Disaster Rescue Robot RescueBot Locates All Simulated Victims in Turkey Earthquake Drill
KAIST's RescueBot disaster rescue robot system achieved top performance in an international earthquake drill in Istanbul, locating all 20 simulated trapped victims in just 4 hours — 5x faster than human rescue teams.
Disaster Rescue Robot RescueBot Locates All Simulated Victims in Turkey Earthquake Drill
On February 14, 2028, the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) announced that its disaster rescue robot system RescueBot achieved the best results at an international earthquake rescue drill held in Istanbul, Turkey.
RescueBot comprises five small tracked robots and two reconnaissance drones. The robots can navigate into collapsed building crevices, using thermal imaging, acoustic sensors, and CO2 detectors to locate trapped individuals. In the drill, RescueBot located all 20 simulated trapped victims in just 4 hours — 5x faster than human rescue teams.
"Every minute counts in the golden 72 hours of earthquake rescue," said KAIST mechanical engineering professor Park Joon-hyung. "RescueBot doesn't replace rescue workers — it scouts dangerous areas that humans cannot enter."
Turkey's Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) has issued a procurement letter of intent, planning to deploy RescueBot with fire and rescue teams in major earthquake-risk cities by 2029.
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