Firefighting robots must be developed responsibly
As robotics advances in the field of emergency response, firefighting robots – or 'firebots' – offer promising improvements in safety and operational efficiency. However, to ensure these technologies truly benefit society, non-technological factors must be considered from the outset.
In a new commentary published in Nature Machine Intelligence, Benjamin R. van Manen and Merlijn Smits from the Academy of Life Science, Engineering & Design at Saxion University of Applied Sciences (Enschede, The Netherlands), and Eduard Fosch-Villaronga from eLaw – Center for Law and Digital Technologies, argue for a holistic framework in designing firebots responsibly.
They emphasise that firefighting is a complex, high-stakes profession where experienced crews rely heavily on intuition, teamwork, and situational awareness. Understandably, many firefighters are sceptical of new technologies. Without thoughtful integration, robotic systems may disrupt rather than assist critical workflows.
To prevent this, the authors argue that a responsible design framework is needed – one that incorporates societal, ethical, and legal considerations alongside technical innovation. Such an approach aligns with firefighters’ values and decision-making processes, helping ensure new tools are trustworthy, effective, and welcomed by the professionals who rely on them.
The authors’ call for responsible innovation is rooted in real-world concerns and aims to inspire developers, researchers, and policymakers to embed these principles into the very foundation of firefighting technology design.
Acknowledgements
This work is funded by the Rots in de Brand project, which has received funding from Regieorgaan SIA’s RAAK-Publiek programme (grant agreement no. RAAK.PUB09.032), and by the Safe and Sound project, which has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon-ERC programme (grant agreement no. 101076929).
We encourage you to read the full open-access commentary on the websit of Nature Machine Intelligence.