Firefighting robot - the update

My Father-in-Law came back from the war and joined the Fire Department. Mind you, Andy was in the RCN and definitely not a robot. Even he, however, would enjoy this story.

Robot watchers know QinetiQ's Foster-Miller as the makers of the Talon robot deployed with EOD teams in Iraq. Popular Mechanics, The Register and others are covering F-M's firefighting robot capability which has had a demo in London. The capability has three parts.

1. A fireproofed Talon robot with a thermal imaging camera searches the area looking for, in this case, acetylene tanks,
   
2. Debris and general damage can be moved about by the Brokk 90, and
3. The Black Max unit has the "hose" function.

While this may not be a new idea for robot use, The Engineer covered QinetiQ's activities in 2002, it may be one that is practically just around the corner.

Sources: See links