BEIJING: China has successfully tested a firefighting robot designed to enter fires reaching temperatures of up to 500 degrees Celsius and rescue people trapped inside.
Named Tianlang, the four-legged robot successfully completed a practical training exercise in extreme heat while wearing a specially designed heat-resistant protective suit.
According to scientists, the robot can operate inside a fire for up to two minutes at a time.
The robot is capable of detecting the center of a fire as well as areas containing toxic gases. It can also locate and rescue people trapped inside dangerous environments.
The company that developed Tianlang hopes the robot can eventually be deployed to assess conditions at fire scenes before firefighters enter, helping reduce risks to human rescuers.
The technology could potentially allow emergency teams to gather information about extreme heat, fire conditions and toxic gases before sending firefighters into hazardous areas.