The 75th anniversary of the Hindenburg disaster was yesterday, which leads me to a shout-out for New Jersey Task Force 1 which is housed at Lakehurst Naval Air Station in old blimp hangers within an easy stroll of the site of the fire (there’s a nice plaque marking the spot). New Jersey Task Force 1 was the first US team to adopt rescue robots, almost immediately after 9/11. They continue to explore new technologies such as new sensors and small UAVs. Keep up the good work!
Archive for the ‘Director’s Blog’ Category
Underground mine rescue communications
Posted by Dr. Robin Murphy on April 17th, 2012 at 1:08 pm GMT+7
Juan Rojas has passed on this interesting article about a robot controlled with a through-the-ground wireless link and tested in an abandoned mine. Through the ground wireless is a Holy Grail of mine rescue so this appears to be a great step in the right direction!
Thoughts about the DARPA Grand Challenge…
Posted by Dr. Robin Murphy on April 10th, 2012 at 9:59 am GMT+7
I’m getting bombarded with emails about the incipient DARPA grand challenge in disaster robots- very exciting- both the idea and the attention rescue robotics is getting!
While I haven’t gone through the BAA in detail (the whole email barrage thing plus I teach on Tuesdays), the media coverage and speculation highlights 3 things that I especially like:
The idea of integration is fantastic and a key enabler in making robots adoptable. Since 1999, we’ve seen this gap between an interesting sensor or mobility platform and the “full meal deal” of working in a scenario.
Another interesting idea is the use of humanoids. Up until Fukushima, rescue robots have been primarily used for sub-human scale space– spaces where people simply couldn’t go because they didn’t fit. Fukushima and indeed chemical disasters such as Bhopal occur in human-scaled spaces, where people can physically fit but may not be able to survive or work long (or well) with protective gear. The rule of thumb is that robots don’t replace people or dogs, they do things that humans can’t do or can’t do for long enough or well enough– hence our name: Center for Robot-Assisted Search and Rescue. Through funding by the National Science Foundation, we’ve been working with TEEX on human-robot interaction for chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear events- and we see huge possibilities for land, sea, and aerial robots.
And it’s win-win: the impact of improved manipulation would benefit robots operating in either scale of space– the skills that allow a a large robot to open doors could be used by a small robot to move rubble out of the way or help triage an unconscious victim.
The focus on the media appears to be on humanoids, which I hope doesn’t detract from other types of mobility or modalities. There are often aerial and water-based aspects of disasters- at Fukushima, Westinghouse used the Honeywell UAV to sample radiation and get close up views of structural damage (I assisted the Westinghouse team). Marine robots could have been used to monitor pollution in the sea.
And keep in mind that from a robotics perspective, there are at least 12 very distinct activities for rescue robots beyond the direct intervention needed to have prevented the explosions as Fukushima. These are search, reconnaissance and mapping, rubble removal, debris estimation, structural inspection, in situ medical assessment and intervention, medically-sensitive extrication and evacuation of casualties, acting as mobile beacon or repeater, adaptive shoring, logistics support, victim recovery, and serving as a surrogate for a team member. This list was compiled based on feedback from responders and what they’ve asked for or speculated on based on our 15 deployments and 30+ exercises we’ve participated in.
A good starting place is Chapter 50 Search and Rescue Robots in Handbook of Robotics and I’m working hard on my forthcoming book on Rescue Robots for MIT Press.
Austin Police Department Technical Unit
Posted by Dr. Robin Murphy on March 24th, 2012 at 7:25 am GMT+7
had a great day with the Austin Police Department Technical Unit working with our UAVs and UGVs at the Disaster City chemical train derailment site! They came out as part of experimentation with the use of robots for CBRN disasters.
In Japan for the anniversary of the tsunami
Posted by Dr. Robin Murphy on March 10th, 2012 at 3:27 am GMT+7
I have returned to Japan representing CRASAR and the Roboticists Without Borders members who assisted with the deployments to Minamisanriku and Rikuzentakata in April and October. Tomorrow I will join Prof. Satoshi Tadokoro, head of the International Rescue System Institute and our partner in the response and recovery work, and Dr. Anne Emig, our kind facilitator from the National Science Foundation, to attend the memorial service in Minamisanriku. Over 400 miles of coastland were destroyed by the tsunami, but Minamisanriku serves as a symbol for the damage– and the city was especially gracious to allow us to learn about rescue robotics through helping them in a small way.
Minamisanriku is a bit like Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket- small fishing towns that swell with vacationers. When we were there 11 months ago, above the surge line the cherry trees were beginning to blossom around the lovely houses. It was truly Spring with the promise of beauty and renewal. Below the waterline was utter destruction. The views were, are, irreconcilable.
But at the same time the image of flowering cherry blossoms above the debris speaks of mourning the loss of life and livelihood while at the same time acknowledging the resilience of the Japanese people as they move forward.
Ageotec Perseo ROV assisting with the Costa Concordia wreck
Posted by Dr. Robin Murphy on January 25th, 2012 at 6:31 pm GMT+7
A patch goes to Antoine Martin who provided these links including video of the Italian made Ageotec Perseo ROV being deployed by the Italian Fire Department (still not clear if it is a municipality or a group like FEMA). Check it out! Video from robotsnob, Ageotec’s site, and a full frontal view of the ROV.
Robots are at Costa Concordia!
