US Navy unveils firefighting robot

SAFFiR undergoes testing aboard the Naval Research Laboratory's ex-USS Shadwell in Mobile, Ala. (U.S. Navy photo by John F. Williams/Released)

A firefighting prototype robot was unveiled at the Naval Future Force Science & Technology EXPO in Washington D.C. on Wednesday.
Scientists also revealed details of the technology’s successful trials aboard the USS Shadwell, a decommissioned Navy vessel, last fall. Sponsored by the Office of Naval Research (ONR), the Shipboard Autonomous Firefighting Robot (SAFFiR) walked across uneven floors, used thermal imaging technology to identify overheated equipment, and used a hose to extinguish a small fire in a series of experiments.