SAFFiR undergoes testing aboard the Naval Research
Laboratory's ex-USS Shadwell in Mobile, Ala. (U.S. Navy photo by John F.
Williams/Released)
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A firefighting prototype robot was unveiled at the Naval
Future Force Science & Technology EXPO in Washington D.C. on Wednesday.
Scientists also revealed details of the technology’s
successful trials aboard the USS Shadwell, a decommissioned Navy vessel, last
fall. Sponsored by the Office of Naval Research (ONR), the Shipboard Autonomous
Firefighting Robot (SAFFiR) walked across uneven floors, used thermal imaging
technology to identify overheated equipment, and used a hose to extinguish a
small fire in a series of experiments.
SAFFiR is part of the Naval Prototype program Damage Control
Technologies for the 21st Century or DC-21 – a program that aims to improve
shipboard situation awareness and damage control capabilities with new tech.
The two-legged humanoid robot was developed by researchers
at Virginia Tech and is helping ONR evaluate the potential uses of unmanned
systems on naval vessels. In addition to damage control, scientists are also
exploring the possibility of robot-conducted inspections.
Standing 5 feet 10-inches tall and weighing 143 pounds,
SAFFiR uses sensors, including infrared stereovision and a rotating laser for
light detection and ranging (LIDAR), to see through dense smoke.
"We set out to build and demonstrate a humanoid capable
of mobility aboard a ship, manipulating doors and fire hoses, and equipped with
sensors to see and navigate through smoke," said Thomas McKenna, ONR
program manager for human-robot interaction and cognitive neuroscience, in a
statement. "The long-term goal is to keep Sailors from the danger of
direct exposure to fire."
The Navy says that SAFFiR is programmed to take measured
steps and handle hoses on its own, but, at this stage, takes instructions from
a computer console.
McKenna plans to sponsor a more advanced version of the
robot as part of a longer-term program, which could include enhanced
intelligence, communications capabilities, speed, computing power, and battery
life.
The U.S. Navy is no stranger to sophisticated robotics. Last
year, for example, GhostSwimmer, a
small, unmanned, robotic vehicle, underwent testing at the Joint Expeditionary
Base Little Creek, Fort Story in Virginia Beach, Va.
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