RBE Capstone Presentation: Devesh Datwani, Gokul Srinivasan, Febin Fredi, Aakash Varatharajan | Indoor Obstacle Detection and Fire Risk Evaluation

RBE Capstone  Presentation

Devesh Datwani, Gokul Srinivasan, Febin Fredi, Aakash Varatharajan

Indoor Obstacle Detection and Fire Risk Evaluation

Friday, December 16th, 2022

3:00 PM

Kaven Hall 116

Abstract: In a study on home structural fires by the National Fire Protection Association, by categorizing the death and injury by activity when injured, it is observed that those who were fatally injured were most likely to have been trying to escape, resulting in around 38% of the deaths. This includes navigating through obstacles and getting out of entrapment. While the main cause of death is usually smoke inhalation, exit blockage is a very dangerous underlying condition that often leads to excessive smoke inhalation. In another survey it is found that out of all the firegrounds fatalities of firefighters, one-and two-family houses constitute the maximum fatality of 39 percent, making homes– the place people feel safest from fire, also where they are at significant risk. Thus, the team has made its goal to make homes safer by developing an indoor autonomous mobile robot that moves around freely and detects obstacles blocking the exit, if any. Furthermore, the robot would notify the user about the obstacle and give out a score on how dangerous that obstacle could be in case of an emergency. The robot was able to successfully detect obstacles in the closest path to the exit and  give out suitable risk scores, in a simulation of house floorplans.