Search and rescue robots hunting for survivors after an earthquake will need to develop an accurate picture of their surroundings. So last month would-be rescue robots from around the world were put through their paces creating an instant map of an unknown area.
In the tests, run by the US National Institute of Standards and Technology, the robots had to travel through a simulated forest, with uneven terrain and randomly placed PVC "trees", and map the area using their on-board sensors and software.
The event, at the Disaster City training site in College Station, Texas, included tests of the robots' ability to clamber over obstacles - in this case ramps and steps, including some with unequal gaps between them.