Several safety regions are currently experimenting with the use of unmanned vehicles for reconnaissance and fire extinguishing in environments that are too unsafe for firemen. Despite the opportunities, there is quite some resistance to the introduction of this type of robot technology.

In this project, Saxion, the Fire Service Academy, the business community and five safety regions are investigating where this resistance comes from and how this can be addressed through training and product adjustments.

Topic

Fire brigade, robot, UGV, information needs and visualization, virtual reality, telepresence

objectives

Within this project, we look at how firefighting robots can be made more deployable, using both process and technological perspectives, such as getting the necessary information from the robot to the fireman controlling it.

The Ambient Intelligence research group looks at the information needs of the fire brigade and how we can best display this in the interface. In order to support the intuitive, experience-based decision-making processes of the firemen, we also look at virtual reality (VR).

See also: https://www.saxion.nl/onderzoek/smart-industry/mechatronica/firebot

Partners

  • Saxion (Mechatronica - lead, Industrial Design, Ambient Intelligence)
  • Brandweeracademie
  • IFV
  • iBotics
  • Veiligheidsregio Amsterdam-Amstelland
  • Veiligheidsregio Rotterdam-Rijnmond
  • Veiligheidsregio Haaglanden
  • Veiligheidsregio Zuid-Limburg
  • Benchmark
  • Demcon
  • Robor

Duration

2018 – 2020

more information

Danny Plass

dr. Danny Plass - Oude Bos

Associate professor

06 -1507 2877 LinkedIn Google Scholar

dr. ir. Roy de Kinkelder

Senior researcher/project leader

06 - 1200 0772

Financing

This project is funded by the Pioneers in Health Care innovatiefonds (PIHC) https://www.utwente.nl/nl/techmed/innovatie/fondsen/pioneers-in-healthcare/