Research from the University of Cincinnati led to a line of first-response robots now being produced and marketed by First-Response Robotics in Amelia, Ohio, a company that is providing technically oriented jobs in the region.
These machines can “go in first” to emergency situations like earthquakes or other natural disasters, chemical spills or other hazardous situations or even crime scenes like hostage situations.
Clients served by this UC research-based business have included the Environmental Protection Agency and the FBI as well as municipal police forces.
For instance, just last year, the FBI ordered two of these high-end robots for use in training SWAT teams and for specific use in hostage situations. So, workers here custom fit robots for FBI reconnaissance use. One of those FBI robots was even outfitted with a food rack so that it could deliver pizza and drinks to hostages in need of food.
For the EPA, First Response built a robot equipped with air-sensing devices to help identify the source of any environmental pollutants or contamination.
And robots built here were also used to help provide perimeter surveillance at the 2008 Democratic National Convention.
It’s a high-tech business founded and built all thanks to UC’s applied research.
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