•Meet my robotic arm which can be customized to undertake and conveniently accomplish any difficult task.
Building this Robo Arm was a great learning journey and my first step in robotics. The fairs which I participated in were remarkable. I built this project when I was in 9th grade (2019). And my partner in the fairs was my best friend, Hemkesh. With this project we got selected for the National Level CBSE Science Exhibition. We also won the regional level Science exhibition organized by ITM. Though robots are very flexible when it comes to application. But to take part in fairs and exhibitions, my project had to have a purpose. So I gave a definite objective to it- eradicate manual scavenging. Manual scavenging is a term used mainly in India for "manually cleaning, carrying, disposing of, or otherwise handling, human excrement in an insanitary latrine or in an open drain or sewer or in a septic tank or a pit". Manual scavengers usually use hand tools such as buckets, brooms and shovels. The workers have to move the excreta, using brooms and tin plates, into baskets, which they carry to disposal locations sometimes several kilometers away. These sanitation workers, called "manual scavengers", rarely have any personal protective equipment. The practice of employing human labour for cleaning of sewers and septic tanks is just fiendish. People undertaking these tasks are cornered to do this work due to lack of any other alternative. The sadistic act of Manual scavenging is banned by law. But it is covertly practised because of the absence of any other favourable solution. Simply put, the concerned people don’t have a better alternative.
I present my Robotic arm as a saviour to this distressing situation. I propose to send the Robotic arm down in the sewers and mechanically clean, not with a bare human hand, but with the help of metal and motors! I have tried to prototype what the real world technological solution would have been. The Arduino UNO R3 board is the brain of the Arm. Servo motors bring functionality and potentiometers are used to give input. Pneumatic claws are employed for grabbing the sewage.
Except the electronics, all the materials used are upcycled.
•Green wooden battens- support the whole structure
•Sweet box- the control panel which shelters the Arduino board and the potentiometers
•Sponge- provides padding at several places
•Burette stand- for imitating the lowering process and holding the whole structure
•Lego- for the pneumatic claws
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With such a level of upcycling, the cost of making the arm was minimal (around INR 3k).
Step one: Lower the arm in the sewer. In our case, it is done by the burette stand.
The initial position is the same as the intro image (the very first image of this document). Every green wooden batten is vertically aligned.
Step two: The motor attached at the end of the primary arm extends the secondary arm.
Step three: The secondary servo motor (attached at the end of the secondary arm) rotates the pneumatic claws. And the air pump instills some pressure in the system for the claws to open and later close.
Step four: Return to the starting position by going backwards through all the steps. Bring arm up and dispose of the waste.
We participated in a total of three fairs, two of which were conducted by CBSE(Central Board of Secondary Education, India) in succession and selection. We had to rigorously prepare our speeches and presentation charts and other documents required by the fairs. Representing my school in the regional level CBSE Science exhibition felt delightful. Students from several nearby districts competed. Mr. Robo CLeaner caught the eye of the judges and we got selected for the National level CBSE Science exhibition. The National level Exhibition was held in Delhi over a span of three days. Almost 600 students from all over India showcased their models. It was truly a unique experience which left me fascinated about technology and its endless possibilities. I also participated in another Science fair. This one was organized by ITM. Time and again we proved our mante to the judges and gained praises from many dignitaries. Our work by ranking me in first place. We also got a trophy ... which we had to reluctantly give to our school for it to be showcased in the premises!
It was awesome to see our hard work fruit.
