Entering burning buildings and other potentially dangerous environments may become less risky, thanks to a new breed of ‘firefighting’ robots.

Researches from Sheffield Hallam University have been working with South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue to develop the robots, called Guardians and Viewfinders. They carry laser-range, radio-signal and ultrasound sensors to view and analyse dangerous areas during large scale incidents, such as warehouse fires and chemical spills. The data, which can be monitored remotely, would help firefighters make informed decisions on intervention.

"The Guardian robots navigate autonomously and accompany a traditional human firefighter,” said Jacques Penders, from Sheffield Hallam's centre for automation and robotics research. “They connect to a wireless ad-hoc network and forward data to the human operator and the control station. The Guardians warn for toxic chemicals and provide mobile communication links with human firefighters.

"Viewfinders autonomously navigate through and inspect an area, but human operators can monitor their operations as well as control their movements if needed.”

A demonstration of the robots was recently held at South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue’s training and development centre.

"Searching through industrial fires is time consuming and dangerous,” said station manager Neil Baugh of South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue. “Toxins may be present and human senses can be severely impaired, leading to disorientation."