In news– The Kerala government has recently launched robotic scavenger, Bandicoot, to clean sewages in this temple town, becoming the first state in the country to use robotic technology to clean all its commissioned manholes.
About Bandicoot-
- Bandicoot was launched under the Guruvayur Sewerage Project in Thrissur district by the Kerala Water Authority (KWA), as part of the 100-day action plan of the state government.
- The robotic Tron Unit, which is the major component of Bandicoot, enters the manhole and removes sewage using robotic hands, similar to a man’s limbs.
- The machine has waterproof, HD vision cameras and sensors that can detect harmful gases inside the manholes.
- Bandicoot, developed by Kerala-based Genrobotics, had recently bagged ‘Kerala Pride’ award at the Huddle Global 2022 conclave organised by Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM).
- Bandicoot robots are currently deployed in few towns across 17 states in India and three Union Territories.
- In 2018, KWA started using Bandicoot to clean the manholes in Thiruvananthapuram. Later, it was introduced in Ernakulam also.
- Genrobotics, a Technopark-based company, have developed “the world’s first robotic scavenger” Bandicoot in an effort to eliminate manual scavenging providing respite for workers engaged in manhole cleaning.
Note:
The ropbot has been named after Bandicoot, a terrestrial, largely nocturnal marsupial omnivores. They are endemic to the Australia–New Guinea region, including the Bismarck Archipelago to the east and Seram and Halmahera to the west. With their well-attuned snouts and sharp claws, bandicoot are fossorial diggers.
Source: Business Standard
