Anti-terror equipment, robots rule science fair

Srinivas Laxman | TNN

Mumbai: Robotics and anti-terrorism devices dominate the twenty-third Western India Science Fair at the Nehru Science Centre in Worli. The fair will be on till Saturday.

The four-day school science fair, which boasts 120 participants, was inaugurated on Wednesday by H C Pradhan, director, Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education. In all, 40 student projects and 18 teaching aids are showcased. There are representations from Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa, Daman and Diu, Dadra and Nagra Haveli, and Madhya Pradesh.

Walk around the hall near the entrance and a robot catches your attention. Said Gurunath Meher, a 12th standard student of GRPS Sabnis Junior College of Narayangoan, near Pune: “I have made this robot which can detect potential terrorist threats through various means. I demonstrated it at the Giant Metre Radio Telescope (GMRT) facility near Narayangoan.’’

An interesting aspect of the robot is that it is largely made of scrap material and uses mobile frequency. “I took about six months to make it and it cost about Rs 150,’’ he said.

Further away is what is known as a spy boat made by two eighth standard students, Vedant Gaonkar and Aniket Lawande, of Dr K B Hedgewar High School of Panaji. “The main role of this remote-controlled boat, which has a camera, is to enhance security in a river or areas close to the coast,’’ said Vedant.

Jaweer Singh, a Xth standard student of St Anselm’s High School in Jaipur, has made a robot which demonsrates how mining can be an unmanned activity. He told TOI: “This is known as robotic mining. This robot can go down a mine, set up a target location, start drilling and begin excavation.’’

Nehru Science Centre director Anil Manekar said, “Science fairs are useful because they help in developing an inquiring mind, stimulate a sense of curiosity, help in problem-solving and encourage researching attitudes among young minds.’’

WAY TO GO: Visitors at the fair admire a model called ‘Smart Roadblock Locator’ made by students of Lala Lajpatrai Vidyalaya, Gandhinagar