A detection robot developed under the leadership of TU Graz can “sniff out” hazardous substances and thus support high-risk fire-service operations as a remote-controlled advance guard. A recent study shows how fire services can bring the high-tech helper into the team.
In emergencies, emergency services have to recognise hazardous substances quickly -– often under conditions that endanger their own safety. In the event of a chemical accident in an industrial building, firefighters wearing special protective suits, which are difficult to put on, must enter the immediate danger zone to take measurements for an initial assessment of the situation. This costs valuable time and can be extremely dangerous for the emergency services.
Detect hazardous substances without putting people at risk
Assistance robots with integrated measurement technology could significantly minimise this risk. “A lot of research has already been done in this area. However, ready-to-use, field-ready systems are still rare,” explains robotics researcher Gerald Steinbauer-Wagner from Graz University of Technology (TU Graz). Together with partners from the fire service and disaster control, he has addressed this gap between research and practical use and combined a compact walking robot on four legs with measuring devices that have become established in the fire services. This remote-controlled detection robot has been extensively tested by emergency services as part of large-scale pollutant drills. Steinbauer-Wagner explains: “The detection robot can be sent ahead on the mission. It measures pollutant concentrations and delivers the data together with a camera image in real time from the danger zone. This allows the emergency services to assess the situation without having to enter the danger zone themselves.”
Designed for firefighting operations
Special attention was paid to integration into the fire service operations: “Based on a comprehensive requirements analysis, we developed an appropriate robotic strategy and integrated it into existing standard operational procedures. This should ensure seamless collaboration between man and machine during the operation,” says the robotics researcher. In addition, the development team has dispensed with GNSS or external communication infrastructure and relied on commercially available components for mobility, sensor technology, data processing, communication and visualisation. This robust design, combined with restricting features to the core task of detection, ensures that the technology remains practical and manageable for fire services in tough everyday operations.
A recent FFG-funded potential analysis of the detection robot at TU Graz emphasises that the use of this technology not only increases safety, but also efficiency, as the robot can already provide valuable data while the task forces are putting on protective gear. This minimises the risk to life and limb, while at the same time providing precise situational awareness in real time. “The results of the field tests were extremely promising in terms of mobility, user-friendliness and effectiveness,” says a satisfied Gerald Steinbauer-Wagner.
“If there were a real hazardous materials incident tomorrow, I would send the robot into the danger zone first,” says Gerald Czech of the Austrian Federal Fire Service Association. “For the fire service, every minute counts during a hazardous materials operation. If a robot can provide initial measurement data and images from the danger zone whilst the crew are still kitting up, we gain valuable time for assessing the situation. This increases the safety of the crew and improves operational command.”
Recommendations for operational tactics
Specialists from the Styrian and Upper Austrian fire service associations, TU Graz, the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria and the Disaster Competence Network Austria therefore recommend that detection robots be firmly integrated into the structure of the fire department’s special unit for hazardous materials response. To ensure that fire services benefit as much as possible from this innovation, the study provides clear instructions for the future. It is recommended that the training of firefighters be directly adapted to the new tactical possibilities and that technical specifications for procurement be standardised. The study also identified potential for improvement – for example in the digitalisation of the measuring devices used in fire services and in the protection class of commercially affordable walking robots. However, the practical tests confirmed the high effectiveness of the concept. “Our recommendation is therefore to close the gap between research and practice with these field-ready systems in order to make emergency services safer in the long term,” emphasises Steinbauer-Wagner.
DETECTION ROBOTS | Potential analysis of compact detection robots for emergency services.
Project coordinator: TU Graz Project partners: Disaster Competence Network Austria (DCNA), Styrian Fire Service Association, FH OÖ Forschungs & EntwicklungsGmbH, Upper Austrian Fire Service Association