Scientists at the Moscow Institute of Technical Physics have created a robot equipped with a robotic arm to detect and remotely sense explosive materials.
The platform's operating principle is as follows: The operator directs the robot towards a suspicious object, and "Pulcan" takes a sample from its surface to analyze it immediately onboard using an ion motion spectrometer.
According to the project manager, Yulia Shaltaeva, the spectrometer is capable of detecting substances in the air, and if the substance is not highly volatile and does not reach the air, a sample is taken from the surface, thus keeping the explosives expert safe.
However, some explosive materials hardly evaporate and remain on the surface, and to detect them, remote sampling is crucial, and in that case, it is not necessary for the explosives specialist to get close to an object that may pose a danger.
The name "Pulcan" refers to service dogs that search for hazardous materials, and the current version, "Pulcan-0," is a demonstration model designed to showcase the system's operating principle. Scientists plan to have the pre-production version, "Pulcan-1," ready by the end of 2026, followed by a phase of testing and preparation for serial production and actual operation.
It is worth noting that expert Oleg Zarimba stated on August 2nd that the "Kourier" robot has been equipped with a laser for remote mine clearance. The laser burns the casing of the mine, bomb, or shell, incinerating the explosive material without detonating it. This method allows for the neutralization of dangerous objects without explosion at a distance of several hundred meters, significantly increasing the safety of explosives experts and reducing the risk of damage.
