Abu Dhabi: The United Arab Emirates (UAE)-based firm FFBOTS, located in Jebel Ali Industrial Area, has introduced firefighting robot that can act as the first responder to fires, local media reported.
The homemade device called Wabel, which means rain— can be sent into dangerous areas that are difficult for firefighters to reach.
The robot, with a water flow of 8,000 liters per minute, a range of 100 meters and a height of 50 meters, can start operations before firefighters arrive at the fire site.
As per a report by Al Arabiya, 220cm long, 150cm wide and 135cm high, the Wabel looks like a mini-tank and is equipped with cameras and sensors to provide real-time information about the fire and help firefighters formulate a safer and more effective emergency response plan.
A team from FFBOTS, created the machine with the hope that it will be a useful addition to fire departments across the UAE and the wider region.
The robot is controlled wirelessly from a distance of up to 1 kilo meter. It is equipped with four hose inlets and GPS.
Six smart cameras cover every direction to help firefighters make decisions from a distance without getting close to the flames.
The robot is also equipped with water sprinklers at the front to cool the surface in front of the robot and vertical water sprinklers to create a water umbrella to cool the robot from above.
The ‘Wabel’ is professionally manufactured to allow climbing up to 30 degrees due to its weight of around one tonne. It is equipped with strong front fenders, which allows it to collide with obstacles in front of it, allowing it to reach the fire place quickly.
Wabel has an internal audio channel to allow the controller to hear the sounds around the robot.
The robot’s powerful headlights allow control officers to clearly see thick smoke, and an audible siren helps locate the robot.
