and kinematic control developed by HeRobots and the University of Naples
- delivered_units
- Two robotic arms supplied units
- end_effector
- Custom tool for releasing, grasping, removing and reinstalling first-wall graphite tiles
- minimum_workspace
- Eight poloidal sections from each first-wall access section poloidal sections
- target_system
- RFX-mod2 toroidal nuclear-fusion research machine
- tile_ring_spacing
- Graphite-tile housing rings distributed at 5-degree intervals degrees
Operations
- Environment
- nuclear fusion research facility, hazardous enclosed machinery
- Primary user
- Fusion research engineers
- Role
- Remote inspection, cleaning and graphite-tile maintenance inside RFX-mod2
- Interaction model
- Remotely operated
- Mobility class
- Stationary serial manipulator
- Product detail
- NEFERTARI, robot_system, custom first-wall graphite-tile handling tool, products/sophia-high-tech-roman/roman-official-product-2026-03-04.jpg, remote_operation, RFX-mod2, robotics_assets, 2, hazardous-environment remote inspection and maintenance, https://www.sophiahightech.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/ROMAN_Sophia.jpg, Unaltered official Sòphia High Tech product photograph copied to Korthos-managed storage because the source host rejects direct hotlink requests., https://www.sophiahightech...
Research, Articles and recent verified events
- Sòphia High Tech reports FY2025 sales of EUR 7.17 million — 2026-07-22
- Genenta completes first-tranche investment for 19.9% of Sòphia High Tech — 2026-06-25
- Sòphia High Tech delivers two ROMAN arms for RFX-mod2 maintenance — 2026-03-04
- MBDA and Sòphia High Tech qualify an additively manufactured INVAR radome ring — 2025-07-31
- MPGE engine completes first firing tests with Sòphia-built hardware — 2025-02-27
- Italian Space Agency awards Sòphia High Tech the WURAM materials project — 2024-11-18
- Avio selects Sòphia High Tech for MPGE engine development and manufacturing — 2023-06-30