EU and Japan jointly develop robots to improve search and rescue efficiency for survivors

The EU and Japan jointly developed an intelligent robot system to make rubble rescue safer and more efficient.

This four-year project, called CURSOR, brings together the scientific research forces of six EU countries, Norway and the United Kingdom, with deep participation from Tohoku University in Japan. Its core equipment is a two-wheeled mini robot named SMURF, which is designed to traverse collapsed buildings. Tina Lisme, research coordinator of the German Federal Technical Rescue Agency, emphasized: "We use robots to replace humans to enter high-risk areas."

Although SMURF is only the size of a palm, it integrates multiple cutting-edge equipment: video cameras and thermal imaging lenses can penetrate the darkness, and a two-way call system enables on-site communication. The most groundbreaking is the chemical sensor called SNIFFER, which can detect substances such as carbon dioxide and ammonia released by the human body and accurately distinguish between the living and the dead. Tests show that the sensor can still provide reliable data even in smoke or heavy rain.

In order to break through the terrain restrictions, the research and development team innovatively adopted a drone transportation system. Small drones accurately deliver SMURFs to dangerous areas, while large drones called "motherships" undertake communication relay tasks and connect robots with the command center in real time. There are also many types of drones equipped with geological radar to scan buried people, or generate three-dimensional maps through high-definition images to assist decision-making.

Actual tests have proved that this system enables rescue teams to lock on to target locations faster and reduce the time spent in the ruins by more than 40%. When SMURF successfully located survivors in a Greek earthquake simulation test, the on-site fire chief exclaimed: "The life signals it provides allow us to give priority to rescuing survivors." With the advancement of real-world testing in Germany this fall, this technology is expected to significantly increase the survival rate in disasters.