New technology can improve performance of firefighting robots

A Purdue technology is being developed that could help increase the battery life in firefighting robots, allowing them to operate for longer periods of time in life-threatening areas that aren't safe for firefighters.  

J. Eric Dietz, professor of computer and information technology; Eric T. Matson, an associate professor of computer and information technology; and Jeongwan Kim, a doctoral candidate in the Department of Computer and Information Technology, have developed an automatic t-valve system that can be used in fire hose systems that would allow better mobility and increased battery life for firefighting robots.

"Since the heaviness of the water in the hose is the main culprit of why the robot's battery doesn't last, we have developed an automatic t-valve system that removes water from the fire hose whenever the robot moves to a new location," Kim said. "It takes significantly less energy to pull an empty fire hose compared to a water-filled hose. Integrating this system in the firefighting robot will increase the robot's mobility, to get closer to the fires, and its battery life, allowing it to operate for longer times in places that wouldn't be safe for any crews."

Read the full story from Purdue News Service.

 

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