Packs of robot dogs sniff out toxins

NEW HAVEN, Conn. — They sniff, wag their tails, fetch and run in packs. But no one minds if these canines stick their noses into some pretty dirty stuff.

That's because they are robotic dogs, modified by engineering students at Yale University to sniff out toxic materials.

Equipped with just about everything but a wet nose, the plastic- and metallic-skinned robots have spurred toxic search projects in the United States, Europe and Australia.

They are the brainchild of Natalie Jeremijenko, a lecturer in engineering at Yale and self-described technoartist.

"Technology is a social actor," she said. "These dogs are programmed into instruments for social activism. . . . It's extremely important that engineers understand the social implications of their designs."

Robotic technology is increasingly being applied to repetitive factory tasks or dangerous work such as defusing bombs or finding victims in collapsed buildings.

At the same time, advances in microtechnology are leading to ever-smaller sensors, opening up a wide range of potential uses.

The robot dogs were originally designed, manufactured and marketed commercially as toys by Sony Electronics Inc., Mattel Inc. and other companies. Tinkering with the cyber-animals is allowed; the software platform for Sony's $1,599 Aibo, for example, is available on the company's Web site so the dogs may be redesigned for other purposes, said Jon Piazza, a Sony spokesman.

Jeremijenko, a mechanical engineer and computer scientist, designed the robotic dogs 18 months ago. She calls her handiwork the Feral Robotic Dog project because feral dogs are wily.

The robotic dogs' "brains" are upgraded and their "noses" programmed to pick up the scent of common volatile organic compounds — such as paint thinners or dry cleaning fluids — or more dangerous toxins. They also are built to navigate a variety of terrains.

In addition, cameras are placed in the dogs' hindquarters to let researchers observe their interaction with handlers.

The dogs are wired to move in packs. To collect samples from a larger area more effectively, the pack is programmed to follow the dog with the strongest sensor reading. The result is the collection of data from a broad area, with time-specific samples and extensive mapping of the area being surveyed.