THIRUVANANTHAPURAM
(with pic)
“Rail Mitra”, a robot has been developed by the railways to distribute medicines, food and water and provide supplies necessary for coronavirus positive patients limiting the chances of direct contact with them.
Besides, the ‘remote controlled trolley’ can collect used plates, bottles, masks and other things to be discarded from the COVID-19 patients or those being quarantined. The UV Disinfection chamber equipped with UV light can disinfect the used items and make them safe to handle.
Apart from these services, Railmitra can disinfect contaminated floors also with the help of a targeted spray system fixed in it. An automatic hand sanitizer dispenser will dispense the hand sanitizer automatically for 0.75 seconds when one places his or her hands under the dispenser.
U V lamp-based Room Disinfection System, Disinfectant Fume Generator for room disinfection and 360 Degree IP camera for remote monitoring and communication are the other features of the robot weighing 6 kg. The UV light in the chamber will turn off automatically when the chamber is open and this is to avoid UV light exposure. UV lights are fitted on the bottom of RailMitra which will also disinfect the contaminated floors.
Designed and developed by R. Nidheej, Junior Engineer, Signal of the Signal and Telecommunication wing of Thiruvananthapuram railway division, the robot asssembled in 20 days has come in for appreciation from the Union Railway Minister, Piyush Goyal, railway top brass and doctors and nurses.
The camera helps to see and talk to COVID 19 patients from a distance. The operator can use an RF remote controller with a range of 500 meters to control. UV tube and sodium hypochlorite fumes, for disinfecting the rooms of COVID-19 patients after they get discharged are the add on features.
Nidheej, who hails from Kanjikuzhy in Idukki district, has also come up with automatic hand sanitiser dispenser, social distancing ensuring device, contactless temperature measurement device to face the challenges arising out of the pandemic. “The Rail Mitra can be used in railway stations and hospitals and quarantine centres. It will minimise the contact and reduce the risk of the caregivers. A contactelss temperature gadget has been added that will sense the wrist temperature from five cms away,” says Mr. Nidheej.
The Railways have gone for commercial production of the gadget at the Signal and Telecommunication workshop at Podanur. Divisional Railway Manager, Shirish Kumar Sinha said the robot is affordable as it can be produced for Rs. 20,000. “We are ready to transfer the technlogy for those coming forward and many has shown interest for it”, he added.
EOM/ARK
