ITI Cuttack develops low cost robots with help SAK Robotics Lab to combat coronavirus

NEW DELHI: Joining the fight against Covid-19, the government-run Industrial Training Institute (ITI) in Cuttack has developed two low cost robots, which can save health workers from the infectious virus and reduce the need for personal protective equipment.nnThe cost of each robot is expected to be around Rs 2.5 lakh, ITI-Cuttack principal Hrushikesh Mohanty said.nnIn the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, the institute had constituted an innovation team that developed the robots in its laboratory, in association with SAK Robotics Lab, a start-up, Mohanty told PTI.nnOne of the two robots is a service robot, named CO-BOT (Corona Combat Robot), which can move on wheels and has a humanoid structure. Its hand-like structures can hold a tray and carry a load upto 20 kg, the principal said.nnIt can be used in COVID-19 hospitals for carrying food, water and medicines to and from patients. “This will reduce the risks to attendants serving the COVID-19 patients,” he said.nnThe wireless communication protocols being used to control the robot can be further programmed with navigation and mapping to make them work autonomously in a hospital ward, Mohanty said.nnThe second one, named NIGA-BOT, is a telepresence robot which can be used for surveillance and teleconsultation by doctors who can interact remotely with patients through live video streaming. This robot is also enabled with a wheeled mobile platform and has an interactive device for video calling.nnNIGA-BOT can be used by health workers who have to make several rounds to the patients bed for monitoring their health.nn”This will protect the doctors and nurses from contracting the virus during such interactions.nn”All these innovations would lead to reduced need for more Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) kits and could be a saviour for health workers,” he said.nnThese are low cost robots developed by the institute to meet the emergent needs following the coronavirus outbreak, Mohanty said.nnOnce medical professionals spell out their specific requirements, new features will be integrated to the robots, he said.nnThe office of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has also hailed the job done by ITI, Cuttack in collaboraton with SAK Robotics for using their skill to strengthen Odishas fight against COVID-19.nnFounder and CEO of SAK Robotics Lab, Sakyasingha Mohapatra said, the start-up has provided the required technology in the joint venture to strengthen the battle against the deadly virus.nn”The institute has a dream and desire to use industry automation to impact the lives of ordinary people,” the ITI principal said.nnSource: Press Trust of India