| |
| |
![]() |
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
MANILA: Eight years ago, Filipino police in Makati lost two bomb specialists in the line of duty. But with an award-winning addition to their troops, they are hoping to minimize threats to their lives as they respond to a bomb emergency.
MAC, short for Mechanical Anti-Terrorist Concept, is the country's first bomb disposal robot.
The central business district receives an average of two to three bomb threats a week, so the two feet tall robot is a big boost to the police department in their fight against terrorism.
Gilbert Cruz, Chief of Police, Makati City, said: "Whenever a bomb threat is received by our office, upon verification, MAC will be the first one to go to that place and retrieve the bomb and put it in a safer place and unarm the bomb."
MAC's daring exploits earned him the top prize in the first World Cup for Computer Implemented Inventions, held recently in China. The engineering students behind him said winning was a blast.
Jaylord Jauod, Robotics Team, Mapua Institute of Technology, said: "They are amazed that Filipinos can even create these kinds of robots similar to them, with the very limited resources that we have in our country."
Foreign military models could cost about US$300,000, but the prototype of MAC was just a hundredth of that cost.
Mark Joseph Sollestre, Robotics Team, Mapua Institute of Technology, said: "We designed and fabricated the circuit boards for the robots so that we can have a lower cost. So everything is Filipino-made and hand-made."
Aside from handling explosives, MAC can check the air for poisonous gases.
With the success of MAC, the developers are now working on an upgraded version that will allow the robot to go up and down staircases and even operate underwater.
Sherwin Magon, School of Mechanical Engineering, Mapua Institute of Technology, said: "We are furthering the developments so that it can handle different scenarios in the future. For example, if the package is too big, we will have a forklift."
The Armed Forces of the Philippines will provide up to US$35,000 for the mass production of MAC. - CNA/vm
|
