Thursday, 26 February 2015

India first 3D-printed Humanoid Robot

World is moving forward rapidly in technology. Recently in Techfest at IIT Bombay, India saw its first 3D-Printed Humanoid Robot. A humanoid robot is defined as one that is shaped to resemble a human. Manav is two feet tall and looks like an oversized toy. Built with 21 sensors, two cameras in its eye sockets and two mikes on either side of its head, Manav is India’s first 3D printed humanoid robot.
Weighing 2kg, Manav which means man in Sanskrit, has built in vision and sound processing capability, allowing it to talk and act exactly like a human. Manav built in processor and pre-programmed sensors allow it to perform tasks such as walking, talking, and dancing without the help of a laptop. It also has two degrees of freedom in its head and neck, allowing it to move its head sideways and up and down. Diwakar Vaish designs it.

Manav outer frame is made of plastic and it was 3D printed from Buildkart Retail Pvt Ltd. It uses an open soured code so that it can also be taught to learn and respond like a human child. It also has Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, and has a rechargeable lithium polymer battery that can work for an hour with a single full charge. It is priced between Rs. 1.5-2 Lakh. It is primarily meant for research purposes.

Vaish team is also working on smart home-automated solution using robotic technology that can sense human feelings and perform tasks without being told like opening doors, turning on the air conditioning sensing an increase in body temperature, and switching on the TV to a channel of choice. They are also working on a wearable mind sensor headset that can track a person attention span and concentration levels, can also read brainwaves. He has been recognized by former presidents Abdul Kalam and Pratibha Patil, and won the award for the “Best Innovative Researcher 2012.”

The government incentives to the manufacturing industry to “Make in India”, similar to its incentives to the hardware industry, could boost the use of robotics in India, to bridge the gap between the technological progress in robotics in India and the rest of the world.

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