Response Robot Evaluation Exercise (#4)
Disaster City, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX
June 18-22, 2007

Event Introduction

Incident Response Scenarios

Government/Municipal Building Collapse (#133) Passenger Train Wreck (#126 and #127) Industrial Hazmat Trains (#116 and #117) House of Pancakes (#130) Single Family Dwelling (#129) Theater (#134) StripMall (#131) Rubble Pile #2 (#132 near #133 platform) Wood Rubble Pile #3 (#136)

Test Methods

Expected Participants

Schedule

Logistics

Safety

FAQs

Participant Checklist

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Incident Response Scenarios

• SCENARIO: (Type II) Some of the hazardous tanker cars are also derailed, and apparently leaking fluids in places. Simulated surface victims appear incapacitated in/around the cars. Aerial and ground robots should negotiate circumnavigate the area, over tracks and various rubble and debris (RANDOM STEP FIELDS) to search the perimeter, map the location of all cars, simulated victims, and the source and extent of all leaks. They should also read the hazardous materials placards (VISUAL ACUITY) and possibly return with samples for testing (MANIPULATOR DEXTERITY).
• TEST METHOD: VISUAL ACUITY
• TEST METHOD: RANDOM STEP FIELDS
• TEST METHOD: MANIPULATOR DEXTERITY
  

• SCENARIO: (Type I) Partially collapsed building of unknown use with roof almost in contact with the ground on the only accessible side. Enter through confined access under the metal roof or through breach, explore overall maze of obstacles and debris (RANDOM STEP FIELDS, CONFINED SPACE CUBES) to look for simulated victims and hazards. Read hazardous materials placards or identify cracks in walls when found (VISUAL ACUITY TEST in AMBIENT LIGHT) If possible, shore access area or lift other obstructions (large blocks are inside) [although shoring is lower priority at this time]
• TEST METHOD: VISUAL ACUITY (AMBIENT LIGHT)
• TEST METHOD: RANDOM STEP FIELDS
• TEST METHOD: CONFINED SPACE CUBES

• SCENARIO: (Type I) Partially collapsed dwelling due to earthquake. Main entrances are compromised, so the exterior wall has been breached with a 24" triangle (can we make it bigger? Say 36"?). Smoke is evident in parts of the building. Enter the maze of rooms either through the door under a leaning collapse or through the breach to perform a pattern search of the entire dwelling for simulated victims and hazardous materials stored inside (VISUAL ACUITY TEST with SMOKE). Negotiate various rubble and debris (RANDOM STEP FIELDS, CONFINED SPACE CUBES), perform a thorough search for simulated victims (DIRECTED PERCEPTION), move through and interact with the environment where necessary (MANIPULATOR DEXTERITY, DOOR OPENING), and map the rooms to provide responders with all necessary information pertaining to victims, hazards, entrances/exits. There is also a basement accessible from the outside down steep stairs (STAIRS). Retrieving a sample of some kind could also be required?
• TEST METHOD: VISUAL ACUITY (WITH SMOKE)
• TEST METHOD: RANDOM STEP FIELDS
• TEST METHOD: CONFINED SPACE CUBES
• TEST METHOD: STAIRS
• TEST METHOD: DIRECTED PERCEPTION
• TEST METHOD: MANIPULATOR DEXTERITY
• TEST METHOD: DOOR OPENING (knobs, push/pull, w/mobility, etc.)
  

• SCENARIO: (Type II) Possible release of hazardous materials in theater building under construction during partial ceiling collapse, workers unaccounted for inside. Enter large, completely dark, theater room. Negotiate the four stairs (TEST METHOD: STAIRS) on either side of the room (or find the easier way down) to completely navigate the sloped floor maze (INTERFACE USABILITY, DIRECTED PERCEPTION) to search for simulated victims. Read any hazardous materials labels found (TEST METHOD: VISUAL ACUITY with NO LIGHT). Proceed to side rooms to reunite with operator, ascend semi-collapsed, possibly unstable roof surfaces (TEST METHOD: RAMPS) to look for additional victims on roof.
• TEST METHOD: VISUAL ACUITY (NO LIGHT)
• TEST METHOD: STAIRS
• TEST METHOD: RAMPS
• TEST METHOD: INTERFACE USABILITY
• TEST METHOD: DIRECTED PERCEPTION

• SCENARIO (Store A): V shaped ceiling collapse. Responder/robot access to Store B, which is closed off and dark as possible.
• SCENARIO (Store B): (Type I) Vertical insertion through breach (triangles or holes?) in pancake collapsed concrete slab. Maneuver under the slab from one end to the other over various rubble and debris (RANDOM STEP FIELDS) to search for simulated victims.
• SCENARIO (Store C): This store (or one of the stores) didn't appear to have a particular theme and may be under utilized. Maybe NIST could outfit this with a sample of each TEST METHOD in a single demonstration/practice space (with a roll up door) to help refine and proliferate to developers and other test sites. This would help people understand what they're looking for as "embedded test methods" in all the other scenarios and props. I'm thinking this would be ideal for the multi-level CONFINED SPACE CUBE configuration code-named "Ant Farm" along with an example of all other tests we expect developers to replicate! One-stop shopping, so to speak! ;-)
• SCENARIO (Store D): (Type I) The responder must carry the robot up the leaning collapsed roof surfaces of Store D and vertically insert (lower, drop, or throw) the robot blindly over the side to explore the partially collapsed space of Store E. this was a known hazardous material store, so in addition to locating and mapping simulated victims, it must identify any potential hazards as well.

• SCENARIO: (Type I) Fully collapsed structure with subterranean voids. Aerial robots should survey the situation from above to provide overview mapping, determine points of interest such as signs of life (IR signatures) and potential entrances. The likely entrances found are supported somewhat loosely by concrete barriers (not pipes), have variable but confined dimensions, and contain problematic rubble (CONFINED SPACE CUBES), so are unsuitable for responder entry. Responders should deploy robots into these subterranean voids to perform primary search for simulated victims under the rubble, and look for any potential hazards (VISUAL ACUITY).
• TEST METHOD: VISUAL ACUITY
• TEST METHOD: CONFINED SPACE CUBE

• Has observation deck
• Culverts to access interior of pile (for people) and hide victims
• ULTRA WIDEBAND TRACKING (tall poles available in NW & SE)
• SCENARIO: (Type I) Fully collapsed wood structure with possible voids. Aerial robots should survey the situation from above to provide overview mapping, determine points of interest such as signs of life (IR signatures) and potential voids or entrances. Responders should deploy robots over the perimeter of this pile to the central area, either by climbing, throwing, or launching, to look for simulated victims, map the area, and convey situational awareness. A nearby steel structure under construction provides an elevated vantage point if a robot can scale the exterior to provide a contributing overview of the rubble (WALL CLIMBING) (VISUAL ACUITY).
• TEST METHOD: CONFINED SPACE CUBES
• TEST METHOD: WALL CLIMBING
• TEST METHOD: VISUAL ACUITY