Firefighting hasn’t changed a lot over the last decade or so. While new tech has been adopted, it’s fundamentally always been an incredibly risky profession to undertake. But, thanks to TAF20, a team of New South Wales firefighters can let their robot buddy take most of the heat.
This turbine-aided, remote-control firefighter is capable of clearing cars blocking its way, removing smoke from a building, spraying water mist or foam 60 metres and blasting water for 90 metres. To put it bluntly, this is one badass robot firefighter.
To aide the NSW firefighting team, TAF20 is also pilotable remotely from up to 500 metres away. This puts the firefighters at far less risk when tackling big blazes, allowing TAF to enter and clear a space without the worry of surprise explosions hurting someone tackling the blaze. Its ability to throw foam and water, as well as clear smoke, also makes it an invaluable asset during Australia’s all-too-common bushfires.
“This puts FRNSW firefighters ahead of the game when it comes to managing hazardous fires and other emergencies where firefighters cannot safely approach the flames, for example when there is a danger of explosion,” said David Elliott, NSW minister for emergency services.
“We saw how effective the TAF20 was last week at a Botany factory fire in Sydney, and it will be of great use for our firefighters in battling other large and complex fires, including bushfires.”
While there was no mention of a worldwide rollout of the TAF20, its AUD $310,000 (around £150,000) price point means it’s actually a rather affordable piece of technology. I wouldn’t be surprised if we started seeing similar robotic projects take off on our side of the world soon.
Speaking of impressive Australian-made technology, here’s a bricklaying robot that can build a house in two days.
Disclaimer: Some pages on this site may include an affiliate link. This does not effect our editorial in any way.
