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Chelmsford Company Sends Specialized Robot To Help Look For Survivors In Florida Condo Collapse

CHELMSFORD (CBS) -- A Chelmsford technology company is sending one of its specialized robots to Florida to help in the search for survivors in the Surfside, Florida condo collapse.

Teledyne FLIR's FirstLook robot is remote-controlled and can search virtually any terrain, the company says. The robot serves as a set of eyes that can move into spaces first responders may not be able to get to.

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FLIR's FirstLook robot (Photo Credit: FLIR)

"It's equipped with multiple cameras and can get into small spaces. So in a collapse like this where there are a lot of small voids, it could be of assistance, so what we are doing is sending it down so it is at the ready," explained

Similar robots were used at the World Trade Center following the 9/11 attacks.

They weighed about 50 pounds then; now they weigh just five pounds.

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