When an intense fire broke out underneath the Daniel Carter Beard Bridge , it gave Ohio Department of Transportation officials a reason to break out new technology: a robotic dog used to assess the damage.
The robodog, Brutus, was brought in to determine the extent of the damage in areas where it was unsafe for crews and difficult for flying drones to assess, ODOT spokesperson Breanna Badanes said in a statement.
This is the department’s first use of such technology, being tested in cooperation with the University of Cincinnati. Badanes said it is part of a research project investigating the use of robotic assistance for drone operations and infrastructure maintenance.
The bridge, which crosses over the Ohio River connecting Cincinnati to Northern Kentucky, was damaged by a fire that started underneath it early on Friday, Nov. 1.
The fire spread to the overpass, severely damaging the southbound supporting girders, bridge deck and support structures.
Both sides of Interstate 471 were initially shut down as a result. The northbound side, however, was reopened Friday night while the southbound side remains closed.