Avengers Assemble: Meet Cork's robot-makers who are helping make the world a safer place
When engineer Roy O’Farrell sends his babies out into the world he has no idea of the terrifying missions awaiting them which can involve anything from school shooters to catastrophic explosions.
When engineer Roy O’Farrell sends his babies out into the world he has no idea of the terrifying missions awaiting them which can involve anything from school shooters to catastrophic explosions.
It’s all in a day’s work for the ICP New Tech team in Kilbrittain, Co Cork, whose innovative robots are shipped all over the world to assist with humanitarian efforts and ultimately save lives.
The building is a hive of robotic activity when visited by the Irish Examiner as engineers from the company’s 30-strong team work on their latest projects.
We are introduced to the models like members of a close family. Their creators take a tangible pride in their work. It’s not surprising, given the countless hours of love and dedication poured into each product.
These unmanned ground vehicles brave unknown territory every day, dismantling bombs at a rate that would make even a mechanical head spin.
Life begins for the robots on a pristine production floor which sees man-made creatures of all shapes and sizes find their way into the world.
Founded in October 2013, ICP New Tech is known for producing remotely-operated vehicles, ROVs, used in bomb disposal, hazardous material management, and mine clearance. It now exports to 26 countries across the globe.
It all started after former chief executive Eamon Jackson and current CEO Kieran Nolan restored a business that shut down in Kilbrittain in 2013. This was when the robotics division of US-owned Allen-Vanguard relocated to the UK and closed its Cork plant due to rationalisation.
ICP New Tech was thus born and is now expanding — thanks to an increase in global demand.
The company’s customised UGV (unmanned ground vehicle) systems feature in some of the world’s most demanding missions and operational environments. Some 600 of these are currently in active service following distribution to various parts of the world.
ICP New Tech principal engineer Roy O’Farrell jokes that their robots could turn up anywhere.
“I saw one of them on ,” he laughs, referring to the Channel 4 sitcom starring Irish actor Chris O’Dowd. “Another was on .”
Roy emphasises that the company’s ethos is to preserve human life above all else.
“The main aim and goal of our founders was to provide products that save lives as opposed to taking them," he says. "Not getting involved in politics is part of our ethos.
“These [robots] are sent to the frontline to deal with chemical or nuclear explosives so that humans on the ground don’t have to.
“It allows the service people to be given the tools by their government that save their citizens rather than any combative or destructive type stuff.
Roy’s work has allowed him the opportunity to visit various parts of the world to watch his robots in action.
“I’ve just come back from Japan where a trainer is training the entire unit of the Japanese ministry of defence. We were integrating their x-ray system so that when they go to sites they can actually do radiography and check that things are safe. It means that if there is some threat there they can deal with it rather than sending in an entire force.
“In previous times they would have had to send one or two people in bomb suits. Some would have had to get into hazmat gear and spend hours in decontamination to avoid spreading any of what they brought back.
“It’s alien at first but once you meet with the customer you can listen and try to improve things and make sure that they never have to send a person to these places until they are safe.
"With the high-definition cameras on the system they can take forensic information too, much of which is used in court cases. In some countries the fire brigade use our products, including Ireland.”
Given the nature of their work, the engineer says he is accustomed to some unusual customer queries.
He recalls one such query coming from Afghanistan a number of years ago.
“They were trying to clear the roads of landmines, much like what you see in . However, the antennas on the robots kept breaking and we didn’t know why.
“It turned out that snipers were shooting at them as they were trying to do their work.
"This meant the robots had to be picked up and thrown into the back of the truck. They all ended up upside down which was breaking the antennas.”
ICP New Tech director of operations Mick Burke then gives us a demo of their newest product, the Avenger Tactical (A-TAC) robot.
The device was created by ICP New Tech to overcome perilous obstacles, explore hostile locations, and gather intelligence.
“It’s possible to send this in as a surveillance camera,” he explains.
“You can take off the arm and put on a 3D mapping camera. It can be brought around a corner into a hostile area.
“It’s used a lot in negotiations. A phone will be attached so it can be brought down to a suspect in a hostage situation. You have the camera but you also have two-way audio. If you send a person down, there is a strong danger than they will be shot. Wherever is unsafe for a human can be accessed by the A-TAC.”
When it comes to the conflict in Ukraine, Mr Burke says they will likely be involved in the cleanup for decades to come.
“Large areas of Ukraine have now been contaminated with mines and suspect devices. It will take years for the robots to try and clear these areas. We can’t send people in because they just get killed. It’s endless work.
It’s the same with World War II. Equipment is still being found and the clean-up continues.
"Our focus is on the aftermath and the cleanup.”
Quality manager Barry Mulcahy describes the humanitarian nature of their work.
“We are able to provide something that saves lives every day through firefighting, mine-clearing, and the removal of hazardous waste," he says.
"There is a satisfaction that comes from knowing that you are not only contributing to society, but also making it a safer place.”
