Bhumi’s children develop a model robot that detects and extinguishes fires

Bhumi is one of India’s largest independent non-profit organizations that prides itself on being completely volunteer driven. The organization aims to build a society that’s more influential, equal and socially conscious. Bhumi currently supports more than 4,000 children at several orphanages, slums, and village community centers. Their volunteers educate and mentor children across the country, helping them prepare for a better future.

Ignite is Bhumi’s supplementary education programme for underprivileged children. The programme is delivered during the weekends by over 2,000 trained volunteers and tutors. Over 10,000 children benefit from the programme across India.

The Yantra module is a platform for young minds to learn robotics. Yantra is an exciting hands-on programme that helps underprivileged children learn scientific concepts by building their own robots. The children of classes 6 to 10 build their own robots through a series of workshops spread over multiple weeks. Bhumi volunteers, trained by volunteers of Dwengo (Belgium), handhold them through the process.

Ignite Fest is the year-end exhibition of the Ignite programme. The Yantra demonstration at the fest is where children demonstrate expertise in robotics.

At the fest, the team ‘Varutha padadha robotic sangam’, which loosely translates to the ‘Robotics group that do not worry’ developed a model robot that detects and extinguishes fire. The team name is a wordplay on a Tamil movie

The student members of the team were Vigneshwaran and Bharath. The volunteers who guided these students at various levels are Deepak, Murali, Rahul, Narayan, Deepa and Tamizh.

The volunteers recall how the boys never showed any signs of tiredness. While they had not had the opportunity of a good education, they did not let that come in their way. They put in long hours and absorbed everything the volunteers taught them. Their determination to convert their plan into a working model was evident. Such determination always bears fruit.

And finally their robot was ready…

In excited tones, they explained the working mechanism to the audience at the fest:

“The robot used an IR sensor to detect the location of radiation source (the fire) and used a servomotor to rotate an arm that could target the location of fire. It then uses a mini pump coupled to mini motor to transfer water from a bottle through the rotating arm pipe to the fire thus extinguishing the fire.”

The happy smiles of these students was contagious and everyone was amazed at the wonderful job they had done with meagre resources.

This robot is far more than just an experiment at an event.

It is proof that our children have the talent and commitment to make a better tomorrow. All they need is a helping hand. Let talent such as this not be lost forever because of lack of opportunity and access to education.

These children need you. Give Now and help make a better India for our children.