Paratech, Hurim Robot, and Gangnam Fire Station Sign Tripartite MOU to Advance 'Smart Firefighting Robot'

Firefighting specialist company Paratech announced on the 13th that it has signed a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Hurim Robot and Gangnam Fire Station for the research and development (R&D) of an ‘autonomous fire patrol robot.’ This MOU aims to advance the ‘smart firefighting robot’ jointly developed by Paratech and Hurim Robot in January last year.

Previously, Paratech, Hurim Robot, and Gractor have been jointly developing the ‘smart firefighting robot’ based on Internet of Things (IoT) technology and autonomous driving technology, enabling rapid initial fire suppression and securing the golden time in case of fire accidents. Through this MOU, the company explained that they plan to reflect voices from the frontline firefighting sites and further enhance related technologies to increase practical usability.

Gangnam Fire Station also expects that by utilizing the ‘smart firefighting robot’ to assess fire situations in advance when responding to congested areas, it will be possible to plan fire suppression operations ahead of time, thereby minimizing damage caused by fires. The three organizations plan to prioritize demonstration and improvement work through the installation and operation of the ‘smart firefighting robot’ in the near future, starting from this MOU.

In addition to technology development using the ‘smart firefighting robot,’ the three organizations will closely cooperate to strengthen firefighting promotional activities, spread safety culture, and prepare measures to respond to other disasters, striving to protect the precious lives of citizens.

Kim Heung-gon, Chief of Gangnam Fire Station, said, “We are pleased to collaborate in securing safety technology through Paratech’s firefighting technology and Hurim Robot’s artificial intelligence technology,” adding, “We will continue to work towards creating a society safe from fires.”

Jung Kwang-won, CEO of Paratech, also stated, “We hope that the realization of firefighting robots will reduce fire risks and assist firefighters dispatched to the scene,” and explained, “Paratech will continue to actively adopt various new technologies as a firefighting specialist company to lead the domestic firefighting market.”

Meanwhile, the Korean government recently announced the ‘Advanced Robot Regulatory Innovation Plan’ aimed at fostering the domestic robot industry. The government selected 51 tasks centered on four core areas: mobility, safety, collaboration/assistance, and infrastructure. In the safety sector, it was reported that the government is promoting the review of new firefighting products and technologies to allow patrol robots equipped with fire extinguishers to be recognized as firefighting equipment.