Low-cost multi-sensing fire-fighting robot with obstacle avoidance mechanism

Abstract

Robots are mostly optimized for tasks that require strength exceeding that of humans or for operations in hazardous environments. The fire-fighting robot developed has multiple sensing capabilities with obstacle avoidance mechanisms and is divided into two units: the robot and the static unit. The robot is equipped with three flame sensors to detect flames (infrared radiation) in three directions, an ultrasonic sensor to avoid obstacles, a wireless receiver to receive data from the static unit, a magnetometer giving the robot a sense of direction, and a unit of Arduino Mega microcontroller serving as the central controlling platform. The static unit has four flame sensors and a transmitter that transmits signals to the robot unit, which an Arduino Uno directly controls. A prototype was developed, which helps prevent the escalation of fires in the home as it can detect, navigate and extinguish flames while avoiding obstacles autonomously.