Images: Snakes on a fire truck

The main purpose of the robot water snakes will be to assist rescue workers in extremely dangerous situations. Future Anna Kondas will be able to enter burning buildings, fight tunnel fires or slither through wreckage from an earthquake. The developers also see the snakes being used to carry critical supplies such as oxygen masks or communications devices to rescue workers.

Left is an illustration of how finished devices would look fighting a fire.

Sintef

The idea behind the robot snake is to equip a fire hose with water hydraulic valves and actuators that make it capable of moving forward like a biological snake. However, plain water contains corrosive and poor lubricating properties--making it a challenge to build miniature hyrdraulic components to work over an extended period, says Pal Liljeback, Sintef spokesman for the Snakefighter Project. Therefore, engineers are custom-building small water hydraulic valves that are used to move each joint in the snake robot.

Sintef

Designers envision that the robot's hydraulic power will enable it to clear away heavy objects and perhaps even smash through walls.

Right, water nozzles on the face of a covered Anna Konda.

Sintef

An early demonstration shows Anna Konda at work.

Sintef

This illustration shows how robot snakes would fight a fire in a tunnel.

Sintef