- Marseille firefighters have just bought a Colossus robot, which will help them with complex interventions.
- It will also be used to disinfect places contaminated by patients affected by Covid-19.
His name is Marius, weighs 500 kilos, darkens at 3.8 km / hour and can spit 3,000 liters of water per minute. The Marseille firefighters are very proud to announce the birth of their first robot, “Colossus”, which will put out fires but also disinfect sites contaminated by patients with Covid-19. "We have been carrying out this project with Shark Robotics for two years, but we have accelerated the process in the face of the coronavirus epidemic," said Lieutenant-Commander Hubert, head of the operational team specializing in robotic support.
Marius, which cost 225,000 euros, currently has two missions. He will be able to extinguish fires in warehouses that could collapse or on industrial sites, to prevent seafarers from being exposed to the risk of explosion. He will also be responsible for disinfecting the places where the Covid-19 has circulated, with impressive efficiency: Marius can treat 20,000 square meters in three hours.
"Hookah" and "mule capacity" option
This robot will then become more and more versatile. Thanks to its “hookah” option (sic), it will be able to provide breathable air to firefighters during interventions on fires. Its “mule capacity” will help them transport heavy loads to inaccessible intervention sites: thanks to its tracks, Marius goes everywhere, from flooded terrain to 40-degree slopes. It will also be possible to install a stretcher on the robot to evacuate an injured person, or to ensure smoke extraction after a disaster thanks to its ventilation capacities.
Ten tele-pilots have been trained and take turns so that the robot can be mobilized 24 hours a day. They will also be responsible for piloting drones which will carry out aerial reconnaissance, as of this summer, to identify the start of fire in the forest. For the moment, they must remain “in contact” with the robot. Soon, they will be able to operate from their truck, very safe: Marius will be equipped with an infrared optical system, which will allow the remote pilot to follow his progress from a screen.
Above all, Marius will soon no longer be alone in the large hangar for firefighters. "His little brother, César, will arrive in September," announces, as a happy parent, Lieutenant-Commander Hubert.
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- Robot
- Firefighters
- Coronavirus
- Society
- Covid 19
- Marseille