SAR4.0 - Leapfrogging to a New Paradigm in Cooperative Human-Robot Cyber-physical Systems for Search and Rescue

 

Project Info

• Title: "SAR 4.0:  Leapfrogging to a New Paradigm in Cooperative Human-Robot Cyber-physical Systems for Search and Rescue ".
• Reference: PID2021-122944OB-I00. Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación. Proyectos de Generación del Conocimiento 2021.
• Principal Investigators: Alfonso José García Cerezo y Antonio Mandow Andaluz
• Universidad de Málaga, Institute for Mechatronics Engineering and Cyber-Physical Systems (IMECH.UMA).
• January 2022-December 2024.

Disaster robotics, such unmanned aerial (UAV) and ground (UGV) vehicles, are increasingly being considered as trustworthy technological aids in search and rescue (SAR) missions.  At this point, a paradigm shift of disaster robotics towards data-driven distributed cyber-physical systems, in line with the principles of Industry 4.0, is crucial for providing rescuers with a comprehensive perception of disaster scenarios, their surroundings, the understanding of their meaning, and a projection of their evolution in the immediate future. 

The mission of the SAR4.0 project is to develop new collaborative SAR support technology where heterogeneous robotic teams, sensor networks, communication systems and deployed artificial intelligence (AI) produce seamless, transparent, fluid, and adaptive support to the responders with the ultimate goals of optimizing SAR efficiency and minimizing mission-associated risks.  The early adoption of cutting-edge advances in AI and communications -like the Internet of robotic things (IoRT), multi-access edge computing (MEC), ad hoc networks, and pervasive sensing- is decisive for achieving interconnectivity of heterogeneous systems, real-time coordination of robot and human teams, timely interpretation of massive multi-modal data, and adaptability to diverse environments and sorts of natural and human-made disasters.

The development of SAR4.0 will provide comprehensive contributions to five major research challenges imposed by the demanding environmental conditions of disaster scenarios for human-robot cooperation: 1) Developing specific interoperatibility requirements will increase adaptability to specific SAR mission specifications, reduce integration risks and implementation time, favor rapid deployment, and reduce complexity for all actors (from end-users to maintenance teams). 2) The definition of an IoRT distributed architecture will provide a framework to integrate all the elements in a SAR mission, including heterogeneous mobile robots (UGVs and UAVs), wireless sensor networks, and remote (i.e., edge, and/or cloud) computing based on either commercial or ad hoc communication networks. Third, achieving a smart space with ambient intelligence in a disaster scenario will involve a deployable hybrid sensor network consisting of fixed and mobile nodes, special mechanisms for sensor deployment, telepresence, multi-modal object recognition for victim detection and scene understanding, sensors for victim monitorization and diagnosis, and wearable biometric sensors for monitoring responder stress levels and activity. 4) Novel robot intelligence methods for SAR will include a strategic mission control system, trajectory planning algorithms for realistic environmental conditions, strategies for flock or swarm of heterogeneous robots, and collaborative 3D localization and mapping.  5) The implementation of the SAR4.0 system will be tested and validated in realistic field exercises with professional rescue teams, providing valuable applicability insights, open datasets for the international disaster robotics community, and dissemination opportunities towards emergency response stakeholders.

 

> Video Gallery

> Public Datasets & Open-Source Software 

> Collaborations and agreements with other research institutions

> Internationalization activities

> Publications

 

Video Gallery

For more videos, visit the UMA Robotics & Mechatronics YouTube Channel.

• Resumen de ejercicios con intervinientes en las JEMERG 2024:

• Evacuación cooperativa de víctimas en ejercicio con intervinientes:

• Monitorización de las señales biológicas de primeros intervinientes en escenarios SAR:

• Sistema de posicionamiento en tiempo real basado 802.11mc para robótica de emergencias:

• Autonomous Wristband Placement in a Moving Hand for victims in SARS with a Mobile Manipulator:

 

