Making life easier for firefighters with the Sentinel robot
Designed by Tecdron, the French leader in service robotics, the Sentinel robot was chosen to accompany firefighters in Paris during their missions in August 2018. And if we’re talking about it today, it’s not a coincidence: as a matter of fact, its particularly powerful and resistant battery was conceived by the R&D office at Neogy®.
The Sentinel is a firefighting and technical assistance robot. It is one of the most powerful and most versatile of its generation. It should thus provide many services to firefighters, such as carrying heavy equipment, going on a scouting mission, but also deploying the fire hose in dangerous areas. It will thus enhance men’s safety and assist them in the most trying and most dangerous tasks.
Interview with Cedric Loubiat, Head of the Sentinel Battery Management Unit
- Hi Cedric, you are Neogy®’s technical director et executive officer. Can you tell me how Neogy® took part in Tecdron’s Sentinel Project please?
“Yes, Neogy® designs and produces the lithium battery packs that power the Sentinel robot.”
- What main difficulties did you have to face throughout the project?
“There are countless difficulties on this project!
The lithium battery pack designed for the Sentinel project must be particularly efficient.
It must therefore carry a large amount of energy to ensure the robot the greatest possible autonomy, and it must also be very powerful to allow the robot to push or pull a car when needed.
The pack must also withstand harsh conditions of use: splashing water, intense heat, handling in difficult conditions…
And to make things worse, the deadlines for designing and delivering the first battery packs are extremely short: less than three and a half months to meet the expectancies! “
- It’s a great challenge, as we’ve always enjoyed having at Neogy®! Do you have a last word to conclude?
“The whole team at Neogy® is very proud to announce its collaboration with Tecdron in order to improve the firefighters’ intervention conditions, which we all know are particularly dangerous!”
Zoom on the Sentinel robot’s features
- 450kg electric robot
- very quick to start (in less than 5 seconds)
- robust, able to withstand high temperatures
- 12000 W motor
- able to carry material up to 800 kg
- simple and intuitive control thanks to a remote control, a smartphone or a tablet
- remote supervision
- monitoring system to check in real time the robot’s state of health, but also its battery and the ambient temperature
- interchangeable 48 Volt lithium battery for more autonomy
- can be accessorized according to the needs: a stretcher, a thermal camera, a disengaging hub, a winch, LED projectors, sensors, position lights, a fire lamp…
- able to cross obstacles but also climb stairs
- possibility of pulling or pushing a car