Robotic dogs will be deployed to assist bomb squads at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
These high-tech assistants, developed in Saint-Geours-de-Maremme, Landes, France, combine drone technology and artificial intelligence to enhance civil security missions. This is reported by France 3.
The Advent of E-Doggy
Meet E-Doggy, a robot dog that can either be remotely controlled like a drone or operate autonomously, closely following its handler.
This innovative creation by Evotech, a French company, mimics the agility and movement of a real dog. According to Anthony Gavend, founder of Evotech, "it follows like a real dog."
E-Doggy's simple yet effective design features an aluminum frame and carbon supports, housing three motors that allow it to navigate various terrains, from tall grass to stairs.
Weighing less than 15 kilograms, it can carry loads up to five kilograms, providing significant relief to bomb disposal experts burdened with heavy gear.
Gavend highlights that this capability allows the specialist to "focus on their mission."
From Concept to Reality
The robot dog was developed over a year in Evotech’s workshops in the Landes region. Blending robotics, mechanics, and artificial intelligence, E-Doggy represents the future of bomb disposal technology.
While similar robotic dogs have been conceptualized in science fiction and developed in American military and university settings, Gavend points out that these predecessors were "extremely costly, difficult to use, heavy, and not well-suited" to specific tasks.
Evotech's model is different. It is smaller, cost-effective, and tailored to the needs of bomb squads. Utilizing advanced AI, the robot's motor skills were enhanced through extensive simulations of canine postures. Gavend asserts, "We developed numerous specific algorithms for bomb disposal."
Gavend emphasizes the rapid progress made,
"We achieved in six months what would typically take 25 years. It’s revolutionary." Evotech's innovation extends beyond E-Doggy.
The company, encompassing five specialized entities, focuses on drone technology, risk prevention, robotics, and coastal observation.
The deployment of E-Doggy at two Olympic venues under a contract with the Ministry of the Interior serves as an international showcase for Evotech. For Gavend, the project symbolizes the potential of technology to save lives. Looking ahead, the company aims to develop its first humanoid robot, potentially becoming the next indispensable tool for bomb disposal teams.
