By Conan Businge
Makerere University and a group of students in their Senior Six vacation have invented a bomb-disarming robot.
This comes as the country goes through various terrorism threats. The robot minimises 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 protype, 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.
