IIIT-H develops cost-effective robotics platform

Srinivasa Rao Dasari / Hyderabad

Apart from providing quality IT education of global standards and housing a number of software schools set up by global IT majors, the International Institute of Information Technology-Hyderabad (IIIT-H) is working on multiple assignments. The institute is about to release a high-end robotics platform catering to the needs of space programmes and universities. The institute is also working on developing SILKy (speech, image, language, and knowledge) interfaces that are expected to overcome the present system of interface WIMPy (windows, icons, mouse and process). This project aims at making cost effective infotainment workstations available at around $250 as against the current price of $3,000 and is likely to impact both urban and rural markets. The effort is also aimed at building a rural user interface that could result in a low-cost PC by 2007.

IIIT-H is developing a prototype of a high-end robotic platform for research activities in space and other key areas. The institute’s R&D division is currently working on two versions of the robotic platform—standard/student kit for students and super user kit for R&D activities that caters to the need of multi-robot communications. The unique feature of the robotics platform is that any user can buy this product and write a programme as per his requirements to run the robotics platform. The institute is targeting R&D labs of major organisations and universities for the product. While the Mecatronics design and the strip down version will come from the jet propulsion lab of NASA, the software for a better interface will be developed by IIIT-H. This cost-effective platform will be an attractive proposition for multiple applications covering space, manufacturing, and maintenance systems, apart from various space systems.

“Robotics in education faces many challenges such as non-availability of technical experts and high cost, etc. IIIT-H aims at not only reducing the cost involved in robotics education, but also catering to the needs of high-end space research operations. We are also working with NASA and ISRO. IIIT-H is currently working in developing this robotic platform and the first prototype will be ready by July this year and then we go for Phase Two by August. We are encouraging universities to use our robotics platforms in their curriculum. At present, 10-15 students are working on this platform at IIIT-H,” Ajinkya Bhave, a research scholar (Robotics) at IIIT-H, told Express Computer.