A research group led by Professor Satoshi Tadokoro and Associate Professor Masashi Kunyo of Tohoku University has developed a cord-shaped (snake-shaped) robot "air-floating active scope camera" that dramatically improves the ability to traverse rubble by air injection. succeeded in.This is a joint achievement with Hachinohe National College of Technology and the International Rescue System Research Organization.
In a large-scale earthquake disaster, finding and rescuing people left behind in a collapsed building becomes a major issue.The research group has developed a cord-shaped robot "active scope camera" that can enter narrow rubble and search for victims.This snake-shaped robot has a thickness of about 50 mm, a total length of about 8 m, and a weight of about 3 kg, and has a flexible structure. It has a good track record in disaster site surveys.
However, conventional active scope cameras have been difficult to overcome high obstacles and rubble, and have been a major issue for expanding the search range.In addition, a wide field of view is required to find and locate the victims in the scattered rubble.
Therefore, this research group is equipped with a function to raise the tip (head) by up to 20 cm by injecting air into a snake-type robot that could only sneak through the rubble, and jump over the rubble like a snake. , Developed a technology that allows you to jump up and have a wide view.It was difficult to stably levitate a flexible cord-like robot by simply injecting air, but this time, it has become possible by improving the nozzle mechanism and controlling the injection direction.
In the future, the company plans to repeat tests in the disaster simulation field to put it into practical use as a disaster relief system, such as improving the durability of robots and integrating the maneuvering system.
