Sometimes a fire is too dangerous for the fire department. Whether it’s the risk of an explosion, work on a surface that could collapse, or the presence of hazardous chemicals, a firefighter is always vulnerable. Now, when conditions pose too great a risk for a human, we can enlist a tank. A robot tank. The Howe and Howe T2-Thermite. More »
Looking like a military version of Wall-E on steroids, Howe and Howe Technologies‘ latest robot is ready to extinguish fires while keeping human firefighters at a safe distance.
The appropriately named Thermite robot can pump out up to 600 gallons-per-minute of water or other firefighting agents. Its powerful dual-treaded design lets it drive into difficult terrains and over rubble and get much closer to the fire than you or I would want to.
It’s not designed to replace humans, but to keep them safe. In fact, the robot must be driven around by a remote firefighter who still needs to aim the ‘bot at the source of the flames, and use their firefighting know-how to put out the fire.
While its $96,000 price tag might seem expensive to the average joe, it’s a drop in the bucket compared to most serious firefighting equipment. Never mind the fact that the Thermite robot will be worth its weight in gold the first time it saves a life.
[via Danger Room via iEEE Spectrum]
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