Our colleague Dr. Kamran Mahroof of the University of Bradford recently announced a most confounding trial of this standard. This groundbreaking project includes using robotic dogs to improve wildfire detection. Speaking at a conference in Birmingham, he emphasized the urgency of addressing wildfires, which have escalated in frequency and intensity globally.
Wildfires pose a significant threat, particularly in regions like West Yorkshire, where fires have become increasingly prevalent on sites such as Marsden Moor and Ilkley Moor. The 6G-VERSUS foundational research project seeks to develop transformative technologies to respond to disasters. The European Union funds it through its Horizon Innovation Action programme. Their project works towards creating a robotic dog and aerial drone system. This breakthrough tech will help improve first responders’ situational awareness when tackling wildfires.
“The whole idea for us is to identify wildfires as soon as possible,” Dr. Mahroof said. He underscored the immediate need for rapid detection. This is key to mitigating the effects of these fires on communities and ecosystems.
Next year, Dr. Mahroof’s team will go to Greece. They’ll be working closely alongside Dr. Konstantinos Katsaros and Dr. Lazaros Karagiannidis from the Greek-based Institute of Communication and Computer Systems (ICCS) as they guide all actors through the pilot phase of this ambitious initiative. The findings were featured during a recent seminar on leveraging artificial intelligence to address the world’s most pressing challenges.
West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS) is a core partner in the 6G-VERSUS project too. The service uses cutting-edge cloud-based mapping technology and weather forecasting applications to accurately predict fire behavior. Further, WYFRS has rolled out lightweight personal protective equipment to help keep firefighters safer while making long-duration operations sustainable.
“We are immensely proud to be at the forefront of research addressing this pressing global challenge,” Dr. Mahroof stated, reflecting on the importance of innovation in firefighting efforts.
In Greece’s pilot program, researchers are poised to use artificial intelligence for the first time. They will run on real-time camera feeds and use 6G connectivity to efficiently transmit important data. This approach aims to aid teams in quickly identifying at-risk individuals and deploying resources where they are most needed, all while ensuring the safety of responders.
“By applying AI to interpret real-time camera feeds and using 6G links to relay the data, we can help teams quickly identify people at risk and deploy resources where they’re needed most, all while keeping responders safe.” – Team