The United States Navy has been working on some serious alternative heros; if an on board fire were to erupt, taking the ship hostage. Described as a “creepy human-like” line of androids, the Navy has dubbed its new Shipboard Autonomous Firefighting Robot, SAFFIR. While testing these robots this summer, the US Navy’s Office of Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) hope SAFFIR can improve the Navy’s ability to fight fires as well as stand in as a firefighter, without the limitations of human skin. It has become quite apparent that a robotic element could surely be used in a fire emergency situation. A fire set to a USS Miami submarine ending up doing $700 million damage; not to mention the debilitation just 15 minutes of firefighting occurs even with the use of an Oxygen Breathing Apparatus (OBA).

 
Researchers at UCLA, the University of Pennsylvania, and Virginia Tech have been designing robots that could fill in as the ‘superhuman’ substitute who could save the day without threatening their life. In fact, SAFFIR robots are being designed to deal with the worst of the worst; even a nuclear power plant disaster. They are human-sized, independent, fully capably of finding fires and suppressing them; and are hoped to soon begin working faultlessly with human firefighters, says the NRL website.

 
SAFFIR uses the same firefighting equipment as humans, yet are particularly able to function in higher temperatures. NRL says its engineers ”have developed a class of light-weight, high temperature polyetheretherketone (PEEK)-like phthalonitrile-resin that can be molded to any shape and remain strong at temperatures up to 500 degrees Celsius”, which is 932 degrees Fahrenheit. SAFFIR is currently being put through various obstacle courses, testing their capabilities. They will ultimately be predicted to balance, see through thick smoke, move aimlessly below deck, turn valves, drag and lift heavy items, as well as pick up and operate the fire hose to put out the fire. The bot is even designed to learn a ship’s layout. So far, researchers have two versions of the robot to test on board the decommissioned USS Shadwell. SAFFIR will not be deployed into the field any time soon. They must be able to work side by side with human firefighters, responding to commands and gestures.