Cork Made Robots to Assist in Landmine Rescues

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A robotics company from Cork is developing a stretcher system to aid with the rescue of landmine casualties.

ICP Newtech's bomb disposal robot, known as "The Avenger", has been utilised in operations around the world.

CEO Kieran Nolan discussed his company's latest project, which would be deployed in the rescue of people from places where humans couldn't safely access, such as collapsed buildings and minefields.

"It can be very dangerous to get somebody who is dying either in a minefield or other dangerous environment," Nolan explained. "If you look at the number of unexploded mines in the world, you wonder how it’s possible to get that person out safely without risking more lives in the process.

"People think that unexploded mines only exist in places like Cambodia and Africa, but there is a substantial amount in Europe — including from the Bosnian war, for instance. You would be surprised at the number of unexploded devices still scattered throughout Europe. A remote-control-operated delivery of stretchers would be a very nice piece to have, so it’s something that we’re looking at."

Established in 2013, ICP Newtech exports its products to 26 countries. Some of their robots have even featured on TV shows like CSI.

"A few of our robots have been on television over the years," Nolan said. "It’s interesting to see how they use them, because they do subtle things like add sound effects to give it a kind of a sci-fi dimension."
 

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