Rescue service robots are an important development in human history. In the light of thousands of natural disasters and industrial accidents, these robots can provide life-saving aid and reduce the number of casualties.
Just like a rescue robot’s mission is to rescue people from dangerous places, this article will reveal its features and functions so that you can understand the best types of rescue robots available on today’s market.
The market for search and rescue robots is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 18.2% from 2020 to 2027. When it comes to automated mechanical devices, there are different kinds of sensors that can be incorporated into them as well as body designs.
This includes wheels, legs and tracks, allowing them to move in water, on land and in the air. The robots are programmed to make these sophisticated movements.
What Are Rescue Robots
A rescue robot is a powered device that is used to help human beings in dangerous situations. This can be in the form of natural disasters, war zones and industrial accidents. The main functions of a rescue robots include recovering trapped people, transferring them to an ambulance, or performing medical and other life-saving operations.
The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) estimates that from 2018 to 2019, global military spending increased by 3.6%, reaching around SD 1.91 trillion. These devices were first brought into use during the Vietnam War.
Another use for these robots is when they are used to carry out exploratory missions in areas with restricted access. These robot vehicles are also able to work autonomously on their own with enough guidance from humans on the ground .
Types Of Rescue Robots
Search and rescue teams are often the first responders to a disaster, and their success in locating and rescuing survivors can mean the difference between life and death.
Marine rescue robots are becoming an increasingly common tool in the search and rescue arsenal, as they are able to cover a larger area more quickly than typical rescue robots. While human lives are always the priority, marine rescue robots are proving to be a valuable asset in disaster response.
The US, China, and India all raised their military expenditures during the same time period, by 5.3%, 5.1%, and 6.8%, respectively.
1. Military Rescue Robots
Military rescue robots are used in the battlefield for explosive ordnance disposal and for performing search missions for endangering soldiers. They have been designed with robotic arms, grippers and sensors.
Military rescue robots have been designed to work in full sunlight as well as pitch dark conditions. They can also operate on uneven terrains. The control of military rescue robots is done from a distance with the help of cameras and sensors used by people on the ground.
2. Search And Rescue Robots
Search and rescue robots are used to search for missing people or animals as well as surveying dangerous or hard-to-access areas such as collapsed buildings, war zones, volcanoes, etc.
These robots employ vision systems, range sensors and tactile sensors. They also come with wheels, tracks, legs and swim-like mechanisms for moving across different terrains.
3. Medical Rescue Robots
The main purpose of medical rescue robots is to provide first aid in the case of accidents or natural disasters like earthquakes, floods etc. These robots can perform a number of tasks such as injecting medicine into the body and performing life-saving surgery through the use of robotic arms and other tools such as scalpels, syringes etc.
The main function of these robots is to keep people alive until they are handed over to humans for further treatment in an emergency room setup .
4. Firefighting Robots
In addition, India surpassed Saudi Arabia and Russia in 2019 to take the third-place spot among global defence spenders. Firefighting robots make use of flamethrowers and other tools to put out fires in buildings or on ships.
They can also be used to attack robots and weapons during firefights. These robots are designed with thermal imaging systems, smoke visualization systems, remote controls with cameras and sensors which allow them to move freely in the smoke and fire-filled areas.
5. Logging Rescue Robots
Logging rescue robots are used for search missions where tools such as ladders, winches etc. have been lost or damaged along the way.
These robots can also be used for building inspection and other tasks such as locating buried reinforcing bars in tunnels which are great for use by construction workers .
6. Rescue Robots In Space
When people talk about rescue robots, they tend to envision a humanoid robot that is able to perform the same tasks as humans.
However, the space industry has now brought the idea of robotic arms in spaceships. The arms are used to assemble and create modules in space while astronauts make use of it for keeping the ship functional .
7. Rescue Robots For Mines
Rescue robots are used in dangerous situations inside mines where human rescue workers cannot even go near for safety reasons.
These robots are usually equipped with a camera and a small explosive device that aids them in finding trapped workers, gas leaks etc. They can also be equipped with ladders so that they can climb down and reach trapped workers .
Benefits Of Rescue Robots
Despite a minor decrease in defence spending from 2010 to 2019, the US saw an increase in military spending in that year. As disaster robotics continues to develop, there is an increasing potential for robot assisted search and rescue missions.
In disaster scenarios where human first responders are unable to access areas, robots could be used to provide assistance. This would allow for a more efficient use of resources and could potentially save lives.
