Dual-Optical Robot Dog: Fire & Hazard Response

I. Project Background

    An industrial park hosts 45 manufacturing enterprises, primarily engaged in mechanical processing and electronic component production. The park contains 3 hazardous material warehouses (storing flammable liquids like alcohol and acetone), 12 electrical line corridors, and over 20 high-temperature production units (e.g., forging furnaces, injection molding machines). Previously, the park relied on a "video surveillance + manual patrol" fire prevention model with significant shortcomings:

1. Video surveillance had visual blind spots (e.g., beneath equipment, above corridors, warehouse corners). In 2023, a fire ignited by aged wiring in an electronics workshop was not captured promptly, allowing it to spread to an adjacent workshop, causing losses of 1.2 million RMB.

2. Manual patrol intervals were long (once every 2 hours), resulting in a detection rate below 30% for incipient fires (within 10 minutes), allowing small fires to escalate.

3. After ignition, personnel could not safely approach the fire source for internal assessment, delaying rescue plan formulation.

    To enhance fire early warning and hazardous response efficiency, the park deployed six dual-optical pan-tilt robotic dogs in June 2024.

II. Implementation Process

1. Preliminary Adaptation and Deployment (June 8 – June 23)

    The robotic dogs were equipped with a high-definition visible light and infrared thermal imaging dual-optical pan-tilt system (thermal resolution 640×512, temperature range -20°C to 500°C, fire point identification accuracy ±2°C), featuring automatic fire recognition and high-temperature early warning. They were fitted with audible/visual alarms and a two-way intercom for on-site alerts and public address integration. A skid-resistant crawler design enabled traversal of 30° slopes and 50 cm obstacles.

    LiDAR scanning created a 3D map of all 45 premises, 3 warehouses, and 12 corridors. Six patrol routes were predefined (e.g., Hazardous Warehouse Route, Line Corridor Route). Thresholds were set for fire identification (≥300°C) and equipment high-temperature warnings (>80% of rated temperature). Integration with the park's video surveillance and fire alarm systems was completed.

2. Trial Operation and Debugging (June 24 – July 13)

    An "autonomous patrol + remote monitoring" model conducted 4 daily patrols (6:00, 12:00, 18:00, 00:00), each lasting 3 hours. Key optimizations included:

• Algorithm enhancements reduced dual-sensor switching delay to 0.5 seconds in low light.

• Adjusted routes and added climbing aids to overcome perimeter fence obstructions, achieving full coverage.
  Testing confirmed 99.5% identification accuracy for incipient fires (flame diameter ≥5 cm).

3. Formal Operation (July 14 – Present)

Six robotic dogs now conduct 24/7 patrols. They follow preset routes normally and can be dispatched for targeted inspection. Upon detecting fire or high-temperature anomalies, they trigger on-site alarms, simultaneously uploading location, temperature data, and live footage to the fire command center, activating public evacuation alerts and guiding fire trucks.

III. Application Results

• Enhanced Fire Warning: Monitoring blind spots reduced from 35% to 0. Incipient fire detection rate improved from 30% to 98%. In 2024, the system provided early warnings for 4 incipient fires and 8 high-temperature anomalies, preventing major incidents.

• Improved Response Efficiency: Fire localization time shortened from 15 minutes to 2 minutes. Overall firefighting response time reduced by 60%. Average loss per fire incident decreased from 1.2 million RMB to under 100,000 RMB.

• Optimized Operations: Eight patrol positions were eliminated, saving ~1.28 million RMB annually. Robotic dogs safely reconnoiter high-temperature and smoky areas, reducing personnel risk.

IV. Typical Scenario

    At 2:15 AM on September 3, 2024, a robotic dog patrolling a northern electrical corridor detected a 320°C connection point via thermal imaging. It immediately issued a Level 2 warning, activated alarms, uploaded live footage showing 10 cm flames, and instructed nearby personnel to evacuate via intercom. The command center dispatched fire trucks. Guided by the robot's real-time feed and positioning, trucks arrived at 2:20 AM and extinguished the fire by 2:25 AM, preventing large-scale damage and casualties. This early, precise detection provided critical response time, reducing direct losses by approximately 800,000 RMB.