Two young technology enthusiasts from Pelkhil and Utpal Academy have made a robot out of scraps to compete in the Yantra Science, Tech and Entrepreneurship festival in Nepal. Representing Bhutan for the first time in the robotic war competition, their robot will battle against other robots.
The boys left for the competition on Friday last week.
Weighing almost 35 kilograms, the robot is a heavyweight combat robot made of metal and its spinning blade in the front is capable of destroying and disabling other robots.
It took a month to build the robot costing them around Nu 10,000.
Sonam Dorji, one of the creators of the robot said they named their robot scrapbot after making it from scraps.
“So what we did was we collected all materials starting from the frame to the brain of the robot from scraps. It’s all made from old materials.”
After receiving an invitation from the Yantra tech festival to participate, the boys left no stones unturned in creating their robot.
Yantra Tech festival caters to all range of tech enthusiast. Robot makers from schools or colleges to professionals participate in four different events and compete with one another in terms of knowledge, skills and design of the robot.
The boys will compete in a category of Manual Akhada, in which two bots will have to fight to destroy.
Since most people are not aware of such robotics competition and the advantages technology has in society, the boys said it was difficult getting sponsors to participate in the competition.
“The concept of robotics is new and most people are sceptical of those who are interested in robotics. People need to be convinced and educated about how science and technology can be a tool for the country’s growth and development,” Sonam Dorji said.
Besides STEM Olympiad, which provides a platform to showcase talent, innovation and creativity among students, Bhutan does not have other platforms to encourage students like them especially during vacations where most children remain idle.
Sonam added, “if the government could provide such opportunities, our youth would be benefitted. It’s not only about winning the competition or learning but it’s about interacting and sharing ideas.”
If they win the competition, they will participate in the IIT Tech Fest in Mumbai which is Asia’s largest science and technology festival.
