A non-negligible risk of magnet quenches occurring due to the reduced cleaning performance of the original LHC collimation system with lead ion beams was expected at an energy of 6.8 Z TeV beams. Crystal collimation has therefore been integrated into the HL-LHC upgrade baseline to overcome present limitations. The upgrade scope involves the installation of 4 new crystal primary collimators. Upgraded devices were installed based on the experience and experimental evidence gathered with a previously-installed test stand. In preparation to the new operational challenges, the controls of the new devices were integrated in the high-level LHC collimation control system, which is used to orchestrate the operation of these devices in harmony with all the other components of the machine. A dedicated application was also developed to address three main tasks: to find the main planar channeling of newly installed crystals using Machine Learning models developed at CERN; to optimise the angular orientation to maximise the channeling efficiency; to monitor that the optimal channeling orientation is kept throughout the fill. This paper will present and discuss all of these aspects.

Intelligent robotic systems are becoming essential for inspection, maintenance, and repair tasks, both for the validation of systems before installation as well as during operation. Aiming to increase personnel safety and machine availability, robots can perform repetitive or dangerous tasks that humans either prefer to avoid or are unable to complete due to hazards, size or access constraints. At the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), robots are regularly used for such tasks in highly radioactive beam lines, as well as for decommissioning. This work describes the state of the art industrial and experimental robotics at CERN, as well as the application of artificial intelligence to robotics activities. It includes a review of the main types of interventions undertaken, focusing on the personnel safety impact and the improvement of accelerators availability. Research and development in robotics at CERN is also described, along with the results of commissioning and operation of novel robotic controls.