Fire-fighting robot planned

A robot designed to fight shipboard fires will be tested aboard the ex-USS Shadwell in Mobile, Ala., in late September 2013. Scientists at the Naval Research Laboratory formed a team to develop a humanoid robot that could fight fires on the next generation of combat ships. The robot, the Shipboard Autonomous Firefighting Robot or SAFFiR, is designed to interact with people and perform tasks normally performed by humans. It will be equipped with a variety of sensors to let it see through smoke, and will also have fire suppressors and extinguishing agents on its upper torso. It will be able to walk in all directions, balance in sea conditions and traverse obstacles. It will also be capable of making its own decisions and respond to gestures as part of the fire-fighting team. The former Shadwell is a unique fire test ship, where full-scale fire and damage control tests are conducted in a realistic ship environment. (Source: Business Wire, 03/07/12)