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RedZone's Origins | 21st Century Robotics

RedZone's Origins

Since 1987, RedZone Robotics, Inc., a spin-off from Carnegie Mellon University, has been the premier developer of robotic equipment for hazardous environments. Prior to 2003, we operated as an engineering research and development organization designing technologically-advanced robots for hazardous and extremely inhospitable work environments. For example, RedZone developed robots that provided inspection and sampling capabilities in response to the Chernobyl and Three Mile Island nuclear facility accidents.

When others were only dreaming of robotic technology, RedZone was filling a demand for real-world field robotic systems. In the 1980's, it was predicted that robotics would revolutionize almost every aspect of life. We know now that this was a premature prediction due to the inability to integrate existing robotics technology into society. Robots were mainly left to university research laboratories and monotonous assembly line manufacturing operations.

To fill this gap between capability and market need, RedZone's founders dedicated their efforts to designing and building robots for specific programs sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy (DoE) and Department of Defense (DoD). For example, RedZone's robots were instrumental in the Nine Mile Point Nuclear Station clean up, and the remediation and closure of underground nuclear waste storage tanks at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. (For more detailed information, go to Custom Works).

Throughout RedZone Robotics' long history, we have developed unparalleled technical expertise and field experience using remotely-operated mobile work platforms in the areas of cleaning, inspecting, cutting, paint stripping, material handling and demolition. Over the past 15 years we have designed and delivered more than 40 successful mobile robotic technology efforts.

21st Century Robotics

Today, robotic technologies and market opportunities are intersecting, and we are sharing our expertise with new customers and developing applications for several industries.

According to a report issued by Robotics Trends in 2004, the United Nations Economic Commission (UNEC) and International Federation of Robotics (IFR) estimate that the personal and service robotics market will roughly double between 2002 and 2005, reaching $5.2B in 2005. The number of personal and service robots sold is expected to increase ten fold between 2002 and 2005 according to the UNEC and IFR.

The service robotics market includes RedZone's technology applications, and is defined by Robotics Trends as semi- or fully autonomous mobile robots that assist humans, service equipment and perform other autonomous functions, have applications in almost every industry - anywhere where work is repetitive, requires continuously high levels of concentration, is physically demanding or takes place in dangerous environments.

RedZone is poised to take advantage of these market projections by designing, manufacturing and delivering innovative, semi-automated solutions that provide a more simply operated, more powerful, and more cost-effective method of inspecting sewer and water pipes.

RedZone's patent-pending technology leverages our robotics and engineering expertise as well as our relentless focus on our customers' challenges and needs, and is the first commercial application of sensor-fusion technologies that utilize multiple sensor inputs to enact action.