Researchers make mini robots to help firefighters

Despite the advancements in technology and introduction of safer equipments the job of a firefighter is still among the most difficult and hazardous jobs in the world. One of the biggest challenges firefighers face while putting out the fire and looking for people stuck in it is due to the lack of available data about the intensity of the fire in a building and not knowing about the map of the place.

To solve this problem engineers from the University of California, San Diego have developed new robots that move like a Segway. These robots feature infrared cameras along with powerful image processing techniques that allow them to perform fast exploration  of the place at fire by moving from one place to another and mapping out the  place so that firefighters and first responders could analyze the place and the location of fire before making a rescue plan. The software on these robots record the thermal data in its surroundings and using the data it acquires using the stereo RGB cameras it creates a 3D map for firefighters.

These robots are capable of acquiring data about the intensity of the fire, temperature, presence of volatile gases as well as structural integrity along with looking for the survivors.

The goal of the research by these engineers is to create robotic scouts that could aid firefighers in fire situations at residential and commercial buildings. Great thing abut these robots is that they work autonomously so they don’t require a dedicate operator doing all the work. Also multiple robots can be used at any particular incident in order to get the accurate data of the situation through collaboration.

The robots are going to be small in size and inexpensive according to the researchers who have already built their first working prototype that is capable of climbing stairs on its own.