Autonomous Fire Extinguisher With Sensor-Guided Robot Dispatch
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current fire detection and mitigation systems for homes and small businesses are impractical due to the large size and high cost of robots, as well as the need for human operation, which limits their effectiveness and accessibility.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising building sensors, a monitoring system, and a hazard mitigation robot that can autonomously navigate to detect and respond to fires using sensors and communication with a monitoring system, equipped with fire suppression capabilities and sensors to verify and extinguish fires without human intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If large robots are used for fire mitigation, then hazard mitigation capability is improved, but device size and cost increase making them impractical for ordinary homes and small businesses
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the hazard mitigation function into two segments: a fixed monitoring system with sensors that detects hazards and determines their location, and a mobile robot that executes mitigation actions. This segmentation allows the robot to be smaller and less complex while maintaining effective hazard mitigation capability through coordination with the fixed monitoring infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The fixed monitoring system acts as an intermediary between hazard detection and robot activation. It processes sensor data, determines hazard locations, and triggers robot deployment only when necessary, reducing the need for continuously operational complex robot systems and enabling smaller, more cost-effective robot designs.
2Ease of operation
If robots require human operators to direct them to hazards, then control and safety are improved, but response time and autonomy are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The monitoring system continuously monitors for hazards and pre-determines their locations before robot deployment. When a hazard is detected, the system already has location information ready, enabling immediate autonomous robot navigation to the hazard without requiring human operators to first detect and then direct the robot, thus improving response time while maintaining safety through pre-planned hazard response protocols.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables the robot to autonomously navigate to hazards using location data from the monitoring system without requiring human operators to manually guide it. The robot self-directs to the predetermined hazard location, improving response time and automation while the monitoring system provides oversight to ensure safe and appropriate robot deployment.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for and method of fighting fires using a monitoring system in communication with a hazard mitigation robot. The monitoring system is comprised of a plurality of sensors receiving data that is analyzed by the monitoring system to identify a potential fire. When a potential fire is detected, the monitoring system dispatches one or more autonomous hazard mitigation robots which navigate to an indicated location, confirm the presence of a fire, and attempt to extinguish the fire using fire suppressant material carried onboard the hazard mitigation robot.