Snake Robots for Search and Rescue: Lab Perfection vs. Expensive Reality

According to incomplete industry statistics, between 2023 and 2025, at least 27 companies and research institutions worldwide launched snake robot prototypes, claiming they were for post-disaster search and rescue. Of these, 12 prototypes achieved pass rates above 80% in lab tests with rubble piles, but only 3 have been deployed in actual disaster sites, and none successfully located survivors. The snake robot used in the Venezuela earthquake is reportedly the first ever to perform search and rescue in a real collapsed building—but the question remains: Do we really need a 3-meter-long mechanical snake weighing 15 kg, requiring two operators, with a battery life of only 25 minutes, to replace a well-trained search and rescue dog?