|
Providing Lifesaving, Cost-Saving Information
in Real Time through Rapidly Deployable Mobile Sensor Robots
for Disaster and Emergency Response.
Here's our current newsletter with the latest company information.
|
|
|
|
Share the news in our July 2021 newsletter.
|
|
|
|
Two SMFR HazMat team members enter the training site and prepare to hand deploy Squishy Robotics' sensor robots. (All photos courtesy of Rich Gatanis, Southern Manatee Fire & Rescue.)
|
|
Successful Non-Drone Deployments in HazMat Trainings
|
|
Squishy Robotics’ sensor robots were among the innovative public safety solutions included in a Southern Manatee Fire & Rescue (SMFR) HazMat training exercise held in late June. The training exercise, which simulated a HazMat leak from a railroad tanker car, was conducted at a chemical facility in Manatee County, Florida. “It was a great combination of cutting-edge technology and old-school tactics,” said Rich Gatanis, who had a leading role in planning and coordinating the training exercise. Auterion’s Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) “Vector” and FLYMOTION’s Trident series van were also part of the HazMat exercise.
The SMFR training exercise employed and operated the sensor robots in non-drone deployments in which HazMat teams hand deployed the robots on the opposite sides of the railcar as team members entered the scene.
Non-drone deployments—tossing, throwing, or hand placing the sensor robots—can be advantageous for first responder teams with or without Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) programs.
All the properties of the tensegrity structure, such as impact resistance and durability, that enable air deployments and drops from high altitudes also protect the sensor robots when they are thrown or manually dropped down something like a mine shaft. The SMFR training exercise proved how well suited the robots are for such manual deployments. “In addition to drone deployment, manual deployment of the Squishy Robotics' multi-gas sensors is a practical alternative method to quickly position sensors throughout a scene to monitor the air remotely in a variety of responses,” Gatanis explained. “In this scenario, because of the hot zone’s close proximity to our HazMat team, manual deployment made the most sense. Had this been a scene where the leak was a long distance away, deployment via UAS would have been the preferred deployment method.”
“That’s the benefit of a sensor robot like this,” Gatanis added. “Its flexibility and deployability make these sensors invaluable to a HazMat team.”
Gatanis has several SMFR titles—Firefighter/EMT/HazMat Technician/UAS Coordinator. SMFR and Squishy Robotics began a pilot partnership in June 2020 and Gatanis, in his role as UAS Coordinator, has logged the most hours
|
|
|
testing and deploying our sensor robots during the past year. His feedback and suggestions have helped to shape Squishy Robotics hardware and software improvements and to prioritize new features.
|
|
|
Squishy Robotics in the News
|
|
|
A video made by the World Economic Forum names Squishy Robotics as a company that is applying innovative technology to address the urgent problems of wildfires and climate change.
|
|
Were you forwarded this email and would like to receive our monthly newsletter?
|
|
|
Does your department currently use drones?
Would quickly getting sensors into hard-to-reach or dangerous locations benefit your emergency response?
Are you interested in playing a critical role in the development of new technology for first responders by providing your feedback?
If so, contact us to learn about potential pilot partnership opportunities as well as to find out about demo and sales information.
|
|
|
|
|
