You've got to be the robot

TECHNOLOGY

GRAZ, AUSTRIA - Months of practice to make a robot part of its controller's body has helped a Thai squad win the best rescue robot prize for the fourth consecutive year at the World RoboCup competition.

Rescue robot iRap-Pro, built by students from King Mongkut's University of Technology (North Bangkok), climbs an object to locate victims in a mock accident setting during the World RoboCup competition in Graz, Austria. The Thai team won. - COURTESY OF SIAM CEMENT GROUP

Kathawut Uchin jumped with joy after judges announced his team was the 2009 winner, beating a Japanese team with an impressive job to skilfully command his robot to locate victims in a mock disaster scene.

The tank-like robot iRap-Pro, designed to run on all terrain, managed to negotiate blocks and obstacles to reach 38 victims _ five more than the Japanese team.

Mr Kathawut, the leader of a squad of four from King Mongkut's Institute of Technology (North Bangkok), admitted his team had to compete under intense pressure as Thailand was defending champion after its consecutive wins since 2006. ``We've tried to reduce the pressure by training hard for more than six months,'' said the engineering student after the competition held from June 29 to July 5 in Graz.

All members were assigned to do jobs in which they specialised. This allowed the team to better control its robot and finish jobs in a short time.

But most important was the excellent communication between iRap-Pro and its controller, Mr Kathawut.

``I've controlled and worked with the robot very often, trying to make it part of my body,'' he said.

The robot iRap-Pro can make a 360-degree turn for efficient movement. Its hand, attached with a small camera, can also stretch up to 1.5 metres for a better view of victims.

Thai Robotics Society president Jackrit Suthakorn applauded the Thai team for coming up with the outstanding robotic technology to compete with those from 30 countries, especially such technological giants as Japan, Germany and Sweden. ``To defend the championship is even more difficult than clinching a title,'' he said.

The society and the Siam Cement Group (SCG) have supported the rescue robot competition in Thailand, which was first held in 2004.

SCG corporate communications director Venus Asawasithithaworn said Thailand would invite foreign countries to compete in the Thailand Rescue Robot Championship to be held in December this year. Their participation would help raise the competition standard, she said.