As CARMA enters its second year of implementation, I am pleased to observe the strong progress the project has achieved and the growing engagement of both the research community and operational stakeholders in our activities. Through the development and integration of advanced AI-driven and robotic technologies, CARMA contributes to a new operational paradigm for disaster...Read More

On 17 December, the CARMA consortium successfully held its P1 Review with the European Commission during a virtual review meeting. This important milestone provided an opportunity for the consortium to present the progress achieved during the first project period, engage in open and constructive exchanges with the European Commission and the appointed reviewers, and receive...Read More

In disaster zones—collapsed buildings, smoke-filled tunnels, tunnels flooded with debris—visibility is often the first thing to disappear. For unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) tasked with search and rescue (SAR), this is more than a mere inconvenience: it is a primary technological barrier. Cameras become blinded, LiDAR beams scatter, and human operators lose confidence in what the...Read More

A Glimpse into the Future of Crisis Management, where robots and humans work hand in hand  In challenging high-risk and low-visibility hazardous environments, every second counts to save lives and avoid risking first-responders ones. In these situations, a timely and accurate situational awareness is crucial to gain understanding of the incident and optimally handle available...Read More

From 29 to 31 October, the CARMA took part in the Stakeholder Assembly on the Future of Security Research (SSRR 2025), held in Brussels. This key European event brought together policymakers, researchers, practitioners, and industry representatives to discuss the future directions of security research and innovation in Europe. The discussions throughout the assembly highlighted the...Read More

CARMA participated in ADRF 2025, the AI, Data and Robotics Forum, held in Stavanger, Norway from September 23 to 24, where consortium partners represented the project and engaged with the international disaster response community. CARMA was represented by Ivana Kruijff-Korbayova (DRZ) and Nicholas Vretos (CERTH), who actively contributed to discussions on the future of robotics...Read More

In the critical moments following a disaster, every second is vital. But what happens when the environment is too dangerous for human first responders to enter? Imagine a world where a team of intelligent robots can navigate smoke-filled corridors, scan unstable structures, and locate victims, all while feeding real-time data back to a human-operated command...Read More

In disaster situations, first responders (FRs) are often forced into dangerous, unpredictable environments where visibility is low, structures are unstable, and time is critical. The CARMA project (Collaborative Autonomous Robots for eMergency Assistance) is addressing this challenge head-on by developing a new generation of smart robotic systems that can work in true symbiosis with humans. ...Read More

As technology becomes increasingly embedded in emergency response, robots are being used more frequently to support first responders on the front lines. However, the introduction of robots into emergency scenarios is not just about machines. It is also about changing how people work, make decisions, and follow procedures. There are different ways that robots can...Read More

From July 1st to 3rd, 2025, the CARMA consortium convened in Paris for its second General Assembly, graciously hosted by the Brigade de sapeurs-pompiers de Paris (BSPP). This pivotal meeting brought together all project partners for three days of collaboration, coordination, and strategic planning. With representation from every Work Package, the General Assembly provided a...Read More