RailMitra, a cost-effective robot capable of interacting with COVID-19 patients and disinfecting the closed environment they are in, was unveiled at the Ernakulam Junction station here on Wednesday.
It will help avoid close contact with COVID-19 patients by facilitating distribution of essential items like medicines, food and water and collection of used plates, bottles, and masks.
It comes loaded with an UV Disinfection chamber to disinfect used items. “Plans are afoot to deploy it at the Railway hospital in Thiruvananthapuram and to undertake its commercial production at the railway signal workshop,” said R. Nidheej, a young engineer with the signal section of the Thiruvananthapuram Railway Division who designed and developed the robot.
The robot will also help disinfect contaminated floors with the help of a targeted spray system and UV lights fitted on the bottom of it. The camera on RailMitra helps interact with COVID-19 patients and the robot can be controlled using a RF remote controller from within a range of 500 metres.
UV tube and sodium hypochlorite fumes help disinfect rooms used by patients once they are discharged.
Mr. Nidheej has also developed an automatic hand sanitiser dispenser, which is fitted into RailMitra. Made up of ultrasound sensors and microcontrollers. it will dispense hand sanitiser automatically for 0.75 seconds when hands are placed under it. It can be recharged with a mobile phone charger and will last for more than a week once it is fully charged.
Safety helmet
He has also developed a safety helmet fitted with sensors on all four sides to maintain social distancing. An alarm will be set off once a person or object approaches within one-metre radius of the person wearing it and will continue to beep till the breach is rectified. It would be very helpful to railway staff working at workshops, sheds and open line.
“All three devices were developed in less than 20 days and if commercially produced, they would not collectively cost more than ₹25,000,” said Mr. Nidheej, a resident of Idukki.
