A teacher at Tripura University has developed a robot for the frontline workers with an aim to reduce the possibilities of transmission while handling the Covid-19 patients.
Harjeet Nath, assistant professor of chemical and polymer engineering department at the university, has made the robot that can serve food, medicines and other essential items to the patients without human intervention, Hindustan Times reported.
Nath developed this device using mostly available spare parts including three motors, two rechargeable lead acid batteries, transmitter and receiver and USB output.
He has named the device ‘Covid-19 WARBOT’.
If this technique is implemented, Tripura will likely to be the first state in Northeast to use robots in Covid-19 centres.
In the robot, he had installed a two-way communication device in the form of a Wi-Fi-controlled camera with inbuilt microphone and speaker to help both the doctors or nurses and patients to communicate directly and that too, remaining at a safe place.
“This technique can reduce frequent visits of the doctors or nurses to the infected patients. The doctors or nurses can get view of the patients through a mobile phone or computer present with them and make direct communication with them,” Nath said.
He said the patient can only listen to the doctors and act accordingly.
“I hope this robot can help the doctors and nurses working in Covid-19 centres here. Also I made this choice when the number of Covid-19 patients in Tripura reached 100,” Nath added.
Explaining the functions of the robot, Nath said that it can carry load of around 10-15 kilograms of materials and its operation range is 15-20 metres.
“It can work continuously for nearly an hour as the total power of the rechargeable batteries is nearly 135 Watt and it will take three-four hours to get charged,” he said.
Nath said it took him a week to make the device for which he spent nearly Rs 25,000.