When an intense fire broke out underneath 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 brought in to determine the extent of the damage in areas where it was unsafe for crews and difficult for flying drones to assess, ODOT spokesperson Breanna Badanes said in a statement.
This is the department’s first use of such technology, being tested in cooperation with the University of Cincinnati. Badanes said it is part of a research project investigating the use of robotic assistance for drone operations and infrastructure maintenance.
The bridge, which crosses over the Ohio River connecting Cincinnati to Northern Kentucky, was damaged by a fire that started underneath it early on Friday, Nov. 1.
The fire spread to the overpass, severely damaging the southbound supporting girders, bridge deck and support structures.
Both sides of Interstate 471 were initially shut down as a result. The northbound side, however, was reopened Friday night while the southbound side remains closed.
“There were and continue to be a lot of hazards at the scene,” Matt Bruning, another department spokesperson, said in the statement. “We didnât want to have to wait for all those hazards to be mitigated to begin surveying and mapping.”
Officials said that without Brutus, it would’ve taken the department much longer to fully understand the extent of the damage.
Brutus is equipped with multiple cameras and can also be fitted with other sensors making it a versatile piece of equipment, Badanes said.
The robot can assist drone operations as “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 farther than the human eye and can extend the range of drone flights.
Brutus is currently ODOT’s only robodog, however, 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 explore how Brutus can be used to inspect drainage pipes and other confined spaces that are potentially hazardous to crews.
“While we didnât anticipate using the dog for this type of mission, it was a great opportunity to test additional functions and aid response efforts,” Badanes said. “In the case of this bridge, it was a huge advantage that the robotic dog could access areas that were unsafe for crews 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
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