Watch: US navy unveils its firefighter robot

Navy scientists unveiled details of a prototype firefighting robot Wednesday that researchers say could one day help diagnose and prevent safety hazards at sea. The Shipboard Autonomous Firefighting Robot, or SAFFiR, was developed by robotics experts at Virginia Tech. With two legs, and measuring five feet, ten inches tall, SAFFiR can maneuver in complex spaces intended for humans. In a demonstration video released Wednesday, the robot is seen walking, albeit slowly, toward a fire in a room, and using a fire hose to put out the flames. The robot is equipped with a variety of lasers and detection equipment to navigate spaces and identify smoke. For now, SAFFiR is operated by a human at a console, but the goal is to develop artificial intelligence so it can work on its own.