It is part of the technologies used by the park to monitor areas and manage site and worker safety.
To protect its site, the Pompeii Archaeological Park relies on Spot, the quadruped robot designed by Boston Dynamics. Capable of safely inspecting the smallest spaces, collecting and recording data, he will monitor the ancient city day and night, in particular to fight once morest looting. “Often the security conditions in the tunnels dug by grave robbers are extremely precarious, so the use of a robot might mean a breakthrough that would allow us to proceed with greater speed and safety”stated Gabriel Zuchtriegel, Director General of the Archaeological Site of Pompeii, in a communicated.
Currently being tested, the Spot robot was recently used to carry out a surveillance operation. During the first phase of experimentation, it was equipped with the Spot CAM+ sensor and the Leica BLKARC sensor, an autonomous laser scanning module for robots.
Use technologies to improve the management of the site
During this phase, the Boston Dynamics robot was used alongside the Leica BLK2FLY, a flying laser scanner capable of performing 3D scans autonomously. Both machines helped automate routine inspections and data collection. The archaeological site of Pompeii also works with several technological companies. “Thanks to the collaboration with high-tech companies and following these successful experiences, we want to test the use of these robots in the underground tunnels made by illegal excavators and that we discover in the Pompeii area, as in under a memorandum of understanding with the public prosecutor’s office of Torre Annunziata”explained Gabriel Zuchtriegel.
By using several technological solutions, the Park hopes to improve the quality of monitoring of existing areas, but also to deepen its knowledge of the progress of work in areas under restoration. This would manage the safety of the site, as well as that of the workers. The experiments carried out are indeed part of a larger project called Smart@POMPEI. It aims to make Pompeii a “Intelligent Archaeological Park”using new technologies to have a “intelligent, sustainable and inclusive management”.
The data collected by the Spot robot during its inspections will also feed intelligent data analysis platforms. They will also be useful for the study and planning of human interventions.