Dogs are widely used in all kinds of search and rescue activities, including finding people under the rubble of collapsed buildings.

One research team is looking for ways to enhance what dogs can offer, by fitting them with Canine Augmentation Technology (CAT) — cameras, video, wifi and other tech:

The primary goal of the project is to improve the performance of trained Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) dogs in finding and facilitating the rescue of live people who are trapped in the rubble of buildings that suffer a structural Collapse. Our goal is to create assistive technology so that others might live.

… At the moment, the project consists of 5 separate subcomponents that are based on the theme of finding trapped people faster in order to save lives.

We all know the image of the Saint Bernard dog delivering a small barrel of brandy to those trapped in the snow. How much more useful it would be if rescue dogs could deliver food, medicine, water and communications:

The Canine Remote Deployment System (CRDS) is a remotely operated release mechanism worn by the dog and triggered by the handler using a wireless handset. When the handler hears the bark indication of the dog, they can release a bag (called the “underdog”) that can contain medical supplies, a radio, food, water or other sensors very close to where the trapped person is located. The technology has been awarded a provisional U.S. Patent.

The team are working on 5 areas:

1. Canine Augmentation Technology (CAT)
2. Canine Remote Deployment System (CRDS)
3. Canine Pose (CP) (sensors indicate what the dog’s doing)
4. Canine Work Apparel (CWA)
5. Canine Brain Function (CBF)

Let’s hope they gain enough funding to continue this important work.

In India, Cocker Spaniels are taking on some jobs that Labradors are just too big for. The National Security Guard (NSG) in India need to search aircraft for explosives, but the big Labs they used were causing problems:

Lucy, A Cocker Spaniel. Photo by Paxie.

“Pilots would often complain about the controls of the aircraft being disturbed by the wagging tail and long extremities of the Labradors during search operations. …

“We have also designed a carrying device called “the dog handle” so that the [Cocker Spaniels] can be carried like an instrument inside the aircraft and raised to cabin baggage and other high reaching inaccessible areas where a Labrador could not reach.

[Via : The Hindu : Front Page : NSG dog unit to replace Labradors with Cocker Spaniels.]

One thing some dogs can do enormously better than people is to find and follow a scent. This makes them ideal in search and rescue, especially if they have a high prey-drive. But it’s not easy to qualify:

To get her mountain rescue tag and search dog coat, [Jody the border collie] completed four successful searches over two days on the steep slopes of the Mourne Mountains in County Down, under the watchful eyes of two independent assessors from the National Search And Rescue Dog Association in England.

John [Binns] trained the dog to search for humans using her highly sensitive nose and under his direction she can quickly cover an area, honing in on an injured person. When she finds one she is rewarded by being allowed to play with her favourite squeaky toy.

“She has the capability of covering large areas of ground in all conditions using her extremely sensitive nose to locate casualties, a task that would require a large number of people,” John said.

[Via : BBC NEWS | UK | Northern Ireland | Abandoned dog becomes rescue asset.]

While there’s a growing trend to specifically breeding dogs for this kind of work, a twist in Jody’s tale is that she was left at an animal shelter. The staff there suggested her to Binns.

It’s not easy to be a Search and Rescue dog; only the very best make it through rigorous training and testing programmes:

The 14 dogs undergoing air-scent testing had to find a person or article hidden in the bush.

Only two of those dogs made it through to the next stage …

Search and rescue dogs and handler numbers [in New Zealand] were low, with only four operational air-scent dogs in the South Island, and five tracking dogs, [dog trainer and assessor] Allen said.

“We are quite short of dog handlers. We don’t have any air-scenting dogs in the North Island.”

[Via : Two out of 22 dogs pass rescue test | Stuff.co.nz.]