Rescue robots for casualty extraction: a comprehensive review
File(s)
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
The development of robotic systems for search and rescue (SAR) operations holds great potential in reducing risks to rescue workers and enhancing the likelihood of successful rescue operations. Although many studies have been conducted on search and rescue robotics, more emphasis should be placed on developing rescue robots, especially those intended for physical rescue interventions, such as loading and transporting injured individuals (i.e., casualties) to a secure area—the process known as casualty extraction. The enabling technologies for such robots remain challenging due to the complexity of the tasks, significantly high safety considerations, and strict standards—since the robots are designed to interact with casualties physically. In addition to academic institutions, most research and technical implementations of state-of-the-art casualty extraction robots are carried out by military organisations. This paper presents a comprehensive review of the current state of the art in developing mobile rescue robots for casualty extraction. The existing casualty extraction robot proposals publicly available in the literature are discussed and evaluated in terms of their design and morphology. Moreover, this review details the proposed casualty extraction procedure that corresponds to the robot designs, the operation method, and the levels of autonomy of these robots. The existing state-of-the-art technologies are discussed and compared to evaluate the pros and cons of each system, providing a guideline for further research into areas where more effort could be applied. Based on the review and evaluation of the existing state-of-the-art, we identify critical research gaps that require further investigation to enhance the current state of the art and facilitate long-term development in rescue robotics research.
Date Issued
2025-12-15
Date Acceptance
2025-10-13
Citation
IEEE Access, 2025, 13
ISSN
2169-3536
Publisher
IEEE
Journal / Book Title
IEEE Access
Volume
13
Copyright Statement
© 2025 The Authors. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License. For more information, see https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
License URL
Publication Status
Published
Date Publish Online
2025-11-26