Disaster Management Robot System

Problem

After an earthquake, building collapse, flood or fire, the first hours decide survival. Rescue teams enter without knowing where people are or whether a structure is safe, so search is slow and dangerous. Survivors trapped in debris are frequently unreachable and have no way to signal their position or receive water, medicine or a communication device while they wait.

• Search is manual, slow and hazardous to responders
• Survivor positions are unknown until an area is physically cleared
• No supply route exists to people who are located but not yet reachable

Solution

A two-part robotic system that separates the two hard problems: finding people, and reaching them. A ground robot handles detection inside rubble and confined spaces. An aerial platform handles delivery once a position is known. Both report to a single operator view used by the rescue team.

• Ground robot enters areas that are unsafe for responders
• Sensor stack detects signs of human life and fixes a coordinate
• Coordinates are relayed to the rescue team over a wireless link
• Drone flies a supply payload to the reported coordinate

System architecture

The design is modular so each subsystem can be developed and tested independently before integration.

• Mobility: tracked chassis for debris and uneven ground
• Detection: thermal sensing plus life-detection sensors for body heat and motion
• Localisation: GPS fix, reported with each detection event
• Communication: wireless telemetry link between robot, drone and operator
• Payload: food, water, a medical kit and a communication device
• Control: microcontroller firmware with a supervisory operator interface

Mission flow

The operating sequence the system is being built around.

• 1 — Robot is deployed into the hazardous area
• 2 — Sensor stack scans for signs of human life
• 3 — On detection, the robot fixes and logs exact coordinates
• 4 — Coordinates are transmitted to the rescue team
• 5 — Drone is dispatched with a supply payload to that coordinate
• 6 — Survivor receives water, food, a medical kit and a communication device
• 7 — Rescue team proceeds to a confirmed, prioritised location

Development status

This is active work, not a finished product. The architecture and mission flow above describe the system as designed; subsystems are being prototyped and tested individually. Nothing on this page should be read as a deployed or field-certified system.

Engineering challenges

The problems that currently define the work.

• Distinguishing a human heat signature from residual heat in debris
• Maintaining a reliable radio link through concrete and steel
• GPS accuracy degradation inside and beneath structures
• Power budget versus mission duration on both platforms
• Payload weight against drone flight time and stability