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 the NEFERTARI programme. It is designed to enter the RFX-mod2 nuclear-fusion research machine through twelve access ports and reach the first-wall sections that require inspection, cleaning or maintenance. Its custom end-effector can grasp, remove and reinstall the graphite tiles that form the machine's inner wall.
Sòphia High Tech was responsible for mechanical design, kinematic and structural analysis, manufacturing, surface treatment, metrology, assembly, testing and integration. HeRobots developed the arm's automation and kinematic control with the University of Naples. Sòphia supplied two ROMAN units to the university's Department of Industrial Engineering in March 2026. The evidence establishes a delivered project platform, with no generally orderable catalogue offer identified.
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
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