Public Datasets & Open-Source Software

• NEGS-UGV Natural Environments Dataset – Synthetic dataset generated in Gazebo using a Husky UGV equipped with 3D LiDAR, stereo camera, GNSS, IMU, and wheel tachometers. Includes labeled LiDAR and image data, 3D pose ground-truth, and ROS bag files. Useful for supervised learning and benchmarking in natural terrain navigation. Simulation code is also publicly available. Full description: https://doi.org/10.3390/s22155599
• ROUD Positioning System – Open-source multilateration toolkit for Remote, Outdoor, Unstructured, and Disaster (ROUD) scenarios. Includes code, dataset, demonstration video, and a Docker container enabling reproducible real-time positioning with automated execution and graphical result visualization. Full description:  https://doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2025.3570203 
• Crazyflie Flight Dataset – Trajectory data from drone experiments (circle and figure-eight) using Crazyflie 2.1 and OptiTrack. Includes planned and recorded flights with position, velocity, and acceleration. Used to evaluate time-optimal trajectory planning with bang-bang acceleration and polynomial tracking. Full description: https://doi.org/10.1002/aisy.202400363 
  
• UMA-ROS2-Android (UR2A) – Open-source Android app that runs ROS 2 nodes on smartphones, transmitting sensor data (position, orientation, battery, images) and receiving remote commands. Designed for edge-cloud architectures, it has been validated in real-time UAV positioning scenarios. Full description: https://www.doi.org/10.17979/ja-cea.2024.45.10896 
• DEM-AIA Planner – Open-source MATLAB implementation of the DEM-based Asymmetric Inclination-Aware (DEM-AIA) trajectory planner for ground vehicles. Includes compiled MEX files, synthetic and real-world DEMs, and a test script. The planner accounts for pitch and roll to generate time-efficient, stable paths over uneven terrain using an any-angle A* variant with velocity constraints. Full description: https://www.doi.org/10.1016/j.engappai.2023.105976
  
• Dynamic Entropy Exploration – Open-source package for autonomous exploration in disaster scenarios using entropy-based frontier evaluation. Includes setup and exploration nodes for two simulated environments. Sensor-independent and map-flexible, the method improves mapping efficiency and information gain. Full description: https://www.doi.org/10.4995/riai.2023.18740
  
• Forearm Tactile-Kinesthetic Dataset – Open-source dataset of haptic interactions along a human forearm, collected with a robotic gripper for physical human–robot interaction (pHRI) research. Includes tactile and kinesthetic data from 13 grasp locations (wrist to elbow) using a squeeze-and-release procedure. Full description: https://www.doi.org/10.3390/s23063239 
  

 

 

Collaborations and agreements with other research institutions

Collaborations with international and national research groups directly related with the project.

 INTERNATIONAL

NATIONAL

 

Internationalization activities and collaborations related with the project.  

 

Publications

Journal Articles

Bravo-Arrabal J., Simón Álvarez-Merino C., Toscano-Moreno M., Serón-Barba J., Fernandez-Lozano J.J., Antonio Gómez-Ruiz J., Khatib E.J., Barco R., Garcia-Cerezo A.
Real-Time FTM-Based Victim Positioning System Using Heterogeneous Robots in Remote and Outdoor Scenarios
(2025) IEEE Access, 13, pp. 86949 - 86967. Open Access.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2025.3570203 
GREEN OPEN ACCESS (Institutional repository): https://hdl.handle.net/10630/39238 

Lin-Yang D.-H., Pastor F., García-Cerezo A.J.
Low Computational Cost for Multiple Waypoints Trajectory Planning: A Time-Optimal-Based Approach
(2025) Advanced Intelligent Systems, 7 (1), art. no. 2400363.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/aisy.202400363 
GREEN OPEN ACCESS (Institutional repository): https://hdl.handle.net/10630/35161

Rodríguez-Abreo O., Aviles M., Rodríguez-Reséndiz J., García-Cerezo A.
Neural networks and genetic algorithms-based self-adjustment system for a backstepping controller of an unmanned aerial vehicle
(2025) Alexandria Engineering Journal, 126, pp. 70 - 80. Open Access.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aej.2025.04.034 
GREEN OPEN ACCESS (Institutional repository):

dahmad H.A., Ayad H., Cerezo A.G., mousannif H.
IT-2 Fuzzy Control and Behavioral Approach Navigation System for Holonomic 4WD/4WS Agricultural Robot
(2024) International Journal of Computers, Communications and Control, 19 (3), art. no. 6420. Open Access.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.15837/ijccc.2024.3.6420 
GREEN OPEN ACCESS (Institutional repository):

