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In the near future, mobile safety robots with
in-built Dräger Safety gas detection equipment
will be going on patrol, following the
signing of a long-term cooperation agreement
between Dräger Safety and Berlinbased
Robowatch Technologies GmbH. The
Berlin company develops, produces and
sells mobile safety robots for use by security
firms. During the first phase of the cooperation,
the MOSRO 1 type mobile Robowatch
safety robots will be equipped with Dräger
Safety's proven gas detection technology.
This will allow the special robots to detect
hazardous gases, while at the same time
supplying additional relevant information
such as video images, access control data
and information about people in danger and
those authorized or unauthorized to access
specific areas.
Building patrols
The main areas of application for MOSRO 1
at the present time are large buildings
such as warehouses and industrial premises,
shopping centres and factory buildings.
Thanks to the integrated gas detection
technology, MOSRO 1 can monitor the concentration
of specific gases and, by doing
so, increase safety standards in hazardous
areas. The robots, which have been redesigned
within the framework of the cooperation
between the two companies, can now
determine in advance whether a hazardous
area is safe to enter, and what protection
will be needed against the gas concentrations
present. Robot-assisted gas detection is
particularly well-suited to work areas which
cannot be sufficiently monitored by means
of fixed gas detection systems. |
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By way of an example, one potential application
for a gas detection robot in a warehouse
containing chemicals and other goods will
be described below. Many liquid chemicals
develop toxic vapours if they leak, and these
vapours tend also to be flammable. Often,
such leakages are not detected until it is
too late. Leaks can result in damage to
other goods in storage, or indeed the entire
warehouse may be lost as a result of fire or
explosion. The gases and vapours which
ST-2636-2003
occur due to leakage are detected by
Dräger gas detection technology, and the
information is transmitted by radio to the
safety control centre, with a simultaneous
video image to help the exact location of the
leak to be pinpointed. This allows a rapid
response and action to be initiated on the
basis of objective (measured) data. Any
potential damage caused by corrosion or
fire/explosion is minimized or prevented.
The detection of toxic gases during the
(robot) night shift helps protect personnel
by warning workers who arrive for the first
shift of the day and preventing them from
entering the warehouse until the danger
has been eliminated. A further aspect is the
reduction of pollution caused by escaping
harmful gases or vapours.
Another example is the early fire warning
enabled by CO detection. A major fire is
often preceded by a more gradual and longlasting
smouldering fire without flames,
which generates high concentrations of
carbon monoxide. If the warning comes too
late, goods and buildings may be at risk.
Because the carbon monoxide is detected
by the security robot's Dräger gas detection
systems, data is sent to the safety control
centre, so a rapid response is possible and
counteraction can be taken. Here, too, a
video image is sent at the same time to
allow the precise location of smouldering
fires (e.g. in refuse containers) to be determined.
Another advantage is the fact that
personnel are not at risk from highly-toxic
CO while robot-assisted gas detection is
taking place. If action is taken quickly, the
smouldering fire can be extinguished before
a full-scale fire breaks out and goods and
buildings are damaged or even destroyed.
New: the all-terrain OFRO +detect
reconnaissance robot
The latest product of the cooperation between
Dräger Safety and Robowatch is the
OFRO +detect, a high-tech all-terrain safety
robot which can detect nuclear, biological
and chemical hazards. To achieve this functionality,
it is equipped among other things
with the Multi-IMS (ion mobility spectrometer)
from Dräger Safety.
Chain-driven, it can cope with any terrain,
regardless of how uneven, and is extremely
versatile. With a total weight of just 65 kg,
the robots can go out on patrol for up to 12
hours, dealing effortlessly with temperature
fluctuations of -20° to 60° Celsius.
As such, the mobile gas detection robots
are the ideal complement to the services
provided by security firms, thus making
security services even more attractive for
the customer.
The future has begun.
Dräger Safety is right at the forefront.
Dr. Horst Bleichert
Dräger Safety AG & Co. KGaA
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Dräger Safety AG & Co. KGaA |
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Revalstrasse 1 |
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23560 Luebeck, Germany |
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Tel +49 451 882 0
Fax +49 451 882 2080
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