STUDY AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE RESCUE ROBOT

PREVENTING CRUSH SYNDROME

OF EARTHQUAKE VICTIMS

Taku Sahashi

1,2

, Akira Sahashi

, Hisashi Uchiyama

and Ichiro Fukumoto

Nagaoka University of Technology, 1603-1, Kamitomiokamachi, Nagaoka, Niigata, Japan

Project-I Co. Ltd., 154-403, Utasato-cho, Nishi-ku, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan

Keywords: Disaster, Earthquake, Rescue robot, Crush syndrome.

Abstract: In the Hanshin and Chu-etsu earthquake, many victims were crushed by rubble and died by “crush

syndrome”. Even the simple rescue method that remove the rubble, it could be a cause of death. As the only

countermeasure, DMAT (=Disaster Medical Assistance Team) creeps into fallen houses, and treat dialysis

or drip “crush injury cocktail”. But these methods are very dangerous for victims and DMAT to treat amid

the aftershocks. We think that Rescue Robot technique is just suitable solution for the dilemma under

various and dangerous situations. The Rescue Robot has the dual tiered crawler. The Rescue Robot goes

through under rubble open, and the victims are held in the container inside of the Robot body. We already

built a prototype model, so we present an outline of our rescue robot. And we will show the research of the

Blade mechanism to open rubble, and the mechanism of prevent Crush Syndrome that will be mounted on

1/1 size prototype model in the future.

1 INTRODUCTION

Japan has 0.25 percent of global land in the world.

Compared to it, the frequency of earthquakes above

magnitude 6 is 20.8 percent (see Figure 1), and the

number of active volcanoes is 7.0 percent compared

with the world total.

Japan is a small country, but there has the most

frequent earthquake.

Figure 1: Number of earthquakes above magnitude 6.

(Copied from Homepage of Japanese Cabinet Office

http://www.bousai.go.jp/1info/pdf/saigaipanf.pdf).

1.1 Problem with Current Disaster

Medical Engineering (ME) in

Japan

Professor Fukumoto of Nagaoka University of

Technology, who was performed disaster medical

treatment at 2004 Chu-etsu earthquake and 2007

Chu-etsu offshore earthquake in Japan. He got a

shock because disaster ME was not progressed since

Great Hanshin earthquake 1995. In shelter,

medicines, water and electricity were not enough

supplied for several days cause of lifeline damage.

Almost medical equipments were broken by falling

on the floor or/and power failure, and the run out of

manpower caused by many patients rushing to an

Alternative Medical Treatment Site at the same time.

The doctor was not able to take even a short break

for 4 days.

If this situation was ignored, the likelihood of

medical negligence of doctors increases, and

decrease doctors who voluntarily treat in a disaster

time

Sahashi T., Sahashi A., Uchiyama H. and Fukumoto I..

STUDY AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE RESCUE ROBOT PREVENTING CRUSH SYNDROME OF EARTHQUAKE VICTIMS.

DOI: 10.5220/0003536200430049

In Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Informatics in Control, Automation and Robotics (ICINCO-2011), pages 43-49

ISBN: 978-989-8425-75-1

 2011 SCITEPRESS (Science and Technology Publications, Lda.)

Figure 2: Outline of the Disaster Medical Assistance System.

1.2 The Disaster Medical Assistance

System

To solve these problems, we, “The Disaster ME

laboratory” are aiming to construct “the Disaster

Medical Assistance System” (see Figure 2) which

has been designed to support disaster medical care

through medical engineering that based on bitter

experiences of these earthquakes.

Devices of “the Disaster Medical Assistance

System” have correlations with each other

in terms

by functioning systematically and dealing with

various disaster situations.

The Rescue Robot is one of the devices of the

Disaster Medical Assistance System. It is belonging

to the center of this system that was defined as

“Rescue phase”.

In other words, this rescue robot is not intended

to operate alone. This Robot will be able to work

only after embedding this system.

2 THE RESCUE ROBOT

We will introduce “The dual crawler-type Rescue

Robot” to prevent crush syndrome.

Figure 3 is the picture in which prototype model

of the robot was demonstrated in “the safe and

secure festival in Yokohama 2009”.

Figure 3: Appearance of the Rescue Robot.

2.1 Necessity of the Rescue Robot

In the Hanshin and Chu-etsu earthquake, many

victims crushed by rubble. But many victims died by

symptom of “crush syndrome”, too. Even the simple

rescue method that remove the rubble, it could be a

cause of death.

As the only countermeasure, Disaster medical

assistance team (DMAT) creeps into fallen houses,

and perform confined space medicine (CMS) that

treat dialysis or administration of intravenous ﬂuids

at present.

These methods are too dangerous to treat amid

the aftershocks for both victims and DMAT.

