Yeah, you read that title correctly: we now have firefighting humanoid robots.
This summer, the United States Navy will send a team of firefighting robots to extinguish a retired Navy ship that they plan on setting ablaze. Sounding like something straight out of Terminator or I, Robot, the Navy’s newest members are built with the capability to do an array of humanlike actions, including the ability to hold and use firehoses.
In a very badass description released on the Naval Research Laboratory’s website back in 2012, the robots were described as such:
“The robot is designed with enhanced multi-modal sensor technology for advanced navigation and a sensor suite that includes a camera, gas sensor, and stereo IR camera to enable it to see through smoke. Its upper body will be capable of manipulating fire suppressors and throwing propelled extinguishing agent technology (PEAT) grenades. It is battery powered that holds enough energy for 30 minutes of firefighting. Like a sure-footed sailor, the robot will also be capable of walking in all directions, balancing in sea conditions, and traversing obstacles.”
Now before you immediately scream “Skynet!”, note that the robots are not completely autonomous. For the most part, the bots are only able to recognize and distinguish fire from other objects in their field of view. During the test, which will commence on the U.S.S. Shadwell in August, all of the robots’ actions will be controlled via voice and gestural commands from nearby sailors.
However, with goals of eliminating the need for sailors to fight fires, which is extremely dangerous, the bots have been built with autonomy in mind. Depending on the results of the field test, future models could very well be endowed with more advanced abilities and tasks. For now, largest challenge will be overcoming the bots’ misinterpretation of commands, because the longer it takes for a robot to act, the longer a fire will burn without being put out.
However, if the field test goes really well, in a few years we could even see bots on the battlefield.
And no, the robots will not be fighting; as of now, the Department of Defense does not approve of autonomous robots with weapons (you can now exhale). Instead, they will aid soldiers medically or by scouting out environments that prove too hazardous to send humans to do the job.
