Scientists who are training rats to save people from the debris of a building after an earthquake have shared updates on the project. Scientists from Eindhoven University of Technology are training mice to locate a survivor in a simulated room, pull a switch on their vest to trigger a beep, and then return to the base where they were rewarded with a delicious treat, according to a report in CNN. The project, the brainchild of the Belgian non-profit organization APOPO, also involves the use of backpacks.
The backpack will be equipped with a video camera, two-way microphone and locator transmitter to help first responders contact survivors. CNN the report adds.
The rodents’ small size, excellent sense of smell and adventurous spirit make them the perfect animals to help in such disasters, the researchers say.
“Rats are usually quite curious and love to explore – and that’s key to search and rescue,” said Donna Kean, a behavioral scientist and team leader of the project. CNN.
The researchers began working on the search and rescue project in April 2021 after the GEA approached APOPO about the possibility of using mice in such missions.
The training is taking place in Tanzania, where Ms. Kean is increasing the complexity of the training environment. She wanted to “make it look like what they might encounter in real life”, according to CNN.
To make it close to reality, the trainers added industrial sounds like drills. And, according to Ms. Kean, early results are promising. She added that rats are exposed to a variety of sounds, lights and environments since birth, and this “living process” is proving helpful.
A few months ago, she said that the team was planning to train 170 mice and that they would be sent to Turkey, which is prone to earthquakes, to work with a search and rescue team. .