ICINCO 2011 - 8th International Conference on Informatics in Control, Automation and Robotics

Nonetheless, it is problem that cannot begin the

rescue operation until safety is secured.

We think that the rescue robot technique is just

suitable solution for the dilemma under various and

dangerous situations.

2.2 Crush Syndrome

Crush syndrome is a form of traumatic

rhabdomyolysis (= a condition in which damaged

skeletal muscle tissue breaks down rapidly) that

occurs after prolonged continuous pressure and

characterized by systemic involvement.

Extensive muscle crush injury culminating in the

crush syndrome is often lethal unless promptly and

vigorously treated.

The damages are seen after a prolonged period

of pressure on a muscle group. The pressure causes

necrosis of the muscle, and during revascularisation,

diffusion of calcium, sodium, and water into the

damaged muscle cells is seen, together with loss of

potassium, phosphate, lactic acid, myoglobin, and

creatinine kinase. These changes can lead to

hyperkalemia (= medical emergency due to the risk

of potentially fatal abnormal heart rhythms), acidosis

(=an increased acidity in the blood), acute renal

failure, and hypovolemic shock (= cause of lack of

blood).

Crush syndrome is commonly encountered after

earthquakes, and in various other disasters.

Sudden release of a crushed extremity may result

in “reperfusion syndrome” (= acute hypovolemia

and metabolic abnormalities). This condition may

cause lethal cardiac arrhythmias. Further, the

sudden release of toxins from necrotic muscle into

the circulatory system leads to myoglobinuria (= the

presence of myoglobin in the urine), which causes

renal failure if untreated.

Difﬁculties with communication and

transportation in the disaster often prevent early

rescue and treatment. Early rescue and

administration of intravenous ﬂuids are important in

preventing renal failure.

2.3 Advantage of the Rescue Robot

2.3.1 Strong Point of our Crawler System

We wanted to make the Rescue robot that can work

under rubble. But, we could not adopt existing

crawler mechanism.

Existing crawler robots are too hard to proceed

under rubble. Because the crawler has problem with

rotational direction. The problem is that they are

lodged in narrow space vertically (see Figure 4).

Figure 4: Problem of existing crawlers.

Figure 5: Advantage of our crawler system.

Therefore, we thought out the dual tiered crawler

that coupled with crawler runs adverse directions.

This crawler system could grip obstructions above,

and it was also possible to even use as foothold (see

Figure 5).

2.3.2 Mechanism of the Crush Syndrome

Prevention

As “2.1 Necessary of Rescue Robot”, if the Rescue

Robot could reach at the victim under rubble, the

victim would occur Crush syndrome cause of just

only way to remove rubble.

Therefore, we designed “the mechanism of the

Crush syndrome prevention”.

The Rescue Robot is equipped with the cuff into

that body. The cuff is inflatable band used in

sphygmomanometer (= blood pressure meter).

The cuff is inflated rapidly by using carbon

dioxide gas from small-sized cylinder. It is able to

stop blood flow around affected part (mostly leg) by

inflate cuff pressure. In other words, this cuff works

to prevent re-circulating of blood that cause

contamination, which prevents the Crash syndrome.

Stuck b

here!

STUDY AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE RESCUE ROBOT PREVENTING CRUSH SYNDROME OF EARTHQUAKE

VICTIMS

This method is only a first–aid treatment, it is

necessary to treatment minutely by doctor after the

rescue.

In addition, there is no practical example of this

approach, it will require further research and

experimentation.

2.3.3 Vital Sign Sensor Probe

Procedure of Crush syndrome prevention is a

medical practice. Therefore, measurement of vital

signs is essential.

The Vital Sign Sensor Probe is composed of

Near Infrared Camera, Infrared LED Light and

Microphone/Speaker. These Sensors are equipped

with tip of the flexible arm.

The Near Infrared Camera and the Light checks

the victim status and blood flow measurement

visually. The Microphone is used to determine

responsiveness of victims and check their heartbeat.

The Speaker is used to call the victim and give their

encouragement. (see Figure 6)

The doctor and operator utilize them for

determining the severity of the victims.

Because hemoglobin absorbs near infrared light

(wavelengths about 780nm), we can confirm

superficial veins and the flow.

Figure 6: Outline of the Vital Sign Sensor Probe.

2.4 Expected Procedures of the Rescue

Operation

First, the Rescue Robot is operated by three peoples

and more. As the detail of the member’s professions

and rolls, Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) as

operator, Firefighters (or any can operate) as cable

management assistant, and doctor who performed

the operation instructions (see Figure 7). This

selection was designed based on the laws of Japan.

This Robot can be controlled remotely by wired

control panel. It goes through under rubble with

squeezing rubble and reached to victim (see Figure

8). After removal of rubble, affected parts of victims

are tighten smoothly by cuff to prevent crush

syndrome. And the victim is picked up in the

container inside of the Robot body. (see Figure 9).

