Ask a calamity-struck person how it feels to be under the rubble or get trapped in a spot where rescuers can’t see. It takes hours before the rescue team can muster some success but for most, time has run out by then. Now, researchers from Texas A&M University and Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands have combined to create a system that can speed up the rescue operations in disasters and help save more lives. The system involves small robots to capture images of the affected area, then using the Rubble-Viewer (a computer program based on Microsoft’s Photosynth software) the images are transformed into 3D depictions of the site, which will provide more accurate information of what’s where and thus assist in faster recovery. The Rubble-Viewer is slated to be real, up and working by August.
Via: PopularMechanics
