When an intense fire broke out under the Daniel Carter Beard Bridge, it gave Ohio Department of Transportation officials a reason to break out new technology: a robotic dog used to assess the damage.
The robodog, Brutus, was called in to assess the extent of damage in areas where it was unsafe for crews and difficult to assess for flying drones, ODOT spokesperson Breanna Badanes said in a statement.
This is the department’s first use of such technology and is being tested in collaboration with the University of Cincinnati. Badanes said it is part of a research project exploring the use of robotic support for drone operations and infrastructure maintenance.
The bridge, which crosses the Ohio River and connects Cincinnati to Northern Kentucky, was damaged by a fire that broke out under it early Friday, November 1.
The fire spread to the viaduct and severely damaged the southbound support girders, bridge deck and support structures.
As a result, both sides of Interstate 471 were initially closed. However, the northern side was reopened on Friday evening, while the southern side remains closed.
“There were and remain many hazards on site,” Matt Bruning, another department spokesman, said in the statement. “We didn’t want to have to wait until all these hazards were contained to start surveying and mapping.”
Officials said without Brutus it would have taken much longer to fully understand the extent of the damage.
Brutus is equipped with multiple cameras and can also be equipped with other sensors, making it a versatile device, Badanes said.
The robot can assist drone operations as a “visual observer” to help pilots detect and avoid other aircraft.
She said federal regulations require drone pilots to keep the device within their line of sight to avoid collisions. However, Brutus’ sensors see beyond the human eye and can increase the range of drone flights.
Brutus is currently ODOT’s only robodog, but the results of the research project will inform state officials about possible future operations, Badanes said.
She said the department, in collaboration with the University of Cincinnati, will investigate how Brutus can be used to inspect drains and other confined spaces that are potentially dangerous to crews.
“While we didn’t expect to use the dog for this type of mission, it was a great opportunity to test additional features and support response efforts,” Badanes said. “In the case of this bridge, it was a huge advantage that the robot dog could access areas that were unsafe for the crew due to falling debris, hot spots and unknown structural integrity.”
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Daniel Carter Beard Bridge fire: ODOT uses robodog to assess damage
