This robot can be considered as a new tool that will contribute directly to reducing the risk for people operating in proximity to active volcanic vents. Moreover this robot will have a relevant impact on the mitigation of the volcanic risk both in general since it will contribute to improving knowledge about volcanic phenomena and particularly because it will be integrated in the volcanic surveillance system to be used when the approach to active vents becomes too dangerous for human live but information is vital for a correct forecast of dangerous eruptions. For instance, during long-lived volcanic eruptions like large dome inflation the evaluation of the lava dome stability will significantly improve the forecasting of dome failures and pyroclastic-flow forming eruptions.
The robot activity will contribute to an integrated risk management system by means of the updating, using GIS, of areas potentially threatened by catastrophic eruptions with geographical information about the volcanic products dispersion and volcanic hazard assessments to obtain an almost real-time early warning and to inform Civil Protection authorities about dangerous volcanic eruptions approaching.
