The UCSD robot is called FFR for "firefighting robot," although FLR for "firelocating robot" might be more technically correct. The robot uses a stereo camera and a thermal camera to generate 3D pointclouds with thermal overlays, allowing the robot to autonomously generate maps showing hot spots and humans even through smoke. The sensor hardware on board the robots doesn't look especially complex, meaning that the 'bots might ultimately become inexpensive (and replaceable) enough to deploy in swarms. So, instead of running around burning buildings looking for people, firefighters can just deploy a bunch of robots first, and rapidly build up a thermal map telling them where to go.
Also, can I just say that the logo of the UCSD Coordinated Robotics Lab, which apparently features a Swedish guy getting fed through a set of planetary gears, is just darn impressive in a kill-all-humans sort of way.
[ UCSD ]
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