In the immediate aftermath of a disaster, when lives have been lost and tens or even hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced, it’s hard to fathom the size and scope of the rescue and relief efforts undertaken by federal, state and local authorities along with their various partners in the private sector. Fortunately, advancements in technology, and robotics in particular, as well as connectivity provided by communications companies like Verizon mean that the need for human capital in disaster response scenarios moving forward may be significantly less than it is today.
In 2017, Robotic Assistance Devices (RAD) participated in Verizon’s Operation Converged Response (OCR), joining more than 200 public safety officials and 40 technology partners to take part in simulated disaster response scenarios. RAD showcased its robotic solutions and how they can augment and support first responders in an emergency. Now, RAD has joined forces with Verizon to produce a new white paper, “The Role of Robotics in Disaster Recovery,” which can be downloaded here.
In the future, rather than having to call in every available law enforcement officer or search and rescue worker to help serve in a disaster recovery, emergency response organizations could have trailers full of robots ready to go at a moment’s notice. Just as many large-scale enterprises keep trailers, computers, generators and terrestrial and satellite-based communication resources at the ready to maintain critical communications when their businesses are impacted by a crisis, robots offer the same type of vital resource when human capital is at a premium and lives are at stake. In no way will robots ever replace the need for humans in these scenarios, but they can prove to be a valuable tool in a time of need.
This summer, RAD will once again join forces with the Fortune 50 brand as part of the OCR 2018 event, where it will showcase the use of its latest artificial intelligence-based solution, Security Control and Observation Tower (SCOT™). SCOT™ serves as a force multiplier for emergency response teams as they seek to gather more intelligence about emerging situations following a natural disaster or attack.
Want to see our paper? Download your copy here.