Press release, 8 September 2021

CURSOR researchers receive the Excellent Research and Technology Award 2021
from the Robotic Society of Japan
After a natural or man-made disaster, it is crucial to locate survivors within the critical first 72
hours. The European and Japanese research initiative CURSOR aims at accelerating search andrescue operations within these so-called “golden hours” and also at increasing the overall
safety of search and rescue teams in the line of duty. Researchers of the CURSOR project
received the Excellent Research Technology Award of the Robotics Society of Japan. Prof.
Satoshi Tadokoro, Mr. Yu Ozawa and Prof. Masahiro Watanabe from Tohoku University(Sendai, Japan) will be awarded for their innovative robots which can climb over and underobstacles to find victims in disaster zones. This remarkable accomplishment will be announced
at the Annual Conference of the Robotics Society of Japan on 8 September 2021.

Three researchers from Tohoku University (Sendai, Japan) were awarded for their innovative robots which canclimb over and under obstacles to find victims in disaster zones.

Agile robots reduce total search time
Tohoku University, a member of the CURSOR consortium, is involved in the development ofminiaturised robotic equipment, the so-called SMURF (Soft miniaturised underground roboticfinders). Within any disaster zone, the SMURF can explore wide areas providing the search andrescue teams with valuable on-site information which reduces the total search time. Thus,
surviving victims can be located earlier and accidents in dangerous environments can beprevented and the safety of workers and search and rescue teams can be ensured.
1Prof. Satoshi Tadokoro of Tohoku University is thrilled about the Excellent Research Technology
Award: “Achieving increased mobility of the SMURF is key to the success of the whole CURSOR
Search and Rescue kit. With our research we managed to proceed significantly. The fact thatmy team and I have been rewarded with this Research Award makes me really proud.”
Responding to first responders’ needs
The challenge for Prof. Satoshi Tadokoro and his team was to produce lightweight robots witha simple structure that can be flown into disaster zones and are able to climb over and underdebris and rubble looking for victims. To reach this goal, a new mono-wheeled flexible trackhas been introduced. The system is quite simple compared to conventional continuous-track
type mechanisms and has much higher mobility than wheel type mechanisms. The method
developed by Prof. Satoshi Tadokoro and his team can be applied to any miniaturised robotthat is required to showcase high mobility on rough terrains. Responding to requests of first
responders who are part of CURSOR, the first prototype of the SMURF has been improved tobe even more agile and versatile.
SMURF is part of the CURSOR Search and Rescue Kit, which also features different types ofdrones, geophones and ICT solutions. Next to those transporting the robots into the disasterzone there are also drones producing an accurate visualisation of the area and allowing
communication with the control centre. Additionally, the SMURFs are equipped with chemicalsensors that detect a wide range of chemical substances indicating human presence. The
initiative ultimately seeks to match the operational needs of search and rescue teams withcurrent technological capabilities. Visit the CURSOR website or watch the CURSOR project
video.
Follow us on our Social Media channels:
CURSOR on TwitterCURSOR on LinkedInNOTES TO THE EDITOR
Consortium partners
Practitioners
Technisches Hilfswerk - Bundesministerium des Innern, Germany
Entente pour la Forêt Méditerranéenne, France
Merseyside Fire and Rescue Authority, United Kingdom
Service Départemental d’Incendie et de Secours de la Savoie, FranceHellenic Rescue Team ATTICA, Greece2Small-to-medium enterprises
EXUS MEPE, Greece
C4CONTROLS, United Kingdom
International Security Competence Centre GmbH, Austria
Trilateral Research Ltd, Ireland
Industry
ARTTIC SAS, France
ARTTIC Innovation GmbH, Germany
ResearchTohoku University, Japan
Institute of Communications and Computer Systems, GreeceSINTEF AS, Norway
Commissariat à l’énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives, France
The University of Manchester, United Kingdom
Non-for-profit association
German Institute for Standardisation, Germany
Members of the First Responder Board: International Search and Rescue Advisory Group, Regione
Liguria, USAR.NL, USAR US, National Research Institute of Fire and Disaster (Japan)
Project duration: 01/09/2019 – 30/08/2022
EU financial contribution: 6 999 822,50€
RIA - Research and Innovation action
Program: H2020-EU.3.7.5. - Increase Europe's resilience to crises and disasters
Topic: SU-DRS02-2018-2019-2020 - Technologies for first responders
Media enquiries:Project office: Karin Rosenits-Seilmeier, ARTTIC Innovation GmbH, +49 89 248 830 342,
rosenits@arttic-innovation.de
Project coordinator: Tiina Ristmäe, Federal Agency for Technical Relief (THW), +49 22 8940 1936,
tiina.ristmaee@thw.de

This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation
programme under grant agreement No 832790 and from the Japan Science and Technology Agency.
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the largest consultancies for publicly funded projects in research and development. For more information,please visit www.arttic-innovation.de.
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Attachments:
SMURF with mono-wheeled flexible track
SMURF2.jpg

SMURF with mono-wheeled flexible track climbing rubble
SMURF1.jpg

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