Residents of Gulmohar Garden Society here experienced a unique Diwali this year as they celebrated the festivities with four humanoid robots.
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The robots, made by Club First Robotics in Jaipur, led the celebrations by lighting sparklers and crackers, shaking hands with the residents and greeting the guests.
Speaking of the idea behind the event, robotics expert Bhuvnesh Mishra said, "When all of us are celebrating Diwali, personnel in the fire brigade and police and sanitation workers are performing their duties away from their families. In such situations, these robots can become their support." These can efficiently accomplish tasks such as extinguishing a fire in an emergency or repairing a choke in a sewer line, Mishra said.
The robots that took part in Gulmohar Garden Society's festivities included Xena 5.0 All Terrain Robot, Xena 6.0 Solar Manhole Cleaning Robot, Sona 3.5 AI Humanoid Robot and Sona 2.5 Service Robot Men.
Sona 2.5 manned the food service at the cafeteria while Sona 3.5 registered complaints, gave feedback and responded to society-related queries.
Xena 5.0, designed along the lines of an Army tank, is a powerful and compact robot designed for defence. It performed the guard's duties during the festivities, activated the fire fighting system, watered the garden and conducted video surveillance. It also manned the parking area and signalled to remove vehicles parked in an incorrect manner.
On the other hand, Xena 6.0 demonstrated its skill in cleaning deep manholes and drainage lines. The solar-powered robot is equipped with GPS and a gas detection alarm.
