Description
SAFFiR is a two-legged, or bipedal, humanoid robot designed to help researchers evaluate the applications of unmanned systems in damage control and inspections aboard naval vessels, supporting the autonomy and unmanned systems focus area in the Navy's Science and Technology Strategy.

While the SAFFIR program showed enormous promise and broke new ground in how we might envision firefighting efforts aboard ships in the future, the program itself has evolved. 

Today, Office of Naval Research is using the knowledge gained in the original SAFFIR program to work on new and more advanced robotic prototypes -- ones that emphasize much better mobility and autonomous capabilities, to better navigate in tight spaces and perform additional functions aboard naval ships. 

Two prototypes being worked on currently in that regard include NADIA (partnering with IHMC in Florida) and DRACO (partnering with University of Texas and Apptronik). 

The intent is for these newer and more advanced prototypes to be ready for experiments in the next year, addressing not only firefighting aboard ships, but also hazard removals and overall shipboard maintenance. 

Features