You know what is better than a firefighter? Well, a team of firefighters... sure. But that's not what I mean. What I mean is this: a robot firefighter. Not an Arnold Schwarzenegger Terminator-type machine coming back from the future in order save our souls and our homes from incoming fire. Nope, more like those bomb-defusing thingies that you see on TV or in action movies. You know, they bring a robot to defuse the bomb while Bruce Willis dies harder.

According to BBC News, the robots will be charged with taking care of those special types of fires where cylinders of acetylene are involved or other extremely flammable or dangerous materials. In the near future, you might find yourself being saved by stair-climbing reconnaissance units and diesel-powered robots with large claws instead of the friendly fireman that fights the fiery flames of the inferno in order to come to your aid.

"In the last five years we've had 471 cylinder incidents in London, 91 of which involved 128 acetylene cylinders," commented Gary Gunyon for BBC News. This is a two-year project and will be funded by Network Rail, the Highways Agency and transport for London. I have to say the idea is quite good, though I am pretty sure the robots won't be extremely happy with the way they are being used. I mean, would you like to run into a warehouse full of acetylene barrels?

Simon Christoforato, business manager for robotic systems at Qinetiq, told BBC News that "At the moment we're only being funded for this project, but (the robots) could be useful anywhere there's a fireman getting into danger. […] I think it is clear that as the utility of these systems is proven, then other applications will come.”

Let us just hope the researchers remember to implement Isaac Asimov's three laws of robotics into them so we don't find ourselves in other... types of situations.


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