The robotic manhole cleaner ‘Bandicoot’ now has a smaller cousin.
Named Bandicoot Mini, it is a more compact, less expensive variant, according to Genrobotics Innovations, the Technopark-based company which became a household name with its robotic alternative to manual scavenging.
The shorter, four-wheeled Bandicoot Mini is on display alongside the original version, at the expo at Huddle Global 2023, the startup conclave organised by the Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM) at Adimalathura near Vizhinjam.
Bandicoot Mini priced at approximately ₹10 lakh, has a capacity of 40 kg and comes in three models - standard (engine-powered), hybrid (battery pack, solar panels, and generator) and electric (100% battery-powered with solar panels).
The solar-powered model is on display at the Huddle expo. To compare, the older version is priced at ₹40 lakh. Bandicoot Mini also features a user-friendly interface and machine vision for operating inside manholes.
As it comes at a lower price, Bandicoot Mini is expected to strike a chord with local bodies with tighter budgets, according to Genrobotics CEO Vimal Govind M. K.
Founded in 2017 by Vimal Govind, Arun George, Rashid K. and Nikhil N.P., Genrobotics had shot to the limelight with the roll-out of Bandicoot, which offered a solution to manual scavenging. Today, Bandicoot is used by local bodies, companies and government agencies in 22 States, according to Mr. Vimal Govind.
A big attraction at the expo is the Aakri app, which offers a solution for disposing of biomedical waste. you register on the app, the firm’s representatives will visit homes to collect the waste, including e-waste, apart from biomedical waste.
The expo also showcases ‘Fireball’ of NRI Club Services, a device that self-explodes and extinguishes fires in homes, cars, offices or factories.
