It’s a bird, it’s a plane… no, it’s a Squishy Robot, dropped from a helicopter or a drone to transmit crucial environmental data to emergency responders at disaster scenes.

In recent weeks, a number of communities across San Diego County in southern California have been affected by extensive wildfire activity that has scorched more than 9,000 acres and burned at least 30 homes, according to news reports. In some areas, thousands of people have been ordered to evacuate their homes.