Rats are frequently regarded as vermin. However, their adventurous nature could turn them into heroes in the event of an earthquake.
The Belgian nonprofit APOPO, which specializes in training animals to save lives, has developed special backpacks for rats to wear to assist emergency crews in locating survivors after earthquakes.
Rats are the ideal animal for the job because of their keen sense of smell, small size, and desire for adventure.
Scientists aren’t quite ready to send rats into collapsed buildings. They are currently training them in a simulated disaster zone. They have 15-minute sessions five days a week to prepare for “the real thing.”
The rats are simulated to find people ‘trapped’ in the rubble. When the rats find them, they pull a switch on their vest, which causes a beep. They then return to their handles and are rewarded with a treat.
The backpacks include a video camera that scientists are working to make as small as possible without sacrificing functionality. They will also include a two-way microphone and a location transmitter, allowing survivors to communicate with rescuers and be found and rescued.
APOPO is developing the technology in collaboration with Eindhoven University of Technology in the Netherlands, and electrical engineer Sander Verdiesen created it.
The project was first proposed by GEA, a search and rescue organization that approached APOPO about collaborating in 2017. It will go live in 2020.
It will be some time before we see any rat rescue missions. Each rat will take 9-12 months to train, according to scientists.
They are currently working on exposing the rats to more “real world scenarios,” such as testing their abilities on areas that simulate “multiple floors of a collapsed building.”
The project will eventually relocate to Turkey, where the rats will receive additional simulator training before moving on to real-life scenarios.