TAMPA, Fla. - Researchers at the University of South Florida are teaching robots to "speak" visually, a breakthrough that could change how emergency crews communicate when traditional systems fail.

What we know:

Inside the Bellini College’s RARE lab, students and faculty are creating a "Unified Augmented Reality" model that allows robots to project visual signals or images onto their surroundings.

Assistant Professor Dr. Zhao Han, who leads the project, says the system is designed for situations where noise, debris, or signal loss makes normal communication impossible. "If you speak loudly, people still can’t hear you," Dr. Han explained, "If you use wireless signals, those connections may be blocked."

The backstory:

The RARE lab team is programming four robots, including a drone,

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