The Active Scope. (C)IRS

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IRS Soryu. (C)IRS

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The development of rescue robots is gaining momentum in Japan. Rescue robots help relief efforts in the aftermath of earthquakes and other disasters by navigating through wreckage that is too dangerous for people to enter and by gathering information on missing persons and the surrounding conditions. Recent years have seen rapid advances in the development of these robots, and Japan is now a global leader in the field.

Slithering Through RubbleThe development of rescue robots in Japan is said to have taken off in the wake of the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake of 1995. In the years to come, these amazing machines are expected to offer increasingly valuable assistance at disaster sites, where swift action is the key to saving people's lives.

The greatest challenge in developing rescue robots is enabling them to go deep into piles of rubble without getting stuck. The Active Scope Camera was jointly developed by Professor Tadokoro Satoshi of Tohoku University, a pioneer in rescue robot development, and the nonprofit organization International Rescue System Institute (IRS). A tube-like robot with a miniature camera attached to its head, the Active Scope Camera can slither through crevices like a snake. The countless plastic cilia that coat the tube are the main innovation in this robot. The robot moves by vibrating these hair-like structures, generating repulsion between the robot and its surroundings. Experts in Japan and overseas believe the robot has great potential, and it has already been used to investigate a building collapse in the United States.

Quince. (C)IRS

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Tokyo Fire Department’s Robocue. (C)Tokyo Fire Department

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Another serpentine robot generating interest is IRS Soryu, developed by IRS and Professor Hirose Shigeo of the Tokyo Institute of Technology. IRS Soryu is made up of three bodies, each with caterpillar treads, linked head to toe by joints that move both vertically and horizontally. This design allows it to twist and crawl its way through narrow spaces. Equipped with a camera incorporating a CCD (Charge-Coupled Device) that converts light into electric signals, a thermographic camera, and other sensors, the robot can locate disaster victims even when they are covered in debris, thanks to its ability to detect body heat.

Rescue Robots at the Cutting EdgeThe most advanced rescue robot in Japan at the moment is Quince, unveiled in April 2010 by the Chiba Institute of Technology, Tohoku University, and IRS. Quince consists of a main body incorporating two wide crawler belts, and four free-moving pairs of wheels that extend like arms from the corners. Making full use of these body parts, the robot adeptly maneuvers its way around all kinds of terrain, from stairs to rubble. Resistant to dust and water, Quince is also able to rinse off quickly any dangerous polluting chemicals it encounters, making it a highly durable and practical robot. Quince is set to be loaned out to fire departments in Chiba and Kobe. Japanese rescue robots are quickly moving from the realm of research to the front line of disaster rescue operations.

The main purpose of the robots introduced above is information gathering, but the Tokyo Fire Department is also spearheading efforts to develop life-saving robots. One example is a remote-controlled rescue robot nicknamed Robocue, which debuted in 2009. Robocue runs on caterpillar treads and can pull a person into its body using a manipulator arm and conveyor belt. With a smaller and lighter body than its predecessors and added remote control, Robocue promises improved mobility and utility in disaster sites. (September 2010)