Numerous people pray for rescue whenever there is an unfortunate or dangerous event. From the victims who face the tragic reality to little children huddled in the living room watching the news, all wish for a quick and invincible savior. So, as mortal beings, why do humans need autonomous robots for disaster relief and rescue missions?
1. Why Autonomous Robots instead of Human Beings?
As beings of flesh and blood, humans have numerous limitations. However, in the face of wars, natural disasters, and calamities, these mortal limitations can prove to be deadly and cost thousands of lives. This is why something supremely agile, powerful, and replaceable is needed during extreme circumstances.
Autonomous robots will have efficient adaptation qualities, swift locomotive skills, superior tenacity and the ability to sense, learn and act according to the situation. The robots will be programmed to strictly defend and rescue civilians. All these are needed to cope and act without hesitancy during disaster relief and rescue missions.
2. Autonomous Robots for Disaster Relief and Rescue Missions- In Extreme Conditions:
Circumstances like wars, pandemics, political violence, and natural calamities need the superior power of autonomous robots. Time is the most precious factor as lives are lost in such tragic events. Such times cannot afford human limitations and the emotional turmoil of the rescuers. Thus, autonomous robots for disaster relief and rescue missions will be needed instead.
2.1. Limitations of Human Beings
- Humans are emotional beings. Thus, while thinking logically many rescuers naturally, wish to go back to their families unharmed. This sense of attachment can prevent them from going into life-threatening situations, like a building engulfed in fire.
- Often, rescuers and disaster management staff like doctors and soldiers lose their lives or get heavily injured while saving civilians. Mortal beings are vulnerable to the environment, especially deadly fires and collapsing buildings.
- Human beings cannot lift huge debris and concrete pieces after an earthquake. They wait for machines to arrive as reinforcement. Till then, many lives (stuck under the debris) can get lost.
- A robot that loses its mechanical arm will still be able to leap and run while rescuing civilians. However, a human rescuer or disaster manager will be delirious from pain after losing an arm. Suffocation in smoke or water will not apply to robots. Thus, it can be concluded that the physical limitations of human beings will not apply to robots.
2.2. Advantages of Autonomous Robots for Disaster Relief and Rescue Missions
1. Super Agility
The robots will be able to effectively adapt to an ever-changing and dynamic environment, which is natural in wars, disasters, and accidents. The robots will be flexible with superior abilities to leap and run. This can be helpful to rescue people from tall buildings or evade danger quickly and run to safety with the rescued people and animals.
You could basically see ‘Spider-man-the Robot Version’ in real life.
2. No emotions, thus no Fear
Robots will naturally not have emotions as they lack an empathetic spirit. Therefore. It is not surprising that they will automatically head towards dangerous and mortally fatal places in order to rescue living beings. Also, a robot can endure the scorching flames of a forest fire without suffocating, unlike human beings.
3. Tenacity
Autonomous robots for disaster relief and rescue missions will be tenacious. They will not loosen their grip on a civilian hanging from a cliff or rooftop. Sweaty and slippery palms or dizziness will not be experienced by these robots. They will not give up until they fulfill their rescue missions. This will be the foundation of their invention.
4. Loss is Only Financial
Even if the autonomous robots for disaster relief and rescue missions get damaged or completely destroyed, no lives will be lost. After all, these robots will be equivalent to machines. If you had to save human lives while sacrificing your headphones or phone, what will you do? It will not be a hard choice to make.
2.3. Disadvantages of Autonomous Robots for Disaster Relief and Rescue Missions
Every invention or product comes with its own pros and cons. Every new technology has the potential to undergo further changes and developments.
1. Malfunctions
A robot can self-destruct or destroy its surroundings in case of a bug or malfunction. Though this is a rare case, it is not an impossibility. Also, an overheated wire can be just a technical problem for a robot but it can be a possible danger for the civilian it will be rescuing.
