Anna Konda: the firefighting snakebot

So it looks like firefighters may be the next unlucky professionals replaced by cheap robotic labor, at least if a snakebot built by the Foundation for Industrial and Scientific Research in Norway (SINTEF) ever makes it into mass production. Lovingly nicknamed Anna Konda (no explanation necessary), the Norwegian bot was assembled using 20 hydraulic motors powered by a regular fire hose, whose 100 bars of pressure give it enough strength to break through walls and even lift a car right up off the ground. Anna consists of ten segments containing angle sensors, two valves, and two motors each -- rotating around orthogonal axes and wrapped in a tough steel exoskeleton -- that are controlled by a computer to help her maneuver over numerous types of terrain. Besides providing support in dangerous situations like tunnel fires, SINTEF envisions future versions of Anna being used to locate and provide oxygen to earthquake victims or perform maintenance on underwater oil rigs. The good news for human firefighters is that at least a few of their traditional tasks still remain beyond the robosnake's capabilities -- well, until it's able to climb a tree and rescue a stranded cat without breaking its neck, that is.

[Via Technology Trends]

[Aaron @ Jul 23rd 2006 11:33AM]

I, for one, would like to welcome our new firefigher replacing overlords.

[Loubear @ Jul 23rd 2006 11:42AM]

Hm...you spelled "fire hose" as "fire house".

[Ultim8fury @ Jul 23rd 2006 11:42AM]

I'm not sure how a regular "fire house" is portable enough to be of much use in powering this.

[Cam @ Jul 23rd 2006 12:42PM]

Powered by a fire house with bars of pressure? Do fire house bars serve beer and wine?

[mike @ Jul 23rd 2006 2:09PM]

my snake is as big as a house...

sorry just had to..

[_man1c_ @ Jul 23rd 2006 8:26PM]

from the creators of Snakes on a Plane we bring you Snakes in a Fire House...

[inthesphere @ Jul 24th 2006 9:12AM]

They should be useful, as long as they can't learn/evolve/revolt/overtake humanity.

[bob bobertson @ Jul 24th 2006 10:46PM]

Let’s see… “mass production,” “enough strength to break through walls and even lift a car right up off the ground,” “axes,” and “wrapped in a tough steel exoskeleton.” So that’s how it is now. No more dancing, bar tending, and being generally friendly helpers. And to think they had you suckers fooled all this time.