Varanasi student develops robot to help police to crack down on lockdown violators

In a breakthrough invention, a student in Varanasi has reportedly designed an ‘anti-COVID-19 robot’ to assist the security forces to crack down those who violate the lockdown measures. A third-year student of mechanical engineering at the Ashoka Institute in Varanasi, Vishal Patel, constructed the robot under the supervision of his senior Shyam Chaurasia to assist the police in carrying out their duties in the frontline without the risk of exposure to the coronavirus.  

According to reports, the robot can operate on the water as well as rough surfaces and would assist the security personnel to crack down those who flout the social distancing norms. From the police check posts, the device can function with ace technology fitted with a moving camera, remote, and with the help of the Internet. The machine also comes with a feature of two-way calling. Therefore, operating with the advanced technology robots would reduce the risk for the police who come in contact with the crowd and individuals defying health safety protocols on a day-to-day basis.

Mahadev Pandey, in-charge and scientific officer of Gorakhpur Planetarium reportedly said that out of several types of the robots being developed in the nation, this robot specifically can function in remote areas and the rugged surfaces. The wheels are designed to run on the bumpy roads in the countryside without obstacles, he added.  

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COBOT-Robotics for food

Earlier, Jharkhand reportedly deployed the robots to serve food and give medicine to COVID-19 patients in two hospitals in Jharkhand's West Singhbhum district, in a step to protect doctors and health workers from getting infected with the coronavirus. Developed by District Deputy Development Commissioner (DDC) Aditya Ranjan, the remote-controlled robots termed as the COBOT-Robotics were used to provide food and medicine to patients without human or the healthcare workers’ intervention, according to an official release. 

India extended the lockdown until May 17 to stem the impact of the novel coronavirus as the country witnessed over 2,958 new cases in the last 24 hours, as per reports. The administrations have prohibited all non-essential movements as the cases spiked to 49,391 as per the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). The police and the security personnel have been on duty to ensure the safety norms were adhered to while battling the risk of exposure to the disease in the frontline. As of May 6, 1,694 deaths have been reported from the COVID-19. 

Read: From Drones For Sanitising To Robots In Isolation Wards: How India Is Fighting Coronavirus

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