Shark Robotics in Nikkei

Shark Robotics and its range of firefighting robots are the subject of an article in Japan's Nikkei, entitled "The robots that extinguish fires are not afraid of flames". Translation below:

"The robots that extinguish fires are not afraid of flames.

Shark Robotics, specializing in robots operating in dangerous situations such as fires, has captured the world's attention. Mr. Cyrille Kabbara, who previously worked in intelligence activities in the French army, founded this company. One of the company's robots, which intervened during the Notre-Dame Cathedral fire in April 2019 at a temperature of 800 degrees Celsius to extinguish the fire for 10 hours, became famous for its heroic act. The Paris Fire Brigade collaborated from the beginning in the development of the robot. Shark Robotics engineers use a method to understand the needs on the ground and make improvements while actually using it. 'We developed an efficient intervention robot in a short amount of time,' said Kabbara. This robot locates the source of the fire and extinguishes it, making it faster than the conventional method of extinguishing a fire from outside the premises. It also has the advantage of reducing the amount of water consumed. In addition to firefighting functions, it also plays roles such as eliminating toxic gases, detecting hotspots, and rescuing the injured. Learning to use it is as easy as using a smartphone. The robot is active in about 15 incidents every week and has also been utilised for decontamination activities in public spaces during the spread of the new coronavirus. The company's products are purchased by firefighting organizations as well as private companies, including chemical production companies. They are preparing for potential fires in factories or warehouses. Furthermore, there are robots working in the radiological risk areas of nuclear facilities, clearing landmines and explosives, and engaging in space development activities. The company is located in La Rochelle, a coastal city in western France, and handles everything from research to production and sales. Since its establishment in 2016, the company has sold more than 100 robots in 15 countries worldwide. Currently based in Singapore, its subsidiary Shark Asia is working on expanding the Asian market."

Author: Hikoro Kikuchi - Nikkei Translated by Shark Robotics