By Binu Shrestha
Kathmandu, Sept. 15: Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) has developed a highly advanced visitor’s service robot.
The robot developed by engineer Roshan Pandey, faculty of technology of NAST along with technical experts called Innovative Group, is the first of its kind ever built in Nepal.
“We are now developing the highly advanced robot in human shape (Lady Robot),” said Pandey.
He further informed that the robot is based on Artificial Intelligence (AI) with deep machine learning methods. It can generalise and distinguish the mask wearing and not-wearing people and give them mask and sanitiser.
It will measure the body temperature of the visitors. It will talk with them and provide information about NAST to the visitors.
Engineer Pandey said that the main objective of this advance technology was to give information regarding the importance of mask, measuring body temperature and using sanitiser to general public through a robot.
The robot is made of fiber materials in human shape with more than 25 motors and it works on neural network using more than a dozen processors and a tablet in the front part of its belly.
A camera is attached to measure the body temperature, mask detection and other visual response and a tablet for providing the NAST information. Motors for driving system, moving hand and providing mask from the vending machine with welcome greeting as Namaste are its features, he added.
The height of the robot is 5.3 feet and it weighs 50 kilograms. Its cost is estimated at Rs. 1.5 million. Around 95 per cent work on the robot has been completed, and it will come into operation at NAST main gate from the National Science Day that falls in the first week of Ashoj, he further said.
He said that a number of trolley-shaped so-called robots are seen at present in the Nepali context, but it is different from them as it is like the one used in AI as well as commands deep learning methods even to recognise the person with human body looks.
It would be far better than the motors and box concept of robot now existing in Nepal.
The global pandemic of coronavirus is taking the lives of thousands of people in the world posing a big threat to humankind.
“In this regard, many countries and companies are working to develop vaccines and some on virus combat technology. The visitor’s service robot will definitely be an innovation of the year in the field of science and technology,” he added.