Figure 7: Expected operators of the Rescue Robot.

Figure 8: Assumed figure of the Rescue Robot Operation.

Figure 9: Assumed figure of putted on the cuff.

After picking up the victim in the container, the

Rescue Robot goes back from under rubble to

ICINCO 2011 - 8th International Conference on Informatics in Control, Automation and Robotics

ground. In the safe place to both victims and

rescuers, after that the victims are took enough

treatment by doctors.

2.5 Specification of the Rescue Robot

The following are the specs of 1/1-sized prototype

model of the Rescue Robot that currently under

development. Incidentally, all of figures do not

include the figure of “the Blade mechanism to open

rubble” and “the mechanism of the Crush syndrome

prevention” that cannot be installed to the Rescue

Robot currently.

Length: 1.92m

Width: 1.33m

Height: 0.76m

Weight: 329kg (Only the vehicle weight. Not

include control panel’s and cable’s)

Engines: 2 motors of CVVF (Constant-Voltage

Variable-Frequency) control drive

Batteries: DC12V × 6 = 72V (see Figure 10)

Controls: Using the remote control panel

connected by 10 meters cable wire (Batteries are

mounted on control panel carrier)

Sensors: Front and Rear Cameras (and

considering mount a roof top camera), the Vital Sign

Sensor (made by Near Infrared Camera, Microphone

/ Speaker and LED Light)

Figure 10: Motors and Batteries.

3 ISSUES OF THE RESCUE

ROBOT

3.1 Current Issues

Various problems arise in disaster time, but this

prototype may be able to withstand these situations.

Introduce of the following improvements to the

Robot enable the handling of various situations from

now on.

1) Improvement of the anti-crush durability of

whole parts including container and crawler.

2) Waterproof and fireproof.

3) Study and development of the Blade

mechanism to open rubble.

4) Improvement of the victim accommodation

mechanism.

5) Improvement of the mechanism of prevents

Crush Syndrome.

6) Improve maneuverability.

7) Improve Safety.

Importantly, 3), 4), 5), and these quick and

smooth cooperation are very important to rescue

victims.

3.2 Present Status of the Blade

Mechanism to Open Rubble

The first prototype of the Rescue Robot is not

mounted on this blade mechanism. Because we

intended that the Robot will action to collapsed

Japanese-style one-story houses. These are the most

collapsed building in past Japanese earthquakes. But

collapsed Japanese houses still have roofs in many

cases (see Figure 11). So we have supposed that can

lift and go through under the roof, it is enough for

the crawler only.

Figure 11: Collapsed Japanese-style house by Chu-etsu

earthquake.

STUDY AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE RESCUE ROBOT PREVENTING CRUSH SYNDROME OF EARTHQUAKE

VICTIMS

However, we found that it is need to lift objects

smaller than roofs, now we designing to the Blade

mechanism make use of 1/5 sized model. Figure 12

is one of the proposed designs

Figure 12: Proposed design of the Blade mechanism.

3.3 Present Status of the Mechanism to

Prevent Crush Syndrome

This mechanism is necessary to directly touch the

living human body, it is requires a very delicate

design. For example, the disaster scene severity,

victim’s body position, place of the affected area,

and so on.

Figure 13 is the latest proposed design of the

mechanism to prevent Crush syndrome.

Figure 13: Proposed design and its procedures of “Two-

step inflates method”.

The advantage of this method will not have to

touch the victim directly by the mechanical arm.

And it can make the mechanism simply, and thus it

can be expected to improve reliability.

However, we will have to conduct a detailed

examination, including the shape of Cuff that can

prevent Crush syndrome effectively or not.

In the future, we will produce the new design

mechanism experimentally, after mechanical tests,

give medical tests.

4 CONCLUSIONS

In this study, we produce the first 1/1 sized

prototype model.

In the future, we are planning to make

mechanical improvements using 1/5 and 1/1 sized

models. At the same time, we will start to make

medical tests (top priority is Crush syndrome) using

1/1 sized prototype.

But many issues still remain to perform medical

tests before.

This robot was born from the needs of

experience in an actual disaster medicine. In order to

prepare for next big earthquake, we will do the

research and development as soon as possible.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I received generous support from member of

Disaster ME Conference and Fukumoto Lab.

Especially, Ms. Wen-Hsin Lin and Mr. Tomoyuki

Fujiki, They gave me a grateful help to my poor

English language skill.

In addition, a part of this work was supported by

International Risk Management Program 2006 by

The Japanese Ministry of Health Labour and

Welfare.

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ICINCO 2011 - 8th International Conference on Informatics in Control, Automation and Robotics

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STUDY AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE RESCUE ROBOT PREVENTING CRUSH SYNDROME OF EARTHQUAKE

VICTIMS