A 19-year-old student in Nakuru built a military-grade robotic dog that will aid the police in their fight against terrorism.
David Lawrence Kamau, on Monday. October 3, noted that his invention would help deactivate explosive devices and disarm land mines using artificial intelligence.
The dog, he explained, is programmed to accurately perform the task and also minimalize fatalities that may occur thereafter.
"Given that it is run using a computer program, the margin of error is very minimal as compared to when a human is tasked with defusing a bomb.
"With this robot, we will not have to expose our police officers or military men to any harm. In any case, the destruction of the machine is less costly than the loss of human life," the tech inventor reiterated in an interview with NTV.
A first-year student at the Thika Tech Institute, Kamau revealed that he had already developed software that can communicate with the robo-dog from a mobile phone, eliminating further risks of impact.
The robot is the sixth in the teenager's inventory, having revealed that he has been building one every year since he turned 14.
Like any budding innovator, Kamau faced challenges in acquiring material and was forced to make do with scrap instruments. He even lacks a computer, which is essential for developing the AI to operate the bots.
"A robot has three components; IT, mechanics, and electronics. I may not have the money to get all components so I use the bicycle gear instead and I hope to get a computer soon," Kamau stated.
He hoped that the Diploma in Electrical and Electronics Engineering will help equip him to improve his skills in robot building.
His mother, Rose Kimani, revealed that his son has always leaned towards innovation since he was a child. In high school, he presented several projects in science congress competitions.
Kamau called on the government to step in to finance not only him but also other budding innovators, explaining that most youth are forced to abandon ideas in their inception.
