INNOVATION: Reptile Robots In The Service of Serious Disasters

A new technology comes to impress and save lives.

Reptile robots will become the "eyes" of the Greek Disaster Response Special Unit (EMAK in Greek) to assist in finding and evacuating survivors from earthquakes and fires.

Reptile robot designed & cinstructed by the University of Patras.

Under the supervision of Professor Anthony Ge, the collaboration of Automation & Robotics Laboratory of University of Patras (Greece) and Electrical & Computer Engineering Department, not only have designed but already under the construction of the reptile robot rescuers. 

At the moment, these innovative robotic snakes have been designed and are being implemented in order to move through narrow passages (e.g. pipes) with a diameter of 5 cm.

University’s  team has already designed a modular autonomous robotic reptile (with ten joints) for maneuvering in such environments. It has either its own independent energy (batteries) or can be attached with wire to the base station for power and data transfer, where data is transmitted via Bluetooth, WiFi or UHF based.

This reptile can move itself using the friction in upward grounds and then "curl up" like a snail and roll to downward surfaces. 

'Spider' robot.

According to the interview given by Professor Anthony Ge to the newspaper «6 days», robots with ‘spider legs’ as well as other similar robotic vehicles, have already been built, and proposed to assist rescue teams in case of tunnel fire.

It is worth noting that for this research great interest has been shown by Universities from abroad.

Translated & Edited by Christiana Vellianiti

Source:  «6 days» newspaper