Underwater robot built by Mumbai students competes at global event

A remote operating vehicle built (ROV) by a group of city students that holds promise for underwater operations such as rescue missions and exploration of aquatic life in unchartered territory is being showcased in Canada as part of an international competition.

Team Screwdrivers from Mukesh Patel School of Technology Management and Engineering, a part of Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies, is the only group from India to have qualified for the event – the 14th Annual Marine Advanced Technology Education ROV competition – scheduled for June 25-27 at St. John's in Newfoundland & Labrador.

The Indian team is competing with participants from 31 nations, including the US, UK, Russia, Canada, Egypt and Japan. Team Screwdrivers comprises students from first year to final year engineering and is being guided by Prof Sawankumar Naik.

The contest requires the underwater robots to perform various operations such movement over a simulated iceberg and through an oil pipeline station. The winners will be chosen based on their demonstration of the ROV, engineering evaluation, presentation, poster display and team spirit, etc.

The ROV building by Team Screwdrivers features a robotic arm, which is used to pick up, drop and move objects under water. It has a camera to capture underwater photographs and measure the dimensions of the surroundings. The rob has a mechanism to install and operate underwater pipeline and detect harmful substances, apart from carrying out repairs on the spot.

Team leader Jaidev Kulkarni said their device has been built entirely on the college campus within the stipulated budget and timeframe. "Procuring accessories and tools to build the ROV was the most challenging part as they are not available in India. So, the team indigenously built most of the parts such as thrusters which are used for manoeuvring, waterproof connectors for electronics, chassis. The rest were obtained from abroad."

The robot, Kulkarni said, can be used for various purposes such as search and rescue missions under water, research landscapes and undiscovered aquatic life in deep water bodies.

The team has been previously felicitated by former president of India Dr APJ Abdul Kalam for winning the ALOHA TEAM SPIRIT Award at MATE ROV 2014. Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis too had appreciated its efforts.