This snake is high on curiosity quotient

Ravishing robot

It doesn’t bite. It doesn’t hiss either. But this snake has captured the imagination of many with its raised hood and slithered its way to take pride of place at ‘Pride of India’, an exhibition organised as part of the 103rd Indian Science Congress, behind the Bahadur Institute of Management Studies, Manasagangotri campus, University of Mysore

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An improved version of a previous robot developed by the Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (CAIR), the ‘snake robot’ is the cynosure of all eyes at the Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) pavilion here.

According to a representative at the CAIR stall, the robot can make its way through constricted areas like pipes for surveillance, especially during search and rescue operations to locate casualties after natural disasters.

It can capture images up to a 100-metre range with a wireless camera fitted into it. The hood-up function is designed for wide sweep of camera and the robot runs on a li-ion battery with varying timings of endurance. It can perform up to 14 actions, including lateral undulation. The technology, for now, is restricted to CAIR offices, the official said.

Another on display is the mule robot, a legged device which resembles an animal. It can carry weights, especially during army operations, traversing through lofty hills. An improvised version of it, with the add-on feature of carrying weights up to 100 kg, is being developed, the official said.

Another is the legged, wheeled robot that performs similar operations. All these equipment work on remote control.

Arms of different types, developed by the Armament Research and Development Establishment, Pune, Maharashtra, introduce visitors to a bit of armoury in the Indian Army. The multi-calibre individual weapon system (MCIWS), also known as assault rifle, under barrel grenade launcher and carbine are on display.

Light in weight and with modular design, the MCIWS has the capability of firing different calibre ammunition by changing barrel group, breech block and magazine. A miniature cockpit developed by the Aeronautical Development Establishment, for computerised recruitment of pilots to the Indian Air Force, that was recently introduced at the IAF station in Mysuru, is also on display.