summary/reader Respondse draft #2
The article "Firefighting
robots go autonomous" (Little.2021), discussed the capabilities of these
robots and the benefits of these machines. With more than 350,000 American
homes burning annually and climate change contributing to 10,000 active daily
wildfires worldwide. Robots can offer some respite to firefighters entering
blazing buildings or traversing steep mountains. Over 3000 Americans die from
fires annually, which includes an average of 80 firefighters (Little. 2021).
With technological advancement, firefighters are now equipped with robots to
aid their work. The Los Angeles City Fire Department can be seen using robots
to aid them, one of the robots is the Robot System 3 (RS3). The $300,000 RS3
was funded by the American Firefighting Foundation, the unit is capable of
blasting water 10 times the rate of a conventional fire hose and has four
cameras that can show where the water is being sprayed and thermal sensory
capability that can detect victims (Little,2021). The LAFD assistant chief Wade
White stated that " it has met some of these real-world mobility
challenges and proved useful by dragging hose lines up steep hills and even
pulling horses out of mud quagmires."(Little,2021,para.7) Despite RS3
having several limitations and cost inefficiency, the capability of being able
to spray water from a great distance and being able to tow items up to
8000pounds are essential to reduce the risk of death of firefighter.
Because of the RS3 being able to spray water from a great distance,the first features of the RS3 that can reduce the risk of fire fighter is the nozzle.The first features of RS3 that can reduce the risk
of fire fighter is the nozzle. According to the Eastern Kentucky University
online, the primary capability of a firefighting robots is to be able to “analyzing
and locating fires, conducting search and rescue, monitoring hazardous
variables and the primary task of fire control and suppression.” One of compartment
that can do these tasks is the frontal nozzle is equipped with camera that can
assist firefighter from a distance to locate the fire. It also can eject form
or water with a speed of 2500 gallons per minute (Giuliani-Hoffman,2022). The
functionalities eliminate the need for firefighters to enter the fire zone
first, lowering the risk to their lives. These functions can also be seen in
other tank like robots which is used by the New South Wales Fire Rescue Teams
(FRNSW), Turbine Aided Firefighting 20 (TAF20), Minister for Emergency Services David Elliott and
Fire & Rescue NSW (FRNSW) Commissioner Greg Mullins states that AUD$310,000
is funded by the NSW government to build the TAF20. The nozzle of TAF20 can 3500 of water in one minute (EKU online, 2020). Like
the RS3 TUF20 can be controlled manually by firefighter 500meters away (EKU
online,2020). The efficacy of the RS3 nozzle is nearly three times greater than
the TAF20, even though both robots have identical features and are in the same
price range. This has proved that the RS3 is superior to other comparable
robots and has the capacity to lower firefighter danger.
Another features that firefighting robots is to be
able to go into the danger zone to clear paths blocking its way. According to
GCN (Government Media Executive Group), the winch of the RS3 have the strength to
tow 8000pounds and its V-shaped can push away any obstacle blocking it way and
“Its low center of gravity allows it to climb over
rough terrain” (GCN,2020). These features allow the robots to get into the area
easier and with the help of infrared camera it can help firefighter to locate
the casualties before firefighter was send into the building or terrain. As
compare it organic brother Thermite Robot System 1 (RS1), the winch of RS1 can
only handle 5000lb and have a speed of 6mph while RS3 have a speed of 8mph (Howe
& Howe). From the data given by the organic company RS3 have can do more heavy-duty
stuff that RS1, which have proven that RS3 is better than its similar robots in
the markets and this functions that RS3 have can reduce the sick of
firefighter.
The RS3 is an excellent firefighting robot, yet
it still has limitations. The robots are immobile since they require a hose to
provide water to extinguish the fire. According to Little, a group of students
created a firefighting robot that can carry a water tank and a PC during the
Mohamed Bin Zayed International Robotics Challenge. Its camera can identify and
avoid obstacles, and it has a heat-sensor to detect and extinguish fires, like
the RS 3. Most importantly, this robot can be built with $40000 to $50000. This means that the new firefighting robots can solve the
limitation that the RS3 have, and it is cheaper than RS3. However, the new
robots are still prototypes that have not been used in real-life situations;
thus, in the present market, I feel the RS3 are still the best Robots.
In conclusion, I believe that robots are unable to fully replace humans
in the current market, but after comparing three tank-like robots that have
been developed, the functions of the RS3 are superior to all the other robots,
making it the most capable of reducing the risk of life for the firefighter. According
to Winton (2020), LAFD Chief Ralph Terrazas told Los Angeles Times “I can afford to lose one of these wonderful
machines, I cannot afford to lose a firefighter”. This has demonstrated that
human life is the primary priority of the firefighting profession, and despite
its limits and high cost, the RS3 can minimize firefighter danger.
Reference.
The use
of robotics in Firefighting. EKU Online. (2020, July 22), from https://safetymanagement.eku.edu/blog/the-use-of-robotics-in-firefighting/#:~:text=Robotic%20firefighting%20systems%20are%20designed,of%20fire%20control%20and%20suppression.
Little,
J. B. (2021, October 29). Firefighting Robots Go Autonomous. Scientific
American. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/firefighting-robots-go-autonomous/
Giuliani-Hoffman, F. (2020,
October 21). The firefighting robots is here – and it has already helped fight
a major fire in Los Angeles. CNN business. https://edition.cnn.com/2020/10/21/business/first-firefighting-robot-in-america-lafd-trnd/index.html
Fire and Rescue NSW (2020, May 22). New Firefighting Robot
can take the heat, https://www.fire.nsw.gov.au/news.php?news=2312
Firefighting robot joins LA
force. (2021, December 15). Government Computer News, https://gcn.com/emerging-tech/2020/10/firefighting-robot-joins-la-force/315709/
Thermite®. (n.d.). Howe & Howe Technologies.
Retrieved September 22, 2022,
https://www.howeandhowe.com/civil/thermite#related-resources
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-10-13/los-angeles-fire-departments-robot-goes-where-firefighters-cant
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