Robots’ to contend for a tortuous journey to Mustang

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Kathmandu / June 18: How can a robot faced with the diverse topography of Nepal – from the Tarai plain towards tortuous rugged Himalayan terrain – transport communications equipment to Pokhara and salt to Mustang?

Robots designed to navigate such harsh terrain will be put to test at a competition to be held at the Military Education and Training Centre at Rajdal Battalion based at Lagankhel of Lalitpur district on June 25.

Nine groups of engineering research organizations affiliated to the Tribhuvan University (TU), Purwanchal University and Kathmandu University (KU) will hit the field with their robots, said Nisban Dhakal of Technical Research and Development Centre, Institute of Engineering (IOE).

The competition to be held in a knock out format will provide only three minutes to each contending robots to simulate the transportation of communications equipment from Tarai to Pokhara and salt to Mustang.

Dhakal added the robots succeeding to get the job done in the shortest time span will be awarded the title ‘Sahi Ho’ (that’s right).

The representatives of the winning team as well as the first runner up will get access to the International Robot Competition taking place after two months in Bangkok, Thailand as observers.

The competition titled Mustang Yatra or Mustang Journey will help usher in a volte-face in the country’s science and technology realm, organizers claim. RSS