A recent mechanical engineering graduate from Heriot-Watt University Dubai has earned two prestigious UK innovation awards for the invention of a four-legged robot capable of four unique functions.
Mohammad Hassan Shariq's robot has taken him to the finals of the Thales Scottish Technology Prize 2010 and earned him the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) project prize.
His award-winning robot has the ability to pass through gaps of up to eight centimetres wide, climb slopes up to a 45 degree angle, climb heights of up to 10 centimetres and crawl on uneven surfaces.
Shariq's invention as part of a graduate research project titled the Self-reconfigurable Locomotive Robot has earned him recognition from the UK's second largest defence electronics supplies firm Thales UK.
Awarded second place in the Thales Scottish Technology Prize 2010, Shariq won a trophy and £500 (Dh2,880) cash prize.
However, before the results were announced he was not worried about the final outcome.
"It doesn't matter to me which prize I get because I'm just happy to be one of the finalists," said Shariq.
Made from aluminium brackets that hold the robot's two light sensors and infrared sensor together, the robot has a rechargeable battery and is manoeuvred by a micro controller. For a total cost of Dh2,500, Shariq built the robot as an additional part to his graduation project and he did it for fun.
"I built the robot for our graduation research project, but not everyone was building something," he said. "I built it [the robot] as a supplementary thing to help prove my research," added Shariq.
Yet it seems the eight months of sleepless nights and stress-filled days paid off handsomely for the 21-year-old Pakistani national, who is now reading for a master's degree in mechatronics at Newcastle University. However, with whatever cash prize he receives, Shariq is certain that the prize money will go towards future inventions.
Computer love
Shariq's passion for robotics is what led him to create his award-winning invention.
"Every student had a university supervisor for their project but due to my experience in robotics I was able to build it myself and write the programming," said Shariq. "I've always seen mobile robots overcoming different singular tasks so I wanted to create one with multiple functions," he said.
However, if the likes of National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa) do not snap up Shariq's first award-winning invention, they can be sure there will be many more to come; as the young inventor does not plan to relinquish his love for robotics any time soon. "I want to finish my studies and find a job as a robotic engineer or electromechanical engineer," he said.
