THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: ‘Bandicoot,’ the sewer-cleaning robot that signals an end to manual scavenging, will be formally launched on Monday. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will inaugurate the robotic scavenger at the Jala Bhavan, the state HQ of the Kerala Water Authority (KWA) at Vellayambalam, at 4 pm. According to Water Resources Minister Mathew T Thomas, his department intends to use ‘Bandicoot’ to clean the manholes in Thiruvananthapuram city ahead of the Attukal Pongala on March 2. The four-legged ‘Bandicoot’ has been developed by the startup GenRobotics under the aegis of the Kerala Water Authority Innovation Zone (KWIZ).
Today, a majority of the households and establishments in the state are equipped with septic tanks. Still, cleaning the sewers is a Herculean task, and a dangerous and often criticised one that poses considerable health risks. The presence of toxic gases, and absence of oxygen poses extreme danger to the lives of those who enter these tanks. ‘Bandicoot’ is rigged with four ‘legs’ and a bucket mechanism fixed to an extension that resembles a spider web. The robot enters the manhole, shovels in the wastes into the bucket and emerges from the manhole. It also boasts WiFi and Bluetooth modules and can perform the work of five labourers in minutes.
The robot is available in automatic and semi-automatic modes. Founded in 2015, GenRobotics specialises in powered exoskeletons and human-controlled robotic systems. The robot is powered by pneumatics since using heavy electronic equipment inside manholes is risky as they can react with gases present inside. Earlier, KWA and the Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM) had inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the firm for transfer of technology and products, including the use of robots, for cleaning up manholes.
With recent trials proving successful, KWA has announced it is entering a new phase in customer services with Bandicoot. Mayor V K Prasanth, V S Sivakumar MLA, KWA managing director A Shainamol and GenRobotics CEO M K Vimal Govind will be present at the inauguration.
A safe means of cleaning noxious manholes
Bandicoot has four legs and a bucket mechanism fixed to an extension that resembles a spider web. The robot enters the manhole, shovels in the wastes into the bucket and emerges from the manhole