Robot drones are usually associated with scary stuff, like wars and overthrowing the human race, but it turns out they can also do incredibly useful stuff, like save puppies! That makes them totally alright in my book.
In Lucknow, India, a 27-year-old engineer spotted a puppy stuck in a nearby storm drain while he was out for his morning walk. He rushed back to his lab, built a drone suitable for the job, and went back to the puppy six hours later for the rescue mission.
Why not just go rescue the puppy himself? Unfortunately, the poor, adorable pup was trapped in a drain that was "so filthy, it was like a bog," Milind Raj, the engineer-turned-puppy-hero, told NDTV. "It was not possible for a human to rescue the puppy without endangering their own life, so I decided to put technology to the task."
Raj said he "knew it would be risky, but it may work."
Robots to the rescue! Or more specifically, an AI-controlled robotic arm attached to a giant drone to the rescue. Whoa.
Raj said he "decided to use the AI-controlled robotic arm because it has a smart heartbeat sensor." The sensor detects an animal's location, then lifts them to safety without hurting them.
The AI also "helped me monitor the animal's heart rate," Raj explained. "If the grip was too tight, the pup would suffocate."
It worked like a charm. After the rescue, the puppy vomited plastic debris from the drain, but he was alive and safe.
Raj nursed him back to health and adopted him as his very own doggo. The puppy's new name? Lifted.
