When disaster strikes, drones and robots can be sent into the danger zone to scout for survivors. The ETH Zurich student team’s RoBoa is designed to cut through the debris that gets in the way of other solutions.
The “vine-shaped search and rescue robot” was developed as a student project at the Autonomous Systems Laboratory at ETH Zurich. Designed to aid rescue teams in areas devastated by natural disasters or war, the robot slithers forward like a snake and uses its sensor-equipped head to find survivors trapped in the rubble.
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 tubes along with computing power and supporting electronics. The robot’s movements are controlled remotely via cameras that provide a real-time feed to the interface.
The previous prototype’s pneumatic tube length was limited to 10 meters (33 feet), and when tested in a collapsed building, it successfully located trapped people. The team has continued to improve and test with the help of Swiss Rescue, and the current prototype is reported to be capable of scaling up to 100 meters (328 feet). The diameter can also be pneumatically adjusted to suit mission requirements, and this iteration is controlled using a handheld wireless remote control.
Roboa for search and rescue
Designers say it could be equipped with a speaker/microphone combo to allow operators to communicate with survivors. And there’s talk of supply lines being threaded through the rubble to get water, food and medicine where they’re needed.
In addition to search and rescue, RoBoa’s head can be configured for inspection missions, environmental monitoring or mapping. The intrepid snakebot is unhindered by dirty or slippery surfaces and is claimed to have a wider reach than push cameras or similar technologies. Safe to use even in situations where a spark could cause an explosion.
A student project has been launched to further develop the solution for market launch, and thanks to an ETH Pioneer Fellowship award, commercial launch is on the horizon. The startup’s co-founders will present the project at the Zurich Convention Center on November 21 as part of ETH Zurich Industry Days 2024.
snake saving life
Source: ETH Zurich, RoBoa
