SAFFiR

If there's one thing you don't want to have happen on a ship, it's a fire.

Scientists at the Naval Research Laboratory believe the answer is an autonomous humanoid robot...

This is SAFFiR, Shipboard Autonomous Firefighting Robot. Right now it's just a pair of legs, but the future design is a full-sized autonomous humanoid robot. It is being developed by scientists at the Naval Research Laboratory. It's a humanoid robot that's being engineered to "move autonomously throughout the ship, interact with people, and fight fires, handling many of the dangerous firefighting tasks that are normally performed by humans." 

It's outfitted with multi-modal sensor technology for advanced navigation and a sensor suite that includes a camera, gas sensor, and stereo IR camera to enable it to see through smoke. We're told  that its internal batteries can keep it cranking for a solid half-hour, while being capable of manipulating fire suppressors and throwing propelled extinguishing agent technology (PEAT) grenades. Wilder still, it'll be able to balance in "sea conditions," making it perfect for killing flames while on-board a ship.

The project is being headed by Dr. Hong, and is the next step in evolution of the CHARLI-L1 humanoid robot created at Virginia Tech, pictured above.

Here is the SAFFiR and CHARLI-L1 robots side by side.

Although SAFiR is still in development, it is hoped that it will be ready for testing in a shipboard environment by next September. 

The photos seen above are credited to RoMeLa: Robotics & Mechanisms Laboratory, Virginia Tech.