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10robotsrobotsrobotsGoing where mancan’t goThankfully New Zealand doesn’t have anynuclear power plants or many big petrochemicalor chemical facilities that can createchaos if they catch fire. Other countrieshave had to invesitgate and invest in robotictechnology as part of their firefightingarsenal. The Chinese and Japanese areserious about robotics and there have been avariety of robtos developed in Europe.Croatian company, DOK-ING, reconfiguredits robot landmine flail into a no-nonseneheavyweight firefighter. The MVF-5multifunctional system is for use in lifethreateningconditions and inaccessibleareas. The system is operated from a safedistance of up to 1500m.Firefighting is provided by a Zieglerextendable boom cannon capable of 2000litres per minute and a 55m throw. It carries2200 litres of water and 500 litres of foamthat can be used at between two and sixpercent.The standard operating tool mounted infront of the system is a rotational grippercombined with dozer blade that can liftup to two tonnes and remove dangerousobjects. The gripper can also penetratebuildings, cut wires, and be used as thejaws of life. The dozer blade can push upto 10 tonnes.But far more than being a remote‘branchman’, the MVF5 can recognisethe presence of humans by means of ahigh-resolution thermal vision cameramounted on the water gun. Operators arealerted when humans are detected. Fiveadditional waterproof cameras mounted onthe gripper, two bullet cameras on each side,and rotating cameras at the vehicle’s frontand rear have also been integrated to providefull view over the vehicle and surroundingenvironment. It has achieved visibilityenhancement over a 2km range.It also has an inertial navigation systemintegrating GPS and IMU sensors, algorithms,and software that can achieve dynamicpositioning of plus or minus two metres.Compact robotsAt the other end of the scale, are compactrobots that one robotics writer imaginedcould be stationed on street corners in cities.One example is a Dalek look-alike (picturedbelow being tested by bomberos). It hasits own lighting system, can operate at fullcapacity for at least six hours, has watercannons capable of 7600 litre per minute,onboard foam tanks, trapezoidal tracks that
allow it to cross obstacles, video cameras andinfra-red cameras.The Black Ops tv’s Howe twins came up withthis rugged little powerhouse called Thermite.It carries a dualfire suppressionsystem and arobotic armthat can pullincapacitatedvictims to safety.An array of colorand thermalcameras providesfull surveillancefor the remoteoperator.Thermite can even open doors, turn valvesand press elevator buttons!RescuebotsThe value of developing remote investigationtools like the Quince remote rescue robot wasproved when the Fukushima nuclear plantcould be explored by it despite 1.5km fromits controller. The main body incorporatestwo wide crawler belts, and four free-movingpairs of wheels that extend like arms fromthe corners, allowing the robot to adeptlymaneuvere its way around all kinds of terrain,from stairs to rubble. Resistant to dust andwater, Quince is also able to rinse off anydangerous polluting chemicals it encounters.The Tokyo Fire Department is alsospearheading efforts to develop life-savingrobots. One example is a remote-controlledrescue robot nicknamed Robocue (below),that runs on caterpillar treads and can pulla person into its body using its manipulatorarms and conveyor belt. In service since2009, Robocue is equipped with a cameraand various other sensors, and is capable ofmeasuring the level of carbon dioxide andcombustible gases in the air. Its hydraulicarms can be controlled to clear obstructionsin it’s path., and can also be fitted with wateror foam dispensers to aid in battling fires.The Tokyo brigade currently has 12 differenttypes of firefighting and rescue robots. It saysfuture firefighting robotics might have simpleartificial intelligence to search for life and beUK robots vary from small, agile machines toa converted demolition machine (above) foraggressive access.able to move on terrain without operator’sassistance.QinetiQ and thre London Fire Brigadeinstituted Project Ghost to develop roboticassistance and over the three-year project,robots attended 40 ‘shouts.’ The result is arange of robots that can enter all manner ofdangerous environments and/or do HASNOevaluations.An example of a successful shout wasopening the door of an ISO containerholding two tonne of overheatedfireworks. The robots spent thenext three hours withstandingimpacts from exploding fireworkswhile continuing to cool down thecontainer.11April 2012At over £100,000 each, the robotsare now kept at QinetiQ whichmaintains and operates them andcontracts to 23 brigades in additionto government agencies.robotsrobotsrobots
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