When Vinay K.C. needs a gizmo, he just creates one!
Vinay K.C., a 14-year-old boy from Bagalkot in North Karnataka, no longer keeps track of how many electronic toys he has created. “I have lost count of it. I dismantle the object I create and go for a new one. I do not ask my parents to buy me toys,” he says.
Vinay, a science enthusiast, was one of the participants in the “Hobby Projects” section of “Srishti”, a State-level project exhibition competition organised by the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), here recently. He had brought “Humanoid”, a little gizmo that acts according to the commands given on a laptop by Vinay.
Creative
Vinay is passionate about creating objects using artificial intelligence, says Jayashree Ganthimath, Assistant Professor in an engineering college in Bagalkot and Vinay's mother. An instance of his interest in creating electronic toys is one gizmo that he has developed that feed their pet dog on time.
“When he was in Std V, he said he wished he had a pet dog. As we both (parents) work, we told him we would not be able to provide food for the dog on time. In just a few days, he created an object that provided food on time. We had to accept his wish and get a pet dog,” said Ms. Ganthimath.
In creating the toys, Vinay has recycled objects such as used saline bottles and syringes, which he sourced from his sister, who is studying medicine. “He has moved on to creating mechanisms such as one that showers flower petals when a person opens the door (this could be used for birthdays),” she said. His passion for creating such gizmos made her and his father, K. Chandrashekar, a Physics professor in the same engineering college, shift him from a Kannada medium school to an English Medium school in Bagalkot, Ms. Ganthimath said.
Self-taught
Vinay uses integrated circuits (ICs), capacitors, and microcontrollers for creating objects. “I browse through the Internet and get all information about its (objects') working. So far I have not faced difficulty in understanding information available on the Internet,” he said.
Vinay said he has not thought of participating in any science competition for schoolchildren. “I want to become a scientist and focus on science,” he said.
No I don't know why anyone would want any part of it excpet maybe for people who were on the aircraft who might want part of it for sentimental reasons. The salvage costs and the cost to put it back together would be far more than it's worth not to mention, how would you get it to its final destination unless you shipped it disassembled.If I had been a passenger on that aircraft I might want my own seat as a souvenir but that's about it.There are definitely some very nice big boy toys in the world but this isn't one of them.
Big boy toys: What's the deal with the leaf blowers?I just just don't get the latset craze in yardwork the leaf blower. The proper way to get rid of leaves in my book is sweep them off the side walk and rake them off the lawn into bags or onto the compost pile. When you blow them around you are not getting rid of them at all just moving the problem around to a different location! LOL Leaves all over the street in front of your house looks just as bad as leaves on your lawn. What is up with that, is it just that it's fun to do?
You are doing a great job vinay...keep it going... :)
This guy will fly to US. No Doubt. Long Live India, Indian Politicians and Indian Government.
"His passion for creating such gizmos made her and his father,... , shift him from a Kannada medium school to an English Medium school"
Just shows the (sadly wrong in my opinion)belief and mindset of our society...
When would people understand that English medium is not what nurtures science, its got more to do with the teacher, the pedagogy and importantly the environment you provide the kid at home... If being in a Kannada medium school has got him to be 'creative', then evidently there is something good in the school... shifting him to an english medium school just might kill it...
What is LEGO MINDSTORMS all about?
With LEGO MINDSTORMS you can build and program robots that do what you
want! With the contents in the set you get everything you need to
build and program your very own intelligent LEGO robot, and make it
perform loads of different operations.
The robot can be fitted, for example, with sensors which control
motors and react to light, sound, touch, etc.
What do you get in the box?
619 elements for creating your own robots – LEGO TECHNIC building
elements, gears, wheels, tracks and tires
1 NXT micro-computer – that acts as the brain of the robot
2 Touch Sensors – that makes the robot feel
1 Ultrasonic Sensor – that makes the robot ‘see’ - and detect motion
1 Colour Sensor – that can detect different colours, light settings
and acts as a lamp
3 Interactive servo motors with built-in rotation sensors
7 connector cables for linking motors and sensors to the NXT
User Guide – with building instructions for your first robot and an
introduction to the hardware and software
CD with easy-to-use software with an icon-based programming language
called NXT-G – and 16 building and programming challenges for 4 fun
and active robots
Test Pad for testing out your robots
What can you build with the set?
The LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT robotics toolkit comes with building
instructions for 4 main models ranging in building complexity, going
from the Quick Start model that you can assemble and program in 30
minutes, to the ultimate Humanoid –all models are designed for easy
battery change.
6 building and programming challenges are included on the software CD,
complete with step-by-step building instructions and programming guide
for all models.
Shooterbot is a moving vehicle robot that can guard your room and will
shoot balls at intruders!
