Forget Terminator, meet Macho

Expo aims to provide knowledge and access to use of robots

LAHORE: Students displayed a total of 20 robotics projects during the 8th Robotics Expo at the Information Technology University (ITU) in Lahore on Saturday.

The highlights of the expo were Macho, a wall climbing giant robot which had two legs and could climb walls, glass and wood surfaces with ease and another robot called Dots, a braille system was designed to improve communication for blind people. There was also Mahi, a robotics platform with cameras and sensors that could swim in water.

Other projects included Tesla, a bipedal humanoid robot prototype that explored control and walking patterns on two feet. Rise was a tree climbing platform, whereas Zuki specialised in speech therapy. A robot that could draw patterns and write things in real-time was called Ekaki and Seguir was a robot that could detect and follow a human face in real-time and establish communication.

Speaking at the expo, QALCO Country Director and CEO of Lahore Qalandars Atif Rana, the chief guest of the event, said it was encouraging to note that the new generation was not just creative, but highly motivated to make the country a better place.

“ITU and Punjab Information Technology Board’s (PITB) efforts toward introducing technological innovation to every possible domain of public interest, and to the game of cricket, has been remarkable,” he said.



The Robotics Expo, being the flagship event of the ITU, has influenced students, roboticists and professionals from all over the country for almost four years now, said ITU Vice Chancellor Dr Umar Saif who is currently on a visit to the US.

In a message, he further said that in an era of technological revolution, students and the faculty of ITU played a key role in establishing the foundation of a revolution in Pakistan. He added this was a source of pride for the whole nation.



Talha Rehmani, the lead of robotics programme at the ITU, said the flagship mega event was inspired from the international robotics movement where undergraduate students made robots to address locally relevant problems. “ITU and its robotics activities are highly reputed and a leading force in the field. The activities have proven their worth in terms of research and academics,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 13^th, 2018.