MAKERERE STUDENTS MADE THE BOMB DETECTION AND DISARMING ROBOT

Makerere University students have invented an explosive Ordinance Robot which is to be used to detect explosives. The Explosive Ordinance Disposal Robot has been initiated by three former students of St. Mary’s college Kisubi under the support of the iLab @makerere University project, a project which is currently promoting science and technology innovation among tertiary students.

 The Project coordinator Cosmas Mwikirize says the Robot is remotely controlled on a computer and it can navigate a radius of 20 meters. He says this is one of the local demonstrations being initiated in the fight against terrorism, especially after the July 9th 2010 terror attack in Kampala.

 Just in a short period of time Makerere University has invested a number of technologies including an electrical vehicle, milk booster feeds and a pregnancy scan machine. This comes as the country goes through various terrorism threats. The robot minimizes the harm that bomb squads may have to face during bomb detonations since it can be sent out on reconnaissance missions to replace humans in the field.

The robot imitates the human senses of sight, touch and movement. This is portrayed by an Internet con­nectable camera, a robot arm and wheels. It was made under the Presi­dential Innovations Fund-iLabs@MAK project, one of the projects in the college of engineering, design art and technology. The explosive ordinance disposal robot is remotely controlled on a computer to navigate through relatively flat surfaces within a 20m radius.

Interaction between the ro­bot and the control computer is achieved through wireless communication. But Makerere’s robot is still a prototype, awaiting an up­graded version that is yet to be built by the same University. The deputy principal of the college, Dr. Mackay Okure, said the construction of the robot was motivated by the need to demonstrate local ca­pacity in the development of technology to fight terrorism.

It is one of the projects un­dertaken by a group of young students, emanating from iLabs@MAK’s initiative to promote science and technol­ogy innovation in schools. It was built by three former students of St. Mary’s College Kisubi: Alvin Kabwama, Da­vid Tusubira and Nigel Kin­yera Okot. They were being mentored by Prof. Sandy Ste­vens Tickodri-Togboa, Cosmas Mwikirize, Doreen Orishaba and Micheal Kyeswa.

Source: http://www.africanviews.org