Recent headlines about autonomous robots have suggested that smart machines have a license to kill. But a new project from engineers at the University of California, San Diego suggests a different reality. The UC engineers have built a pack of tiny autonomous robots that could help save the lives of both fire victims and firefighters.
These lifesaving robots, which look a lot like small Segways, were designed for mobility, agility and reconnaissance. As the first to enter burning buildings, they can serve as scouts for firefighters arriving at the scene of an emergency.
The robots are equipped with infrared and red-green-blue (RGB) cameras, which they use to record temperatures, detect volatile gases and check for structural integrity — all while also searching for victims. Using on-board software systems, the bots turn the information they gather into 3D maps, which can be viewed by firefighters in real time.
Their Segway-like structure, which includes an actuated center leg, even lets them climb stairs and overcome large obstacles. When working collaboratively, the bots can provide firefighters with a highly detailed map of an entire structure. Read more…
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