JOIN USZoho invests in Indian startup Genrobotics that makes robotic scavengers
Technology firm Zoho Corporation is investing Rs 20 crore in a home-grown start-up Genrobotics, which has built Bandicoot, the world’s first robotic scavenger that helps clean sewer wells, and sewer manholes without any human intervention.
The investment by Zoho, which is headquartered in Chennai, will assist Genrobotics’ mission to eradicate manual scavenging and provide safety and dignity to workers in the sanitation and oil and gas industries.
The decision by Zoho to invest in a firm that makes robotics scavengers comes amid a sustained campaign by rights groups to bring an end to the practice of humans cleaning the sewers. People dying while cleaning sewer and septic tanks have been a major issue in India with as many as 325 people losing their lives while engaging in the hazardous activity since 2017.
Bandicoot helps clean confined spaces such as sewers manholes, sewer wells, stormwater manholes, oily water sewers (OWS) and stormwater sewers (SWS) in refineries, is being leveraged by local bodies and several companies in 14 states, Zoho said.
Talking about the new investment, Zoho’s co-founder and CEO, Sridhar Vembu, said the decision to invest in Genrobotics is the continuation of his commitment to nurturing a thriving deep-tech ecosystem in India.
"Looking at how far they have come already in this journey, Genrobotics' vision resonates with us at Zoho and we are happy to fast-track their efforts and support them in their mission to end manual scavenging,” Vembu added.
Bandicoot, which was launched in 2018, is designed to mimic human movements with the help of AI – the robots use their legs, various sensors and cameras to enter manholes, move around and gain stability in different terrains.
The multipurpose robotic arm can perform actions such as shovelling, grabbing, picking and water-jet positioning necessary for various types of cleaning. It is equipped with a sensor to detect poisonous gases and specially-designed four-IP68 night vision cameras that provide visuals of the confined space through the user interface located safely above the manhole, enabling sanitation workers to do their jobs safely and efficiently, the company said.
Vimal Govind MK, CEO and co-founder, of Genrobotics, said the robot which combines the use of human intelligence and artificial intelligence, offers a viable alternative to the dangerous practice of manual cleaning.
“The investment from Zoho will help us to expand our advanced R&D infrastructure, build large-scale production facilities, hire more talent, increase our exports to ASEAN markets and expand our global footprints,” Govind said.
Samuel Velankanni, Convenor, Safai Karamchari Andolan, Tamil Nadu, told DH that technological intervention with adequate training to operate the robots was the only solution to end the practice of manual scavenging.
“People are forced to enter the septic tanks to clear hard sludge which lorries cannot suck using the pipe they have. Robots that can go deep and clear sludge are the need of the hour as they would not just save the lives of many but result in employment opportunities for people involved in this profession,” Velankanni said.
He said people who are “forced” to engage in manual scavenging should be chosen to handle the robots and given enough training to operate them.