Wireless robot may aid rescue teams
Feb
8
Written by:
08/02/2012 11:33
Emergency services and rescue teams could benefit from a robot that uses wireless technology to communicate from underground.
Emergency services and rescue teams could benefit from a robot that uses wireless technology to communicate from underground.
WFS Defense and Allen-Vanguard have teamed up for the Wireless Underground Robots for First Responders project, which seeks to combine Allen Vanguard's remotely operated vehicles with WFS's wireless technology to create a commercially viable robotic platform.
WFS's Terratooth wireless communication system has been upgraded to allow it to be integrated into a robot that can communicate remotely from places such as sewerage networks, collapsed buildings and tunnels.
Martin Lawrance, technical director at Allen-Vanguard, explained that the application could be of great value to rescue teams because of the limitations of traditional radio communication systems.
Mr Lawrance said: "Current generations of unmanned vehicle 'robots' available to first responders for search and investigation tasks in post-disaster and other high-threat situations rely on conventional radio communications for control and situational awareness."
High operating frequencies are required underground and in enclosed spaces such as collapsed buildings, meaning normal radio systems require a copper or optical fibre cable tether to work.
This restricts their effectiveness because operators must avoid damaging the tether as the robot moves around, but this drawback would be eliminated with the new robot.
Copyright Press Association 2012