Researchers are trying to Rescuing people from the rubble And to search for people who are left under the rubble, they use mice that have a small size and a strong sense of smell.
As a result of accidents such as earthquakes, floods or storms, people get trapped, and it is very difficult to find these people from under the rubble. For this reason, mice will be helped to get rid of these conditions. A backpack with advanced equipment is attached to these mice.
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Rescuing people from the rubble
The Belgian non-profit organization APOPO, which expresses the idea of ”using rats to help people under the rubble”, is trying to attach advanced equipment and devices to rats to be used to reach trapped people. The leader of this project, Dana Kane, stated:
Mice are usually very curious and like to explore. This feature is considered key for search and rescue.
In addition, due to the small body size of mice and their strong sense of smell, these creatures have a great ability to find people trapped in closed spaces. Researchers are training mice that will be used in this field. In this way, after finding the desired person, the mice inform the commander by activating an option in the backpack to receive a reward.
As the training of the mice is still in its early stages, APOPO has started working with the University of Eindhoven to build cameras, two-way microphones and position transmitters. Of course, they were thinking of implementing this method a few years ago, but due to the unavailability of equipment, it was not possible to implement this project.
The prototype of this backpack includes a plastic container, 3D printers, and a camera base, which can simultaneously store live images on an SD card while sending them to the command center.
According to Sander Verdisen, the creator of this backpack, at first the rats were not fully familiar with using the equipment, but this problem was solved little by little.
Of course, there is still the expectation of smaller and more practical mice backpacks. According to Verdisen, GPS signals cannot pass through building debris. As a result, another solution called Inertia measuring device It is recommended that it actually works like a tracker and can be attached to the firefighter’s boots. However, there is currently no information on its use for mice.
On the other hand, according to Kane, the training of rats has become more rigorous so that these creatures are ready for real-world conditions. The mice responded well to the simulators and performed their tasks in all conditions. Given that the program is still in development, according to Kane, the training time for each mouse will be 10 to 12 months.
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