2. Emotional Detachment’s Dark Side
While human beings have the ability to perceive and interpret while trying to survive, these robots will be able to perceive objectively. Subjective perception and the ability to connect with other human beings(civilians) and animals will be difficult for robots.
Thus, a robot might make mistakes in certain missions where empathy and emotional connection are needed. For instance, rescuing a suicidal man who lost his family in the war.
3. Can be Misused
If fall into the wrong hands, these autonomous robots for disaster relief and rescue missions can be misused as war machines. Considering the superiority and formidable nature of the robots, they can be used as a shield but also as a sword.
Therefore, it is necessary that these robots are sold in a way that is ethical and ensures the safety of the general public. Also, the robots should be programmed in a way that they are resistant to corrupt usage and misguidance.
4. The initial Cost can be Expensive
It is no surprise that the initial cost of production of autonomous robots for disaster relief and rescue missions will be expensive. Most probably, at first, these robots will only be purchased by wealthy people, and later on, the demand will broaden to the general public with an average income.
3. Applications in Real Life
3.1. Natural Disasters
During Tsunamis and earthquakes, an autonomous robot can apply its tenacious and agile abilities to quickly adapt to the tectonic waves and collapsing buildings, unlike human beings. Robots will not freeze in fear or injure their legs while running too fast either.
Also, in case of forest fires and volcanic eruptions, the autonomous robots for disaster relief and rescue missions will not choke to death unlike human beings, who might if their breathing apparatus gets damaged.
3.2. Accidents
In case of an accident, a robot will be able to easily lift up the overturned car and rescue the injured passengers instead of waiting for a machine to come and slowly work through the wrecked car. After all, injured passengers can live or die according to the time saved or wasted.
3.3. Terrorist Attacks
Civilians are affected the most in a terrorist attack. Though the government has to deal with the economic cost and political reparations, innumerable lives are lost in bombings and aircraft hijacks.
3.4. Wars
Autonomous robots for disaster relief and rescue missions can help to rescue trapped soldiers, injured civilians, and dogs. These robots, with a superior awareness of the surroundings, can easily help immigrants seek refuge while war prevails.
Since the robots will be specially designed to withstand extreme conditions like grenade blasts and missile launches, they will make war less destructive.
3.5. Mass Shootings
In today’s world of civilians possessing arms and the current politically saturated world, it is not rare to hear about mass shootings in schools and gatherings. Though the individuals who shoot at children going to school have psychological issues or deep resentment, it can be said that it is completely unfair and dangerous for society.
Here, autonomous robots for disaster relief and rescue missions can be implemented to ensure that innocent school-goers are protected against sociopaths and psychopaths.
3.6. Crowd: Gone Out-of-Control
From 2021’s Travis Scott Astroworld concert to 2022’s Seoul Halloween Crowd Crush incident, the world has witnessed innumerable human lives lost due to crowds going out of control. This can be solved by making a program that automatically mobilizes autonomous robots for disaster relief and rescue missions to aid civilians stuck in despair and prevent them from being squeezed and trampled to death.
With super agility and strength, these robots can climb the nearby buildings and pick up the trapped people steadily making sure that they are rescued.
3.7. Pandemics
Covid-19 affected numerous people globally and killed many. It attacked the immune system of humans, which is something that the robots will lack. Thus, in case of a future pandemic, (which hopefully should not happen) autonomous robots for disaster relief and rescue missions can be dispatched to work for civilians by helping them with outdoor work.
These robots can buy groceries, and medicines, call an ambulance, go to the bank, and so on as people will be confined in their houses.
4. Final Words
In the future, if autonomous robots for disaster relief and rescue missions become a reality, they will prove to be a significant change for mankind. Not only will this technology act as a protective armor for civilians but also make the world a better place, economically and socially.
Imagine waking up to a world of real-life Marvel heroes in steel armor and mechanical voices. Perhaps not entirely human but nevertheless, no less cool!
Last Updated on November 20, 2023 by ayeshayusuf
