UT Dallas students create firefighting robot to battle the most dangerous flames
It may look lethal, but this robot could actually help save lives one day.
A team of University of Texas at Dallas engineering students designed the machine to help revolutionize how firefighters battle wildfires.
"This essentially can also be simultaneously controlled from a remote location so that will help a firefighter or help someone that can use this robot to attend to the problem while not being at risk," said student Joel Abraham.
The team spent over 8 months coding, designing and troubleshooting until they got it right.
"It's very exciting to see the whole robot progress from just bare parts to an actual functioning robot," said student Eman Rizvi.
Their project sponsor, UTD grad Rick Tett, sparked the idea by challenging the students to use the foot pedal control system he invented. The robot works by using the foot pedal to navigate the robot in any direction from far distances away using a camera as their guide.
"We've tested it where we can control it from the end of campus to here," said Abraham.
This means firefighters could get an up-close look at a wildfire without ever setting foot on the scene.
Once the robot gets close to flames, the user can direct it to spray fire-suppressing materials directly on that fire while safely at a distance.
Although this robot hasn't come face to face with a fire yet this team's work is helping advance firefighting technology. The robot will be used to help develop a firefighting tank.
"It's very fulfilling seeing that our product is going to hopefully change people's lives and hopefully have a change in the world," said Rizvi.