Fire Fighting Robot

The use of robotic systems in firefighting is being increasingly studied due to firefighters routinely being exposed to dangerous conditions to save lives. A robotic system is a mechanical device that performs a task using sensors to perceive its environment, computer programs to control the robot based on its environment, and a human operator to assist with robot operation. In 2011, 70,090 firefighters in the U.S. alone were injured in the line of duty with 61 deaths.1, 2(By Brian Y. Lattimer, Ph.D.)

?There are a variety of robotic systems being developed to support firefighters due to the wide range of fire events including fires involving structures, vehicles, aircrafts, ships, and wildlands. In addition to the wide range of fire scenarios, the functionality included in the robotic system may need to vary to support firefighters in tasks such as sizing up the fire, identifying trapped people, locating the fire, monitoring conditions, controlling fire spread, and suppression. This article provides an overview of robotic systems that have been developed for firefighting as well as some design aspects of these robots.(By Brian Y. Lattimer, Ph.D.)

There are two general types of robotic systems that have been developed for firefighting: fixed systems and mobile systems. Fixed systems, such as automated fire monitors, are being used in applications where there is a significant fire hazard and the fire needs to be extinguished rapidly. Some example applications include aircraft landing areas, warehouse storage,3, 4 and tunnels.5 These systems have UV and/or IR sensors to assist with fire localization to target the suppression agents onto the fire. Mobile systems have more advanced features to assist the operator in navigation and perform a wider range of tasks.

Outdoor ground-based mobile robotic systems are predominately vehicles with onboard suppression systems that are remote controlled by an operator. Examples of ground-based mobile robotic systems that have been developed for outdoor firefighting are seen below. These robots travel 2.4 – 20 km/h (1.5 – 12.4 mi/h) using wheels or tracks, weigh 450 – 9300 kg (990 – 20,450 lbs), and have suppression capabilities onboard the robot. The robots are powered by batteries or a diesel engine. Suppression systems mounted onto the robots include water-based fire monitors, foam nozzles, nozzles on articulating arms for more range of motion, and a water fog system. In addition to the remote control operation, these systems use a wireless connection to transmit information from sensors onboard the robot to the operator for assisting in navigation and fire suppression. Sensors on the robots include visual cameras, IR cameras, gas concentration sensors, and rangefinders to assist in avoiding obstacles.(By Brian Y. Lattimer, Ph.D.)