Like a scene from a science-fiction movie, robot dogs search the rubble after an earthquake looking for survivors.

These are the latest invention from Chinese firm Deep Robotics. The Jueying X20 hazard detection and rescue robot dog has the flexibility to deliver unmanned detection and rescue services.

It is designed for the complex terrain of a post-earthquake landscape, the insides of vulnerable debris buildings, tunnel traffic accidents, as well as in toxic, hypoxia and high-density smoke environments created by chemical pollution or a disaster event.

The robot can go deep into post-disaster outdoor and indoor high-risk areas where it can traverse over ruins, piles of rubble, stairwells and other unstructured pathways; it can also step over 20cm high obstacles and stairs, and climb on 35-degree slopes.

With the ability to move freely in all directions and manoeuvre within a small contact area, the robot dog can reduce the occurrence of secondary accidents.

The IP66 industrial-grade protection ensures the four-legged robot can complete detection tasks in extreme weather conditions including heavy downpours, sand and dust storms, frigid temperatures, and hail.

The maximum payload of 85kg gives the dog the ability to carry oxygen bottles and other rescue supplies to disaster sites, facilitating provision of assistance to stranded victims and rescuers.

Integrated application modules include a long-distance communication system, bi-spectrum PTZ camera, gas sensing equipment, omnidirectional camera, and a pickup. The robot includes long-distance control and images transmission, heat source tracking, real-time detection of harmful gases and rescue calls, among other functions. Moreover, it is available with an optional rotating laser scanner, which can obtain high-precision point cloud data from indoor and outdoor disaster and accident sites, providing information for post-disaster data analysis.

Deep Robotics builds quadruped robots in Asia, and its proprietary self-developed Jueying series of robots have found applications across a wide range of scenarios, including inspection of high-voltage power plants, surveying dangerous terrains and hazard detection.