Toscano-Moreno, M.; Mandow, A.; Martínez, M.A.; García-Cerezo, A.J.
SPIN-Based Linear Temporal Logic Path Planning for Ground Vehicle Missions with Motion Constraints on Digital Elevation Models. 
(2024) Sensors, 24, 5166. 
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/s24165166
GREEN OPEN ACCESS (Institutional repository): https://riuma.uma.es/xmlui/handle/10630/37354

Rodríguez-Abreo O., Rodríguez-Reséndiz J., García-Cerezo A., García-Martínez J.R.
Fuzzy logic controller for UAV with gains optimized via genetic algorithm
(2024) Heliyon, 10 (4), art. no. e26363. Open Access.
DOI: https://www.doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e26363 
GREEN OPEN ACCESS (Institutional repository):

Sánchez M., Morales J., Martínez J.L.
Waypoint Generation in Satellite Images Based on a CNN for Outdoor UGV Navigation
(2023) Machines, 11 (8), art. no. 807. Open Access.
DOI: https://www.doi.org/10.3390/machines1108080 
GREEN OPEN ACCESS (Institutional repository): https://hdl.handle.net/10630/29457

Castellano-Quero M., Castillo-López M., Fernández-Madrigal J.-A., Arévalo-Espejo V., Voos H., García-Cerezo, A. 
A multidimensional Bayesian architecture for real-time anomaly detection and recovery in mobile robot sensory systems. 
(2023) Engineering Applications of Artificial Intelligence, 125, art. no. 106673. Open Access.
DOI: https://www.doi.org/10.1016/j.engappai.2023.106673
GREEN OPEN ACCESS (Institutional repository): https://hdl.handle.net/10630/27336

Toscano-Moreno, M., Mandow, A., Martínez, M.A., García-Cerezo, A.
DEM-AIA: Asymmetric inclination-aware trajectory planner for off-road vehicles with digital elevation models
(2023) Engineering Applications of Artificial Intelligence, 121, art. no. 105976. Open Access.
DOI: https://www.doi.org/10.1016/j.engappai.2023.105976
GREEN OPEN ACCESS (Institutional repository):  https://hdl.handle.net/10630/26534

Sánchez, M., Morales, J., Martínez, J.L.
Reinforcement and Curriculum Learning for Off-Road Navigation of an UGV with a 3D LiDAR
(2023) Sensors, 23 (6), art. no. 3239. Open Access
DOI: https://www.doi.org/10.3390/s23063239 
GREEN OPEN ACCESS (Institutional repository): https://hdl.handle.net/10630/26864

Godoy-Calvo, J., Lin-Yang, D., Vázquez-Martín, R., García-Cerezo, A.
Dynamic entropy-based method for exploring frontiers in unknown environments [Exploración dinámica de fronteras en entornos desconocidos basada en la entropía]. 
(2023) RIAI - Revista Iberoamericana de Automatica e Informatica Industrial, 20 (2), pp. 213-223. Open Access
DOI: https://www.doi.org/10.4995/riai.2023.18740

Martinez, J.L., Morales, J., Garcia, J.M., Garcia-Cerezo, A.
Analysis of Tread ICRs for Wheeled Skid-Steer Vehicles on Inclined Terrain
(2023) IEEE Access, 11, pp. 547-555. Open Access.
DOI: https://www.doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2022.3232954
GREEN OPEN ACCESS (Institutional repository): https://hdl.handle.net/10630/29460

Vera-Ortega, P., Vázquez-Martín, R., Fernandez-Lozano, J.J., García-Cerezo, A., Mandow, A.
Enabling Remote Responder Bio-Signal Monitoring in a Cooperative Human–Robot Architecture for Search and Rescue
(2023) Sensors, 23 (1), art. no. 49. Open Access.
DOI: https://www.doi.org/10.3390/s23010049
GREEN OPEN ACCESS (Institutional repository): https://hdl.handle.net/10630/25943

Pastor, F., Lin-Yang, D.-H., Gómez-de-Gabriel, J.M., García-Cerezo, A.J.
Dataset with Tactile and Kinesthetic Information from a Human Forearm and Its Application to Deep Learning
(2022) Sensors, 22 (22), art. no. 8752. Open Access.
DOI: https://www.doi.org/10.3390/s22228752
GREEN OPEN ACCESS (Institutional repository): https://hdl.handle.net/10630/25906

