Visakhapatnam: Students of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Gurukulam develop ‘Doctor Robot’ for the benefit of rural patients

Their working model has made it to the top 10 projects in the country in the ATL Marathon 2021-22

Students of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Gurukulam, Centre of Excellence, Madhurawada, in Visakhapatnam have once again done their school and teachers proud with their working model of a ‘Doctor Robot’, which was selected among the top 10 projects in the country in the ATL Marathon -2021-22, conducted by Atal Tinkering Labs.

The team consisting of Y. Jessica (10th class) and K. Varshini Priyanka and K. Resham Bindu (both 9th class) named their model ‘Dr RAD’ (Robot Assistant for Doctors). The robot approaches the patient and asks for details like name, age, gender, height weight, previous medical history and symptoms. The medication would be provided based on the data provided by the patient, from the doctor’s prescribed database.

“The shortage of doctors in tribal and rural areas, the problems of the poor in commuting long distances to cities even for minor ailments made us think of a simple solution. Further, when the COVID-19 pandemic was at its peak, even the available doctors in cities were unable to go near their patients and examine them,” Ms. Jessica, the team leader, told The Hindu.

“We have made the robot with the help of MIT App inventor (app development software). We used Bluetooth HC-OS, micro controller board, a motor, power bank and jumper wires to make the robot. The robot carries a tab, which gives the prescription to the patient, based on his/her symptoms and health history. We have provided a rack on the robot to deliver medicine to patients, as the future scope of the project,” she says.

“Our school made it to the top 10 among the 7,000 projects exhibited and participation of 16,000 students in the Atal Tinkering Lab Marathon 2021-22, conducted by ATL under the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) of NITI Aayog. In the first phase, 350 out of 7,000 projects, in second phase 30 out of 350, and in the final phase 10 of 30 projects were selected,” says Principal P. Nirmala.

The objective of AIM is to nurture the culture of innovation and entrepreneurship among students across the length and breadth of the country. “We conduct brainstorming session for students and ask them to identify problems in their respective villages. We see their aptitude in analysing the problem, and based on it, we select them for the project and guide them,” says T. Rambabu, Physical Science Teacher and ATL in-charge.

“The school-level projects will be developed in real time by the Union government in real time and the patent would be given to the students concerned, with the objective of making them entrepreneurs,” he says.