IIT Kanpur develops mini robot for Army

KANPUR: The Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, has developed a pint-sized Walking Robot for defence purpose. The robot can reach the areas inaccessible for humans.
Besides, the institute is also developing a micro robot Laghu Hanuman that will assist medicos in endotracheal intubation.
Talking to Times News Network, senior professor of robotics department of the IIT Amitabh Mukherjee said that the Walking Robot was merely of nine inches in height.With a camera fitted on the robot’s head it relays back the image of the area ahead. Due to its pint-size it could be used by the defence forces in specific areas, said Mukherjee. Besides, it would be helpful in trekking risky zones where humans seldom dare to visit, he said adding that the robot that could easily hop around. Claiming that scope of upgradation in the robot was tremendous, the professor said it would be modified to suit the requirement.
Another micro robot Laghu Hanuman is being designed by IIT’s Shushmit Sen for medicos. This robot will be used for endotracheal intubation of the injured and critical patients. The robot is being developed by the IIT on the request of Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute (SGPGI). Sen said that “manual endotracheal intubation is a difficult procedure especially in the case of critically injured patients where even moving the patient’s body can prove fatal.�
The Laghu Hanuman would be able to perform endotracheal intubation in a second or two without causing harm to patients, he said. Stating that doctors would be able to monitor robot’s functioning on computer screen, he said that the camera attached to the micro robot would transmit back the image of inner side of the throat.
Manual endotracheal intubation is performed to open larynx of serious patients. The entire process is to be completed within three minutes.
Any delay could prove fatal. Apart from it any complication during the procedure could cause permanent damage to the brain and also death.
Claiming that complications were quite common during artificial intubation, he said that SGPGI doctors had approached the IIT for the development of specific micro robot that would make the procedure easier and faster.