Robots to the rescue

Search and rescue (SAR) operations are extremely hazardous and complex, leading to the loss of life for both operators and the people they try to save. Existing unmanned SAR vehicles designed to assist crisis management personnel have had problems getting to people who are in distress or danger.

The EU-funded 'Integrated components for assisted rescue and unmanned search operations' (ICARUS) project is developing robotic tools that can support crisis intervention teams in the field.

ICARUS is focusing on the development of unmanned SAR technologies for finding and rescuing humans in both urban and maritime crisis situations. These devices will be able to navigate land, sea and air to locate survivors and contribute to the rescue operations. They will be equipped with sensors and provide real-time disaster information to their base stations.

To deal with the operational needs of rescue and civil protection actors, the project has defined end-user requirements through interviews and questionnaires by involving the global SAR community.

During the first two years of the project, the requirements were used to develop unmanned air, water and ground vehicles and tools like human victim detection sensors and intelligent communication systems. The interfaces that will link such tools have been elaborated.

Researchers are currently preparing earthquake and shipwreck simulations to put the SAR technologies into practice.

ICARUS is introducing technologies aimed at giving SAR personnel the option to deploy robots to survey an area and gather important data without risking their own lives. With the incidence of natural disasters on the rise, the project ultimately hopes to reduce the direct human and economic impact of their aftermath.