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Robotics aid first responders in locating survivors of condo collapse

Condo Building Collapse Miami Surfside
Posted at 4:19 PM, Jul 02, 2021
and last updated 2021-07-02 17:19:55-04

COLLEGE STATION, TX — As the search for victims continues in surf-side this evening, first responders are using a variety of robotic technology to reach certain areas in their search and rescue efforts.

Texas A&M experts say ground robots are being used to help search for survivors and human remains trapped in the rubble. Alongside them, aerial drones are giving rescue teams a bird's eye view of the site from above.

"Definitely we can see that there are drones being used and there may be some ground robots. " shared Robin Murphy, professor of Computer Science and Engineering at Texas A&M.

"So the drones have now become a fairly standard package for fire departments, law enforcement, emergency managers, and the state of Florida... have been the leader in integrating that into day-to-day emergency response," Murphy added.

One of the challenges of ground robots... is their size.

Experts say smaller robots are needed to reach more areas of a disaster site.

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