Safety Security Rescue Research Center
(SSR-RC)

University of South Florida (lead)
University of Minnesota
Carnigie Mellon University

Saving Lives and Strengthening the Nation.

Center Mission and Rationale

This multi-university Industry/University Cooperative Research Center for Safety, Security and Rescue Research brings together industry, academe, and public sector users together to provide integrative robotics and artificial intelligence solutions in robotics for activities conducted by the police, FBI, FEMA, firefighting, transportation safety, and emergency response to mass casuality-related activities. The need for safety, security, and rescue technologies has accelerated in the aftermath of 9/11 and a new research community is forming, as witnessed by the first IEEE Workshop on Safety, Security and Rescue Robotics in February 2003. The Center is built upon the knowledge and expertise of multi-disciplinary researchers in computer science, engineering, industrial organization, psychology, public health, and marine sciences.

Research Program

Research activities within the center include:

• Proactive Technologies: Airport security automation, biomimetic identification, port security, sensor and robot networks, CBRNE detection.
• Emergency Response: Search, rescue, extrication, hazmat, incident command, medical interventions, rapid sampling, plume tracking, hazard monitoring, information technology.
• Components: Platforms, sensors, control, communicartions, power, user interfaces, reachback and visualization of data.
• Systems Integration: Software engineering methods, human-robot integration, distributed robot/sensor teams, metrics and standards, insertion of technology into workplace.
• Training and Education: Integration and reduction of training, distance learning, simulations and interactive training.
  

Special Center Activies

SSR-RC members working with CRASAR contributed equipment and personnel to aid with Katrina. Visit the Center's web site for more information including a press release about the first use of unmanned aerial vehicles for emergency response at Katrina and here for videos and photos.

Facilities and Laboratories

Description of the Center's facilities and equipment is available at http://crasar.csee.usf.edu/industry/usf.pdf

Center Location(s)

Headquarters

University of South Florida
4202 E. Fowler Avenue
FAO 126
Tampa, FL 33620

Center Director: Dr. Robin Murphy

URL: http://www.research.usf.edu/ssrrc/
Corresondence and questions about this center should be directed to:
ccampbell@research.usf.edu

Associate Directors:

Dr. Richard Voyles, University of Minnesota
Carnigie Mellon University

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