Millions of visitors explore the historic city of Pompeii each year, which was devastated in 79 C.E. when Mount Vesuvius exploded. Archaeologists, historians, and citizens have recently protested about the historic site’s inadequate administration and preservation. Spot, a four-legged robotic “dog,” has been deployed at Pompeii to gather information on mechanical and security vulnerabilities in the archaeological remains. According to a declaration from the Archaeological Park of Pompeii, the robot is “useful in monitoring even the smallest of locations in reasonable safety, acquiring and recording information valuable for the planning and preparation of actions.”
Spot was created by Boston Dynamics, a firm that creates robots such as Atlas, a robotic exoskeleton that can navigate a gymnastics program. According to the company, the dog-like robot can attain speeds of up to three miles per hour, has 360-degree visibility to assist it to avoid collisions, and is dust and rain-resistant. “Today, a huge kudos to partnerships with high-tech organizations, and in the aftermath of these experimental procedures, we desire to evaluate the use of such robots in the underground passages drilled by unauthorized construction equipment that we are trying to uncover in the area around Pompeii,” Pompeii Director General Gabriel Zuchtriegel told reporters. Not only would the ruins require continuous supervision for varied incarnations of degradation, but it’s also been plagued by graverobbers who omit the boundary to access the site and instead dig long tunnels beneath Pompeii to excavate artifacts to advertise to the global archaeological artifacts market. Pompeii is a sensitive zone, and in 2013 UNESCO nearly positioned it on the list of “World Heritage Sites in Danger”.
Spot will be assisted at Pompeii by a hovering laser scanning capable of conducting independent 3-D inspections of the remains. The information gathered will not only enable researchers to investigate regions that are at a threat of catastrophic disintegration if mankind enters there, but it will also open up an investigation to archaeologists all over the world who can provide ideas digitally. The robot will monitor the zone for corrosion, damage, and theft, assisting archaeologists and security. Nowadays, Pompeii is among the most important archaeological destinations in the world, owing in large part to the superb restoration of numerous antique artifacts from the Roman Empire’s glory. Spot will monitor places that have been repaired and are available to the public, as well as areas where construction is still being done. Furthermore, he will seek tunnels made by raiders to infiltrate the location to obtain artifacts for auction.