Pastor, F., Ruiz-Ruiz, F.J., Gomez-De-Gabriel, J.M., Garcia-Cerezo, A.J. 
Autonomous Wristband Placement in a Moving Hand for Victims in Search and Rescue Scenarios With a Mobile Manipulator   
(2022) IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters, 7, (4), pp. 11871-11878, 
DOI: https://www.doi.org/10.1109/LRA.2022.3208349 
GREEN OPEN ACCESS (Institutional repository): https://hdl.handle.net/10630/26836 

Sánchez, M., Morales, J., Martínez, J.L., Fernández-Lozano, J.J., García-Cerezo, A.
Automatically Annotated Dataset of a Ground Mobile Robot in Natural Environments via Gazebo Simulations
(2022) Sensors, 22 (15), art. no. 5599. Open Access.
DOI: https://www.doi.org/10.3390/s22155599 
GREEN OPEN ACCESS (Institutional repository): https://hdl.handle.net/10630/29495

Cantizani-Estepa, J., Bravo-Arrabal, J., Fernández-Lozano, J.J., Fortes, S., Barco, R., García-Cerezo, A., Mandow, A.
Bluetooth Low Energy for Close Detection in Search and Rescue Missions with Robotic Platforms: An Experimental Evaluation
(2022) IEEE Access, 10, pp. 106169-106179. Open Access.
DOI: https://www.doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2022.3204272 
GREEN OPEN ACCESS (Institutional repository): https://hdl.handle.net/10630/36604

Driscoll L., de la Torre S., Gomez-Ruiz J.A.
Feature-based lithium-ion battery state of health estimation with artificial neural networks
(2022) Journal of Energy Storage, 50, art. no. 104584
DOI: https://www.doi.org/10.1016/j.est.2022.104584 
GREEN OPEN ACCESS (Institutional repository): https://hdl.handle.net/10630/24469

Bravo-Arrabal, J., Zambrana, P., Fernandez-Lozano, J.J., Gomez-Ruiz, J.A., Barba, J.S., Garcia-Cerezo, A.
Realistic Deployment of Hybrid Wireless Sensor Networks Based on ZigBee and LoRa for Search and Rescue Applications
(2022) IEEE Access, 10, pp. 64618-64637. Open Access.
DOI: https://www.doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2022.318313 
GREEN OPEN ACCESS (Institutional repository):  https://hdl.handle.net/10630/28716

 

Other Publications

Martínez J.L., Morales J., Sánchez M., Gárcia-Cerezo A.
ICR-based Kinematics for Wheeled Skid-Steer Vehicles on Firm Slopes
(2024) IEEE International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems, pp. 1322 - 1328, 
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.1109/IROS58592.2024.10801776
GREEN OPEN ACCESS (Institutional repository): https://hdl.handle.net/10630/36076

Ait Dahmad H., Ayad H., Cerezo A.G., Mousannif H.
Implementation of a Weed Detection System Based on YOLOv8-n
(2024) 2024 22nd International Conference on Research and Education in Mechatronics, REM 2024, pp. 302 - 306.
DOI: https://www.doi.org/10.1109/REM63063.2024.10735578 
GREEN OPEN ACCESS (Institutional repository):

M. Toscano-Moreno, M. Sánchez-Montero, J. A. García-Esteban, A. Mandow, J. Morales and A. Garcia-Cerezo
Integrating DEM Path Planning in the Navigation and Control System for UGVs in Rough Terrain: A Case Study on Multiple Victim Evacuation
2024 7th Iberian Robotics Conference (ROBOT), Madrid, Spain, 2024
DOI: 10.1109/ROBOT61475.2024.10796912 
GREEN OPEN ACCESS (Institutional repository): https://hdl.handle.net/10630/36837 (embargoed until Nov. 2026).

