ROBOT AS A SOCIAL STATEMENT

provided by KWA. Innovation wing of KWA, Water Authority In- novation Zone (KWIZ), has agreed to fund ‘Bandicoot’ as its pilot project.

MANHOLES TO ‘ROBO- HOLES’

CHIEF MINISTER The vision of GENROBOTICS PINARAYI VIJAYAN behind ‘Bandicoot’ is to convert HANDING OVER THE manholes to ‘robo-holes.’ With the MoU DOCUMENT introduction of ‘Bandicoot’, the firm intends to make cleaning of under- ountless number of people novation Entrepreneurship Devel- ground drainage system the job of have died while cleaning opment Centre (IEDC) of Kerala mechanised robots and not humans. Cmanholes and sewers all “We dream of a future when man- over the country. Absence of liveli- holes will be called ‘robo-holes’,” says hood had invariably forced people Arun. to continue doing such ‘nasty’ jobs without any protective mechanism. HOW DOES ‘BANDICOOT’ However, an ingenious technology WORK? developed by a group of engineer- This human-controlled robot ing graduates from Thiruvanantha- is designed to do everything from puram is poised to erase the shame- lifting the heavy steel lids of man- ful practice from existence. hole to descending into the pit and It was the team behind GEN- unclogging the sewers. The robot ROBOTICS, a startup focusing on is designed to identify blockages in socially-relevant issues, which gave Startup Mission (KSUM) for setting standard sewer systems and remove shape to ‘Bandicoot’, a robot that up their company in 2016. “After them with the efficiency of a human looks like a giant spider. The team coming under KSUM, we zeroed in worker. It can also handle high-pres- members are Vimal Govind, Rashid, on the social issue of manual scav- sure water hoses which are currently Nikhil N P and Arun George who enging and then decided to make a operated by human workers to flush passed out of MES College of En- robot that could replace humans for out clogs inside sewers. ‘Bandicoot’, gineering, . GENRO- unclogging and cleaning sewers,” which is capable for shifting shape, BOTICS even signed a memoran- says Arun George, administrative of- will be controlled from the ground dum of understanding (MoU) with ficer at GENROBOTICS. The team, above the sewerage pit through a the Kerala Government on January which currently has eight members, user interface. 11 on the basis of which the State approached KWA through KSUM ‘Bandicoot’ is designed to with- Government will fund the develop- to study the data pertaining to the stand the harsh conditions inside ment of second stage of the robotic sewerage system before going ahead sewer cavities. The engineers behind technology to help Kerala Water with designing ‘Bandicoot.’ The final ‘Bandicoot’ hope that they can teach Authority (KWA) unclog the sewers design and prototype of the sewer the present workers how to manoeu- of the Capital City’s drainage system. cleaning robot was developed after vre and operate it, thereby uphold- The four took help from the In- conducting surveys using the data ing yet another social commitment.

48 / Destination Kerala l February 2018 FAVOURABLE ECOSYSTEM FOR STARTUPS IN KERALA lthough a startup ecosystem have the least number of startups. Aexisted in since the Speaking about the distribution of inception years of indigenous IT fresh startup enterprises across the giants like Infosys and TCS in the State, tops the early 80s, the true potential of start- list with 414. Meanwhile, the State up economy remained unexplored capital is far behind with only 134. till the success of e-commerce with 59 and platform Filpkart in 2007. It did with 40 hold the third and fourth not take a long time for industrious positions. While there is no avail- youngsters in Kerala to catch up in able data from district, startup entrepreneurship. Accord- Kasargod and Idukki have two and DR. SAJI GOPINATH, CEO, KSUM ing to the government technology four startups respectively. promoter Kerala Startup Mission “Targeting the scaleup startups, (KSUM), two firms registered as ware development sector. However, KSUM has introduced a scheme to startups in 2009. Over the years, in terms of other technology start- accommodate them in the facili- the number of startups which have ups, health (7.79 per cent), retail ties at Technopark, Infopark and registered in the State has only (7.27 per cent), education technol- Technology Innovation Zone in multiplied. In 2015, 213 technology ogy (6.87 per cent), hardware (5.02 the State. KSUM has earmarked an startups newly registered – more per cent), auto (2.91 per cent), agro area of approximately 46,000 sq.ft. than 100 times compared to 2009. (3.04 per cent) and fintech (3.96 for the scheme. Scaleup startups At present, according to a study per cent) also have fair shares in which are incubated, are allotted conducted by KSUM, there are Kerala’s startup ecosystem. this space with subsidy. We have more than 757 technology startups On the other hand, sectors like been assigned to extend support to in the State. gaming (0.79 per cent), energy the agencies in accordance with the Most number (51.1 per cent) of (1.72 per cent), advertising (2.77 IT policy,” said Dr. Saji Gopinath, new startups was recorded in soft- percent) and media (1.85 per cent) CEO, KSUM.

SCHRODERS WINS EUROPEAN SOFTWARE IIITM-K FACULTY GETS TESTING AWARD OF THE YEAR IBM’S COVETED AWARD chroders, a global investment The ‘Prodapt Testing Management nternational Smanagement firm based in Team of the Year’ Award emphasises IBusiness Ma- London, recently won the ‘Euro- the success of the transformation chines Corpora- pean Software Testing Award of the programme that Schroders’ Global tion (IBM) has Year’ and ‘Prodapt Testing Manage- QA Practice team undertook back conferred the IBM ment Team of the Year’ Award. UST in 2016 with the objective of making Shared University Global, a leading digital technology technology agile, economical, robust Research Award services company, is a strategic test- and resilient to market disruptors. carrying over Rs. two million on ing partner of Schroders. The Eu- The transformation is focused on Dr. R Jaishanker R , Associate ropean Software implementing Professor and Coordinator (Eco- Testing Awards is Scaled Agile logical Informatics), IIITM-K. The a unique platform Framework purse forming part of the honour that celebrates the across the enter- will be used to integrate IBM’s cloud testing success prise. UST Global platform (BlueMix) to study crop stories across Europe. has played a key role in Schroders’ production. The proposed study As the awardee of ‘The European testing transformation journey. will test whether crop yield can be Software Testing Award’, Schrod- Arun Narayanan, COO, UST predicted using some models inte- ers has been recognised for excel- Global, lauded the Schroders and grated with IBM BlueMix. Whilst ling in all the areas and surpassing UST teams for winning the awards. this is now possible in standalone every other individual, project or “We are proud to be the strategic test- machines, a cloud mounted model is organisation within the industry. ing partner of Schroders, he added. innovation in the field.

MONTHLY NEWSLETTER FROM TECHNOPARK The Chief Executive Officer, Technopark, Park Centre, Technopark Campus, 695 581, Kerala, India Phone: +91 471 2700222 | Fax: +91 471 2700171 | Email: [email protected] | www.technopark.org September 2015 l Destination Kerala / 00