1. Rescue Robots Are Easy To Use
Rescue robots are designed to perform a number of tasks that humans cannot do. They can easily access difficult-to-reach places, use tools and can also carry out medical operations. They make use of a variety of tools that humans cannot operate easily such as cutting tools, injectors, hydro fans and other mechanisms for performing surgery .
2. Rescue Robots Make Maintenance Easier
Rescue robots make maintenance easier because they can perform most of the tasks used by humans such as assembling or working on machines or systems. They also make maintenance easier as they can easily access difficult to reach areas where workers cannot go .
3. Rescue Robots Are Faster Than Humans
Rescue robots are faster than humans when it comes to making repairs. They can quickly action a situation, analyze the problem and then solve it more quickly than a human being. This helps in saving lives .
4. Rescue Robots Are More Precise Than Humans
The first 24 hours after the 2011 Thoku tsunami in Japan were the most crucial, according to assessments (Editorial Office of the Ishinomaki Kahoku 2014).
Rescue robots have been programmed to be more precise so that they can perform tasks such as bomb defusing or working on a machine without causing damage to any human being or the machine itself.
It is for this reason that rescue robots are safer than humans when it comes to explosive situations and firefighting operations.
5. Rescue Robots Are More Cost-Effective Than Humans
Rescue robots are cost-effective as they can perform a number of tasks that humans cannot. They also make maintenance easier, thus saving companies time and money.
6. Rescue Robots Help Fight Fires
Firefighting robots make use of thermal imaging cameras, smoke visualization sensors as well as other tools for detecting fires and putting them out more safely than human firefighters .
7. Rescue Robots Perform Tasks Faster than Humans
Rescue robots perform tasks faster and more accurately than humans because they have been programmed to do so. They can be remotely operated by humans or can work autonomously depending on the complexity of the situation .
8. Rescue Robots Are Safer
Rescue robots are safer than humans because they are not affected by a number of problems such as slips and falls, exhaustion, motion sickness or over-exertion. They do not get tired or dizzy unlike some human workers.
9. Rescue Robots Can Work 24/7
Rescue robots can work for 24 hours in a day without any breaks or food, thus making them more useful than humans when it comes to rescue and other operations that require round the clock work .
Risks Of Rescue Robots
At disaster sites, autonomous robots known as snake robots could be used to rescue personnel and provide medical treatment. These robots are designed to navigate difficult terrain and could be used in a variety of settings, including collapsed buildings and caves.
1. New Concerns About Ethics
The use of robots raises a number of questions concerning ethics. It is not clear if there are certain rules that need to be followed or certain rights that robots should be given in order to make them safe for humans.
In addition, humans may find themselves working side by side with these robots which raises questions about their safety and how they should behave around the robots .
2. Different Types Of Rescue Robots Can Cause Confusion
The different types of rescue robots can cause a lot of confusion and chaos because it is not clear how the different types should be handled and what their exact role is on an emergency scene .
3. Robots May Fail
When dealing with a disaster, it is not clear if robots will work the way they have been programmed to work. Rescue robots have been made of different materials and are programmed differently from one another .
4. Human Error Can Cause Problems
Human error is a big risk for rescue robots because humans can make mistakes and cause problems for their own safety and even the safety of these robots. For this reason, humans need to be very careful regarding how rescue robots are used on emergency scenes .
5. Robots May Be Unpredictable
Rescue bots are designed so that they can perform certain tasks but they may not be able to perform certain actions depending on their programming .
6. Robots Are Only As Good As Their Programming
Rescue robots are only as good as their programming. They may be programmed to help people in a certain situation but they may not be able to help if the situation is different .
7. Rescue Robots Can Be Used For Profit-Making Purposes
People tend to worry that the use of emergency robots in emergencies can be used for profit making purposes such as offering them for sale to insurance companies. This raises many concerns such as whether these robots are going to get damaged in any way and whether, if damaged, they will be repaired or replaced .
8. Robots May Not Be Able To Complete Tasks
Rescue robots may not be able to complete the various tasks that they are designed for because some of the situations faced by emergency robots will be different from the situations faced in a program. Some emergency robots may not have been programmed for certain kinds of emergencies .
Final Note
Rescue robots are going to play an important role in our lives by helping out in dangerous situations. They will make it easier to fight fires and deal with accidents and other such disasters.
The future of rescue robots is open as they have been designed for many different purposes and have been tested extensively to see how well they perform in different situations.
Last Updated on October 6, 2023 by Parina Parmar
