NIT Calicut researchers develop robot to help head loaders

Kozhikode: The researchers of the National Institute of Technology, Kozhikode, has developed a robot to help headload workers carry loads at ease.

The 'Dynamic Headload Distributing Robot' will help workers distribute weight of the load and avoid common injuries found among them. Taking up the job for a long period of time affects the muscles of the shoulders and the backbone. Such injuries can be avoided by using the robot, the researchers claim.

The robot, which is mounted on a jacket that can be wrapped around the chest, can carry up to 50 kg of weight. The weight will be distributed to the jacket through a shock-absorber. The machine is easy to handle. It can also manage the weight while the worker is walking. A helmet is also part of it.

A sensor on the platform on which the weight is placed informs the microcontroller if it slides below the limit.

NIT mechanical engineering faculty Dr AP Sudheer guided the group of students that includes D Prahlad, TM Sreevishnu, K Tejas, Nikhil George Rosh, Avinash Kumar and R Sreerag to develop the machine. They have applied for a patent.