Disaster management with the help of robots

Modern robotics can help where it is too dangerous for humans to venture. Search and rescue robots (S&R robots) have meanwhile become so sophisticated that they have already carried out their first missions in disasters. And for this reason rescue robots will be given a special place at the RoboCup 2009 – the robotics world championships in Graz.

The rescue robotics programme provided exciting rescue demonstrations in which two complex disaster scenarios formed the setting for the robots’ performances. An accident involving a passenger car loaded with hazardous materials and a fire on the rooftop of Graz Stadthalle were the two challenges that flight and rescue robots faced on their remote controlled missions. Smoke and flames made the sets as realistic as possible, ensuring a high level of thrills.

A remote controlled flight robot can help by reconnoitering the situation and sending information by video signals to the rescue services on the ground. As the robotics world championships, the RoboCup recognised the possible uses of rescue robots a long time ago and promoted their development in the separate category “RoboCup Rescue”. RoboCup 2009, organised by TU Graz, dedicates one particular focus to the lifesaving robots with a rescue robot demonstration, a practical course for first responders and a workshop for the exchange of experiences between rescue services and robotics researchers.