Dasquian Belargic
Jul 29th, 2009, 09:27:03 AM
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8172739.stm
A team of fire-fighting robots has been unveiled by defence contractor QinetiQ at a demonstration in London.
The display showcased a quartet of robots aimed at tackling the particular risk of fires involving cylinders of the industrial gas acetylene.
The robots range from a nimble, stair-climbing reconnaissance unit to a diesel-powered robot with a large claw.
The two-year project is funded by Network Rail, the Highways Agency and Transport for London.
Organised in conjunction with the London Fire Brigade, the project has been on trial since last year, with the team of robots - and their operators - on call for incidents that happen in London and the Southeast.
So far in 2009, the robots have been involved in 10 incidents.
Talon, Bison, Black Max, Brokk... well, they don't look quite as cool as Transformers yet, but it's a start.
A team of fire-fighting robots has been unveiled by defence contractor QinetiQ at a demonstration in London.
The display showcased a quartet of robots aimed at tackling the particular risk of fires involving cylinders of the industrial gas acetylene.
The robots range from a nimble, stair-climbing reconnaissance unit to a diesel-powered robot with a large claw.
The two-year project is funded by Network Rail, the Highways Agency and Transport for London.
Organised in conjunction with the London Fire Brigade, the project has been on trial since last year, with the team of robots - and their operators - on call for incidents that happen in London and the Southeast.
So far in 2009, the robots have been involved in 10 incidents.
Talon, Bison, Black Max, Brokk... well, they don't look quite as cool as Transformers yet, but it's a start.