On the occasion of the release of the movie “Notre-Dame brûle” by Jean-Jacques Annaud, Shark Robotics unveiled a video showcasing the daily contributions of the Colossus robot to the efforts of Paris and Marseille firefighters.
The objective of the Colossus? Protect and support humans in hostile environments.
In April 2019, Colossus was employed for 10 hours in support of the Paris Fire Brigade during the Notre-Dame de Paris fire. The use of the device came at a time when the situation was becoming too dangerous for the firefighters: the temperature exceeded 800 degrees, the roof of the nave was threatening to collapse, and molten lead was falling inside the cathedral. With its 500 kg, Colossus participated in the preservation of the works thanks to the detection of hot spots and the extinction of the fire, towing hoses normally requiring the strength of 15 firefighters. The Notre Dame fire confirmed that the use of the Colossus not only protects humans, but also preserves heritage and the environment.
Awarded “innovative technology” by the American Association of Mechanical Engineers, Colossus is the Swiss Army knife of firefighters with more than eight patented mission modules. The robot is capable of detecting a hot spot, extinguishing a fire, transporting equipment, providing respiratory assistance, and many other missions. The Paris Fire Department has six Shark Robotics robots and the Marseille Marine Fire Battalion has two robots.
Three years later, Shark Robotics has just been ranked as the world leader in firefighting robots, and France is the first European country to use firefighting robots and the second in the world, with robots exclusively from Shark Robotics. How did this happen? Thanks to the foresight of and the engagement between the fire departments and Shark Robotics, linking innovation to the needs of the field in order to have useful and efficient robots. The benefits of robots go beyond protecting humans; they provide operational support by intervening like a surgical strike as close to the danger as possible, saving water, minimizing pollution, and protecting property.
