M.Sc final year student at the Institute of Physics and Electronics (IPE) University of Peshawar demonstrates his wireless bomb defusing robot. PHOTO: THEPESHAWAR.COM
Suleman Khan, an MSc final year student at the Institute of Physics and Electronics, University of Peshawar (UOP), has made a low-cost wireless bomb defusing robot that will provide an extra line of defence for bomb disposal squad (BDS) personnel.
The robot was put on display during a day-long project and poster exhibition held by the institute at the UoP on Wednesday.
Talking to The Express Tribune, Khan, who hails from Mardan, said the robot’s main objective is to provide remote-controlled analysis of a suspicious packet. Additionally, the robot is also meant to allow users to manipulate the packet using the robotic arm, provide visual feedback from the site, and ensure user-friendly controls.
He said the robot is capable of defusing bombs weighing up to 21 kilogrammes from a distance of 15 to 20 metres, and has a wireless camera for live visual transmission.
Apart from having the ability to tunnel view an object, the robot is also capable of carrying out experiments in hazardous environments and espionage activities, added Khan.
“The robot was built under a budget of Rs100,000 over a span of three years,” Khan claimed, adding the invention takes commands using wireless technology. “It allows the squad to defuse bombs from a safe distance, instead of trying to do so with their bare hands.”
Khan said deteriorating law and order in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) and Fata had motivated him to design this project.
He maintained if the government support the project, its capacity could be enhanced to locate and defuse explosive devices weighing up to 40kg from a distance of 60 metres.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 7th, 2013.
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So nice to read all these comments in fact discouraged comments, i made this at my own effort in a short period of 3 months ( not 3 years ), it involves a lot of mechanical work which is not my field as i am a student of M.Sc Electronics, & i claim that it is the first of its own type as the wireless technology for control, used in the robot has never been used before. at the time of presentation, if any of the reader was present there, they may remember that i said i build it at my own pocket money, i know how to implement X bee in it for control, but i use a radio control because i can afford that, i use all the parts including mechanical & electrical/electronics, which are easily available in the market, so that if the Govt was interested in manufacturing it on industrial level, they may face no difficulty in searching of its parts. & if i got a sponsor i can modify it to the international level. those who say that i have copy it from some where else, they are right, up to some extant, but before saying this they must think that every new invention comes from existing inventions.i study the current existing system & then start working on it, i build it three times because every time its mechanical had some problems, i didn't copy it from any where, if any one claim so, he/she must inform me so that i can study that robot & modify my own. those who thinks that it is fake or just a drama, i may inform them that at that time all the media reporters were present, & i perform its function right there in front of them, & for those who thinks, would it defuse a bomb or not? i ll say that at the time Right Bros made the first airplane they never thought of today's Air bus. they just give idea & the rest is what we are having today. Still if any body have any question, may contact me via my E mail address. Thanks ti Tribune & all the readers for comments, i like them because they pointed me my lacks,
Its very great about such kind of inventions from Pakistan. Thanks to God & Thanks to Khan for such a great idea.
This student must be congratulated for taking efforts to build this unit as a student project. However, it must be noted that very sophisticated robotic bomb detection and disposal units have been in operation in many countries for over two decades. In that sense, there nothing novel or new on this student's project. I am not sure why ET and some of the commentators here make it sound like he has invented something new.
this man should be appreciated instead of discouragement. he is first to build this type of bomb diffusing robot in Pakistan. its okay if he has copied a model, or design, but atleast he has worked hard, he should be appreciated. its better to keep quiet rather than discouraging someone...
@Rabael Malik: the thing is, if you cannot see Pakistan going towards success, then you dont deserve to be live in this country. the copying of the design of technology doesnt matters because some one on his own will is willing to do something for the country where he lives and wants to secure the city where he lives.
every technology innovated or replicated by Pakistan is old and being used around the globe doesnt means that it cannot be replicated or re-innovated to use in Pakistan. every one has a freedom of choice to do what ever he wants to.
if this guy from peshawar can make this robotic hand for bomb defusing, this guy of a private university from karachi can make a touch surface table, so whats wrong with it?
atleast some on from the poor land is making efforts to make something good rather than wasting money on useless things.
if these sort of talents are not appreciated, the future of pak is going to be darker than before.
i hope u know that necessity is the mother of invention.and dont underestimate talent of Pakistan. Start thinking out of the box.
Lets just the copied the idea.No one is going to upload their complete project design details on internet.One have to make the circuits and all stuff by himself.If would have been better if Rabael Malik said one sentence at least for their effort.
2013 Inshallah year of Pakistan!
Great effort boy!!! keep it up! Nation is with you!
