In the wake of the devastating 7.8-magnitude earthquake that struck Syria and Türkiye two years ago, efforts to enhance disaster resilience have intensified through the application of Artificial Intelligence and robotics. A collaborative grant initiative by NVIDIA and the Bridge to Türkiye Fund distributed 100 Jetson Nano Developer Kits and significant funding to eight awardees, empowering researchers and students to build sophisticated solutions for disaster preparedness and response.
Projects stemming from the grant include the development of modular unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) at Ankara University, equipped with thermal and RGB-D cameras and powered by the Jetson Nano. These UGVs can scan disaster sites in 3D and detect survivors using onboard Artificial Intelligence in hazardous environments, enabling safer and more efficient search-and-rescue missions. Hacettepe University’s integration of Jetson Nano-based robotics into its curriculum has enabled students to design and deploy “Duckiebots” powered by simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM), critical for navigating chaotic post-disaster environments and supporting autonomous rescue operations.
Elsewhere, Bilkent University deployed a portable mini supercomputer cluster utilizing Jetson Nano devices to carry out real-time metagenomic analysis of water and food sources directly in affected areas. Using the open-source CuCLARK library and GPU acceleration, researchers can now rapidly screen for pathogens on site, preventing secondary disease outbreaks in the aftermath of natural disasters. At the Izmir Institute of Technology, nearly 80 undergraduates have been introduced to foundational concepts in Artificial Intelligence, accelerated computing, and robotics through hands-on curriculum enhancements leveraging the NVIDIA grant, equipping a new generation to advance life-saving technologies. These combined educational and technological interventions are strengthening Türkiye’s capacity to mitigate future disaster impacts, cultivate local expertise, and potentially save countless lives.
