DDT Project on Rescue Robots and Systems

This paper introduces an overview of the MEXT DDT Project focusing on large-scale urban earthquakes, which are the most important disaster to be prepared for in Japan. Various rescue robots and systems to minimize the damage after incidences are being developed by 4 mission units: aero robots, on-rubble/underground robots, in-rubble robots, and equipment for social infrastructure. Many systems such as Soryu IV, HERIOS VIII and Rescue Communicator are being produced by intensive collaboration of university/corporation researchers nationwide, and are being tested by IRS-U, a volunteer group of firefighters to make them actually used in disaster in the future