The pen moves swiftly and deftly on paper, held tightly as if between fingers. Gradually, a picture takes shape, leaving the onlookers in awe.
What makes the drawing different is that it is not done by a human being, but by a robot – a robot developed by four students of Rajagiri Public School in Doha under the supervision of their two teachers.
In a remarkable display of ingenuity and collaboration, the students from grades 11 and 9 developed what they call a ‘homework writing and drawing robot’ during their summer vacation last year. The team comprised of Abhishek Shiju, Abdulla Jassim, Christo Issac Rajeev, and Joseph Joren Viju and the project was executed under the guidance of Shafeen Sheriff, Head of the Department of Science at the school, and teacher Maneesh Sethumadhavan K.
Their invention, showcased at the school expo, garnered widespread attention and admiration from visitors, and was an inspiration for fellow students to engage more deeply in technological endeavours. This talented team has a track record of creating projects with significant implications for scientific education, showcasing their commitment to innovation.
“I got the idea of developing this robot when I was in the seventh grade. I bought some parts for the project then but couldn’t complete it. I am happy we could do it now,” Abhishek Shiju, the team leader told News Trail. He says their team, which regularly works on similar projects, completed this project in three months.
During the summer vacation last year, they worked on four projects – aircraft, drone, humanoid robot and robot. Of all the four, the drawing robot was the highlight and won widespread appreciation.
The picture of the subject to be drawn is first printed in HD and then uploaded into an AI software. The degree of perfection depends on the clarity of the picture.
Notably, the students recently gifted a drawing created by their robot to Malayalam actor Tovino Thomas, and plans to extend their outreach to more celebrities.
Having achieved a scientific feat, the student team has bigger goals which they are determined to pursue. “We want to set up a lab for research and technology in Doha for our needs and for other students who want to work on their dream projects,” says Abhishek. One major challenge the students faced while making the robot was getting the components, which they had to finally import from India. And there are several other challenges which a project of this nature face. This lab will seek address to address all these issues and provide a platform for technological and scientific development. Also, the team wants to improve on the robot they have created.
But all this requires funds which they don’t have and the young team is looking for someone who will invest in their projects and help them fulfill their dreams.
And the young team is assuring potential investors that it will be a win-win deal, as they have already proved themselves with talent, enthusiasm and commitment.