@Robina Zubair:
I endorse with the saying. One ought to attend the final outcome even if it is the manifestation of invention but it can be a flourishing move to mitigate the chaos. What's wrong if he endeavored to guard the humanity? Try to eye it as a boon instead of bane.
If the young lot of this nation is provided opportunities and financial support, they are capable of delivering big time. but Alas., Like so many other departments, this vital department of research and development is suffering a criminal negligence. I don't know where are we heading but what I know is - it is not the right direction. May God be with us.
Good to hear you made low-cost wireless bomb defusing robot but how low-cost is it? With reference to what? and how reliable is bomb defusing robot? how it is different with current state of technology?
Developing a prototype means nothing...If you really did something different than current state of technology by better design, made it more efficient and reliable...publish your work in IEEE or ACM journals....patent your product....let the world hear you what you did !!!
I hope you will get the point and media persons too...
wow!!!!! straightway this machine detected 2 "bombs"
ha ha......... nothing to say but if anyone wants a better robot that can do lot more things in very quick time(that i have built 2004), can post his id here. I will provide all thesis reports, circuits for that. just for education. Be away from denial mode so that no one will make u fool like "water kit"
Gulam Rasool "Kuldeep sharma" New Delhi
Recreating something that is not in place in a given area is called innovation...
Well done, regardless if it is "replication" or "invention"
@ Rabael Malik, Totally agree with you..these kind of ignorance are everywhere in Pakistan..we understand it but local people, due to lack of knowledge/awareness,think they are the only people on the earth , who have done this.. still appreciate the INVENTOR, as he is first in Pakistan to do it.
Good work, but this is not news at All. It would be a news if this goes into production and used by authorities. A similar robot was used by Germans to defuse mines in WW2 at the battle of Kursk. :)
way to go lad. Being a UoP alumni, am really delighted to read this here
@Rabael Malik , this person has done something to acquire something that his area/country is in dire need of. What have you done besides degrading and discouraging others?
@PakArmySoldier: In that case China is the world's biggest plagiarist. There is no issue in replicating a technology cheaply. Are Pak Army's G-3's not also based on existing designs?
Even calling it an invention in Pakistan is a bit unfair, Bachelor level students have already done that. Whether the design is different or cost effective, It must not be put on a ET type blog, if there is anything new in it then the Student should apply for a Patent.
Me and my team made a very similar robot 3 years ago as have many other people across the country by now, but the thing is that these projects serve as a proof-of-concept only. They can only be useful if they are incubated and brought to a level of robustness to be usable by bomb-disposal squads. The strategy, training and vision required for this initiative is sadly not even close to existence in the minds of our police and ministries.
@Rabael Malik: As this guy is an engineer and he has just created a robot. What you have made yet ? Another thing read the article again it says created it from affordable and cheap sources that means we can afford it. No matter we can afford Ford Mustang and Range Rover but we can't afford this sum on a useful equipment.
Great effort whether term it "replication" or "invention" it is no doubt a great effort.
Recreating technology that already exists is useless (almost amounts to plagiarism in many ways) - instead make improvements to that technology.
@Rabael Malik, it is only ET's reporter that us using words like 'inventive' and 'invention'. There is no quote from the student himself implying that he is claiming a new invention so lets not paint with a broad brush. I think the low cost might be the encouraging breakthrough here.
Thumbs down.I think the people blinded by the prejudiced glasses bought form the West will never be able to appreciate the efforts of their countrymen.Rhetoric and play of words alone does not make one learned including use of good english.I laud the efforts of our pakistani student and the reporter alike.Asad keep it up.
@Rabael Malik: Rhetoric and show of words is not enough.whatever is done for the sake of one's own country should be lauded but some people have the same entrenched mentality like their Western Lords.
Great work Asad, just wondering when will our so called learned Pakistani folk come out of that infriority complex and stop commenting on their own country and people in a disgusting way.These are just wet blankets and nothing else.Rhetoric and play of words is not enough to show off learning.Even if something is replication should be done for one's own country.I think both the reporter and the engineering student are worthy of praise as whatever they do is for their own country.At least they are not blinded by the biased glasses bought from the West.
@Rabael Malik,
At least appreciate this person's hard work. Not everyone is born to into rich families like majority of tribune readers do. I can't believe how snobbish and cynical commentators here tend to be.
Top effort lad congrats. Me and my research team at the University of Melbourne made a Wireless Video Sensor Network for security applications about two months ago but it cost us a fortune!!. If your reading this could you tell me the wireless mote and camera that you used and the cost of the mote-camera module(which I assume is less compared to the 1 lakh whole robot module)?. Appreciate it thanks.