When disaster strikes, drones and robots can be sent into danger zones to scout for survivors. The RoBoa from a student team at ETH Zurich is designed to snake its way through debris that would stop other solutions in their tracks.
The "vine-like search and rescue robot" was developed as a student project at the Autonomous Systems Lab of ETH Zurich. Designed to assist rescue teams at sites of natural disasters or war-ravaged regions, it slithers forward like a snake and looks for survivors trapped in rubble using its sensor-packed head.
Behind the head is an inflatable fabric tube connected to a supply box that not only fills RoBoa's body with pressurized air, but also contains more rolled-up tubing along with computing power and supporting electronics. The robot's travel is controlled remotely, with a camera providing a live feed to an interface.
The length of pneumatic tubing of an earlier prototype was limited to 10 m (33 ft), and successfully located a trapped person when tested in a collapsed building. The team has continued refining and testing with the help of the Swiss Rescue Troops, and the current prototype is reported capable of extending to 100 m (328 ft). Its diameter can also be pneumatically adjusted to suit mission needs as well, and this iteration is controlled using a handheld wireless remote.
The designers say that it can be equipped with a speaker/microphone combo so that the operator can communicate with a survivor. And there's even talk of it being able to thread a supply line through the debris to take water, food and medicine where it's needed.
Beyond search and rescue, the RoBoa's head can be configured for inspection duties, environmental monitoring or mapping. The intrepid snakebot isn't impeded by dirty or slippery surfaces, and is claimed to have more reach than push cameras or similar technologies. It's also safe for use in situations where there's a danger of a spark setting off explosions.
The student project has spun out to further develop the solution for market release, and thanks to an ETH Pioneer Fellowship award, commercial launch is within sight. The startup's co-founders are due to present the project at the Zurich Convention Center on November 21 as part of ETH Zurich's Industry Day 2024.
Sources: ETH Zurich, RoBoa