Color Sorter is a robotic sorting machine that can sort different
colored objects and dispense them as you please. It can easily be
modified with a catapult mechanism that can precisely shoot the
different colors where you like.
Alpha Rex is the ultimate robot. It is a humanoid robot, easy to
assemble and with multiple functions; it walks and turns, dances,
talks, can see and avoid obstacles, can grab and distinguish between
different colored objects.
Robogator is the animal robot,that moves like an alligator. It will
protect its area and jumps forward and snap at anything that comes too
near. Watch out!
The NXT Technology
- The NXT is the intelligent micro-computer LEGO brick that can be
programmed to take inputs from sensors and activate the servo motors
- The Interactive Servo Motor has a built-in rotation sensor that
gives you precise control of the movement of the motor (+/- 1 degree)
- The Touch Sensor makes your robot ‘feel’ and reacts to its
environment
- The Ultrasonic Sensor acts like a radar, making the robot see,
measure distance and reacts to movement
- The Colour Sensor can distinguish between colours and also works as
a Light Sensor, detecting light settings and ambient light, and works
like a lamp, shining red, green or blue.
How do you program your robots?
NXT-G is an intuitive, icon-based drag-and-drop programming language
designed for an easy introduction to programming for new users and
experienced users.
By choosing program blocks that work with the motors and make the
sensors react to inputs, you simply build up your program block by
block, and you can create programs that range from simple to complex.
Such creativity and the passion to go with, deserves every assistance from any part of the world! A gem to be polished!!
Good Vinay!
And please dont let education become an obstacle in your hobby.
As usual feel good story. The "humanoid" is out of box Lego mindstrom system which is actually child's play to assemble and program. Also costs around 25,000 Rs so out of reach of most of Indian kids. Instead of child wonder I would say a kid with parents having deep pockets.
Hi Vinay,
I am 8 years old and live in USA. I would love to learn from you. When I
visit Bangalore I will try to meet you also. In the mean time please
teach me your 'tricks' on skype. Here is my dad's email
tomurali@hotmail.com. Please write to me. Thank you. Ananth
This is a little too presumptuous - calling a kid a 'gadget guru'...
What he's demonstrating is a Lego Mindstorms kit that tons of other kids
(with sufficient money) have access to, and have been programming for
quite some time now. Although his enthusiasm for science can be
applauded, this is hardly news-worthy.
Great work and great passion; and things that can help in the daily life. With parents mentoring and society encouragement, looking forward for bigger achievements.
Kudos...Kiddo..
Keep up the interest...
Not bad. The NXT Lego Toy is working the way it should. I have seen this
toy on some school advertisements as well. This build it yourself toy
sells for around $ 150.00. Show me something new ok. Don't churn the old
dosa batter again and again! Most children can build this toy in this
age range provided their mummy and daddy can afford one for this price.
Happy for you Vijay. I would like to thank your parents to encourage your dream and interests. May god ...No...No.. May science bless you. Go for big one. Looking forward.
Well done Vinay! We are proud of you.True to your name you seem to be simple and humble.May your projects continue.The future of India lies in the hands of budding scientists like you.
good work vinay,let u be an asset to the country and request government bodies to extend support to this genius.
The picture in the article and the write-up do not match. Picture is
that of a Lego Mindstorm NXT 2.0, while the article talks about robots
built with syringes and saline bottles. No doubt, Lego is a great
learning tool for kids, but the article should have acknowledged it as
such. A more detailed description of how Vinay has built robots with
locally sourced components, would have been helpful to the readers.
Please nurture the talent.He appears to be a prodigy.
I am really fascinated with the 14-year-old boy who can really create gizmos. He is lucky too to have such parents. The concept of showering plants on opening the door is creative. May you go forward and do wonders Vinay. Hope you do not fall prey for the limelight which you may get hereafter. All de best.
Keep it up Vinay!
Congratulations Vinay! It was fascinating to read about the gizmos you love to create. God has given you a creative brain and your parents have provided you love and encouragement. The whole country is glad and I will be telling many people here in Canada of your wonderful talent, superior brain and practical achievements. I also feel proud that you are a Karnataka boy as I too am from Bangalore. God bless you with many more tricks up your sleeve!
hellow friend good morning god bless u and ur family.
i like ur inventions, pl u make more and more inventions for children and our country. i think u will become a great scientist in future.but u read some books and play with ur friends also.
You should not have put that picture with a Lego Mindstrom robot which is contradicting the content of the article. This is a robot u can create with the Lego kit and the manual. They should have shown some thing he created. The articles real intention is spoiled by that picture.
Kudos..Kid.....Proud of you..
keep it up! make your science education as practical as possible like
making these gizmos. that will help you loads.
Please Email the Editor