Innovation

DuctBot, Robosoft Systems

By Sunaina Sehgal

Photograph by Jiten Gandhi

Robo Clean
Fahad Azad loves his gadgets, with their multi-coloured buttons and that certain smell of electronics. But, the 29-year-old's fetish for gizmos didn't stop at just owning them. He wanted to be a creator of electronic goodies. After his degree in automobile engineering, this wish came true. Azad got an incredible opportunity to take part in an international robotics competition. He set up a team and got to work. What came out was a robot that could actually climb ropes. "Not only did we win, we also received a lot of publicity," says Azad, the co-founder of Robosoft Systems. The hype around the award got them noticed by the MD of EPSCO, a Middle East company. They approached Azad and his business partner and college senior, Farooq Ross Syed, to make a robot that could clean difficult-to-get-to air-conditioning ducts. And DuctBot was born. The toy-sized device could climb right inside centralised air-conditioning ducts and clean them. In 2005, Robosoft patented DuctBot. They've also sold about 1,000 units so far.

Worthy conduct
• Uses a wired or wireless PlayStation joystick
• Fool-proof and easy-to-use
• Has a digital video recorder
• Uses high intensity LED lights
• Completely enclosed dustproof body

Measuring up
• Weighs two kilograms
• Lightweight aluminium
• Rugged chassis
• The whole unit with wires,
cables and video camera
weighs 9 kilograms
• Compact carry-case
price: 1 lakh

Working Hard
Place the DuctBot at one end
of the air duct that needs
cleaning. The robot blows
compressed air as it travels
along the duct. Debris and
dirt are collected from the
other end.

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