Córdoba Ramos, M., Bravo Arrabal, J., Fernandez Lozano, J.J., Mandow A., García Cerezo, A.
UR2A: comunicación bidireccional Android-ROS 2 para arquitecturas edge-cloud en sistemas robóticos conectados
(2024) Jornadas de Automática. Open Access.
DOI: https://www.doi.org/10.17979/ja-cea.2024.45.10896 
GREEN OPEN ACCESS (Institutional repository):  https://hdl.handle.net/10630/39018

Vera Ortega, P.J., Vázquez Martín, R., Mandow, A., García Cerezo, A.
Bioseñales en entornos laborales y su aplicación en primeros intervinientes
(2024) Jornadas de Automática. Open Access.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.17979/ja-cea.2024.45.10841 
GREEN OPEN ACCESS (Institutional repository):

Padial Allue, D., Serón Barba, J., Vázquez Martín, R., García Cerezo, A.
Diseño de robot móvil con tracción independiente para rescate
(2024) Jornadas de Automática. Open Access.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.17979/ja-cea.2024.45.10926 
GREEN OPEN ACCESS (Institutional repository):

Salas-Espinales A., Vazquez-Martin R., Garcia-Cerezo A., Mandow A.
SAR Nets: An Evaluation of Semantic Segmentation Networks with Attention Mechanisms for Search and Rescue Scenes
(2023) Proceedings of the 2023 IEEE International Symposium on Safety, Security, and Rescue Robotics, SSRR 2023, pp. 139 - 144
DOI: https://www.doi.org/10.1109/SSRR59696.2023.10499929 
GREEN OPEN ACCESS (Institutional repository): https://hdl.handle.net/10630/28175

Bravo-Arrabal, Juan, Alvarez-Merino, C.S., Fernandez-Lozano, J.J., Gomez-Ruiz, Jose Antonio, Mandow, Anthony, Barco, Raquel, and Garcia-Cerezo, Alfonso
Field Report on Experimental Comparison of a WiFi Mesh Network Against Commercial 5G in an Underground Disaster Environment
(2023) Proceedings of the 2023 IEEE International Symposium on Safety, Security, and Rescue Robotics, SSRR 2023, pp. 186-192
DOI: https://www.doi.org/10.1109/SSRR59696.2023.10499931 
GREEN OPEN ACCESS (Institutional repository): https://hdl.handle.net/10630/30752

Salas-Espinales A., Vélez-Chávez E., Vázquez-Martín R., García-Cerezo A., Mandow A.
U-Net/ResNet-50 Network with Transfer Learning for Semantic Segmentation in Search and Rescue
(2024) Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems, 978 LNNS, pp. 244 - 255
DOI: https://www.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-59167-9_21 
GREEN OPEN ACCESS (Institutional repository): https://hdl.handle.net/10630/36759

Sánchez-Montero M., Toscano-Moreno M., Bravo-Arrabal J., Serón Barba J., Vera-Ortega P., Vázquez-Martín R., Fernandez-Lozano J.J., Mandow A., García-Cerezo A.
Remote Planning and Operation of a UGV Through ROS and Commercial Mobile Networks
(2023) Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems, 589 LNNS, pp. 271 - 282
DOI: https://www.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-21065-5_23 
GREEN OPEN ACCESS (Institutional repository): https://hdl.handle.net/10630/32480

Fernández Lozano, J.J., Mandow, A., Miranda Páez, J., Trillo Legaz, J., Ravina Vergara, J. M., García Cerezo, A.J.
Diseñar lo inesperado: experiencias en la realización de experimentos de campo realistas en robótica para emergencias.
(2023) Jornadas Nacionales de Robótica y Bioingeniería 2023, pp. 41-48. Open Access.
https://doi.org/10.20868/UPM.book.74896 
GREEN OPEN ACCESS (Institutional repository):

Toscano-Moreno, M., Bravo-Arrabal, J., Sanchez-Montero, M., Barba, J.S., Vazquez-Martin, R., Fernandez-Lozano, J.J., Mandow, A., Garcia-Cerezo, A.
Integrating ROS and Android for Rescuers in a Cloud Robotics Architecture: Application to a Casualty Evacuation Exercise
(2022) SSRR 2022 - IEEE International Symposium on Safety, Security, and Rescue Robotics, pp. 270-276.
DOI: https://www.doi.org/10.1109/SSRR56537.2022.10018629 
GREEN OPEN ACCESS (Institutional repository): https://hdl.handle.net/10630/25672

González Centeno, A., Vázquez-Martín, R., Mandow, A., García-Cerezo, A., 
Detección de partes del cuerpo en imágenes multimodales de búsqueda y rescate.
(2022) Jornadas de Robótica, Educación y Bioingeniería 2022, Málaga, pp. 161-168. Open Access.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.20868/UPM.book.74896 (libro).
GREEN OPEN ACCESS (Institutional repository): https://hdl.handle.net/10630/32455