Posted by Dr. Robin Murphy on January 25th, 2012 at 7:26 am GMT+7 – Updated: January 25th, 2012 at 6:26 pm GMT+7
Underwater robots are assisting with the Costa Concordia wreck (see link).. A CRASAR Roboticists Without Borders patch to the first person who can confirm the type, model, and deploying agency!
Costa Concordia: Robots can help!
Posted by Dr. Robin Murphy on January 15th, 2012 at 10:18 am GMT+7
The news of the Costa Concordia sinking is tragic and our hearts go out to the families and victims. CRASAR has put out offers to assist with underwater vehicles such as those used for the tsunami response in Japan. Remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) in particular have been used to extensively to help gather forensic data on sinkings and to help divers repair and refloat ships. ROVs in this case could assist with victim recovery from the icy waters, as sadly time is running out for live rescues. The Italian Coast Guard used an ROV to search for the missing balloonists last year, so it is likely that an ROV is in use, though there is no confirmation. A CRASAR patch to the first person who can confirm the use of ROVs!
Leaping Lizards: Bob Full’s work and US&R
Posted by Dr. Robin Murphy on January 12th, 2012 at 10:14 am GMT+7
Several groups are reporting on Prof. Bob Full’s lab work in tails for robots based on the ways lizards use tail to counterbalance but also steer when they jump! I was interviewed for comments. I’m a big fan of Bob’s. This would have been fantastic to have a small robot that could steer itself as it was lowered (or jumped) from ledge to ledge at the Midas Gold Mine disaster back in 2007. And many robots use some sort of shifting weight like a flipper or a manipulator arm or its shape to try to get over obstacles or down stairs without tipping. Check it out!
Frequently Asked Questions about Roboticists Without Borders
Posted by Dr. Robin Murphy on November 21st, 2011 at 9:06 pm GMT+7
There has been significant interest in CRASAR’s Roboticists Without Borders program from potential members and from agencies. I’ve created a FAQ to the most commonly asked questions and added it to the RWB webpage. I’ll reproduce it here to make it easy to see in one place. If you have more questions, please ask!
Q. Doesn’t RWB compete with companies who make robots or undermine their market?
No! The point is that every response and recovery agency should have robots- but they don’t. RWB facilitates humanitarian use of robots, but also helps promotes robots and encourages adoption. Do the Doctors Without Borders compete with local doctors? No, because there aren’t any doctors where they go. Should there have been more doctors there? Absolutely. Same idea with robots.
Q. Who can join?
Anyone from anywhere can join to contribute equipment, expertise, or donations (or any combination!) using the standard membership form.
Agencies or other potential “users” can create a memorandum of understanding, add CRASAR to their vendor list, or otherwise set up a partnership as governed by their rules- there is no standard form because each agency is different.
Q. How much does it cost to join?
Nothing. But you do have to pay your way each year to a training event and make sure your robot has completed the applicable NIST standards.
Q. If my company or university joins, how often can we expect to go to disasters?
It depends. There is no guarantee that your technology or expertise will be called upon or that you will available if it is. There were 8 deployments of robots in 2010 to 7 incidents and many types of robots were used so we expect the trend to accelerate.
Q. Can my agency or institution create agreements with CRASAR in advance?
Yes, please. When CRASAR was at the University of South Florida, there was a memorandum of understanding with Hillsborough County Fire Rescue that allows CRASAR to be requested and reimbursed as part of the state response system.
Q. How is RWB funded?
RWB is funded by donations, by research grants to CRASAR (when applicable), research overhead from grants. A deployment will either draw from those reserves or be reimbursed by the requesting agency. While we clearly prefer to be reimbursed, CRASAR can generally cover travel costs so that agencies that are skeptical of robots have no financial disincentive to issue an invitation.
Because robots are new and disasters are possibly the most challenging application for robots, many of our members have grants that allow them to go to disasters- the way earthquake engineers do. Plus the National Science Foundation has Rapid Response Research grants that we can apply for. CRASAR has been generally successful in getting these grants- one was for using UAVs to assess damage to buildings from Hurricane Katrina and the human-robot interaction model that resulted was used by the UAV team at Fukushima.
Q. What is the relationship between CRASAR and RWB?
CRASAR is the center that is responsible for RWB. CRASAR does more than RWB but RWB is a major activity.
Q. CRASAR has an equipment cache, does that mean those robots are the best or will be used first for a disaster?
CRASAR maintains a cache of robots for research that can also be used for deployments. Because these robots must support research, which not all commercial systems do, AND because every disaster is different, the CRASAR cache does not necessarily represent the best match for every incident. It is hoped that the RWB membership will have the best match.
Q. Who/how decides what RWB equipment or members participate in a disaster?
Technically, the buck stops with the director. But generally as soon as a disaster happens, the land, aerial, and marine leads will begin assessing the needs and making recommendations and contacting members to see what they think and what’s available and it generally converges quickly to a consensus. The CRASAR Advisory Board reviews the recommended deployment plan.
Q. Can my agency request RWB participation in an incident (smaller than a disaster) ?
Yes. Members typically welcome the opportunity to work directly with users and get their feedback.
Q. Can my agency request RWB participation in an exercise?
Yes, please! CRASAR offers 2- and 4-hour hands-on awareness classes and a 10 hour operator class to introduce groups to rescue robotics. We will often provide a class and robots at no expense in return for being able to collect data from the responders as they use the robots in their exercise. We’ve trained over 400 responders and emergency managers to date.
