The future development prospects of “Radiating technologies”, uniting beam, laser, plasma and magnetic technologies (technologies based on ionizing radiation and electromagnetic fields) were discussed by leading experts of the nuclear cluster on Thursday in Moscow. The meeting was held by the technological platform “Radiating technologies” (a government commission appointed by decision “High technologies and innovations” from April, 1st, 2011), whose coordinator is the Nuclear Technologies Cluster of the Skolkovo Innovation Centre. The meeting resulted in the decision to form six working groups on the market of applications of nuclear technologies - preliminarily chosen as "medicine", "safety", "food and water", "power", "the heavy industry" and "science". During the meeting, the Executive Director of the Skolkovo Innovation Centre’s Nuclear Technologies Cluster, Denis Kovalevich, and the ex-assistant of IAEA head officer, the future chairman the Platform’s Scientific Technological Advice, professor Verner Burkarta were present, along with representatives of some research institutes and laboratories: state corporations "RosAtom", the Russian academy of sciences, Institute of Science "Kurchatovsky institute", Rostechnadzor and commercial companies.
During round tables, experts discussed a number of vital topics. In particular, they considered the question of strengthening Russia’s market position in acceleration techniques. One of the expert’s key conclusions was the necessity of creating "systems on a turn-key basis", where products sold would be supplemented with additional services: the software, techniques of irradiating the products, equipment (for example, monitors for visualization, industrial conveyors, etc.), and operative maintenance services both during the warranty period and after.
Speaking about the normative base, meeting participants noted the low rates of the adoption of new norms and standards in the field of nuclear technologies and the necessity of maintaining contact and coordinating the various parts of the sector (developers, regulators and the market).
One more important theme of discussion became the prospect of the development of laser, plasma and magnetic technologies, both short-term and long-term prospects. In the opinion of experts, in the next 3 to 5 years, industrial laser- and plasma-technologies will be most demanded in the field of processing materials and property changes. As a result, it was decided that working groups would include Russian and international representatives of the profile companies; developers and researchers, consumers, regulators and experts in the field of hi-tech business and investments. Groups will be created in January-February, 2012.
In addition, according to Denis Kovalevich, in first half of 2012 the survey report on the prospects of the development of nuclear technologies will be published, with the purpose of increasing investors’ interest, both venture capital and companies.