Team develops robot dog for use in risky situations

Melike Çalkap- ISTANBUL

A 10-person team consisting of students and alumni of the Istanbul Technical University has developed a "robot dog" that can be used to obtain information and to conduct missions during several perilous situations in nuclear power plants and various domains of the defense industry.

The robot dog, named Proteo in honor of the search and rescue dog from Mexico who tragically lost its life while participating in search efforts in the Feb. 6 earthquakes, clinched the first place in the “Space, Aerospace, and Defense” category at this year's Teknofest Entrepreneurship Competition.

Providing insights about the project, team member Çayan Baykal explained, "Our aim is to make technologies like robot dogs accessible for use in areas and occupations hazardous to human life. Hence, we will ensure that the robot dog takes part in regions such as war zones and nuclear power plants."

Equipped with a thermal camera, robot arm, and sensors, it will be capable of executing assigned tasks, Baykal said, adding that it will be able to perform risky tasks in its operational zone, such as cutting cables or disposing of mines.

Describing Proteo as an operative akin to a field agent within the defense industry, Baykal said, the robot dog will relay information about the surroundings to the operational area before the arrival of soldiers.

He also stressed that in case of the dog not returning, the information it acquires will be recorded.

Baykal noted that Proteo can be designed in various sizes, enabling it to easily access desired areas and locations.

Speaking about the project's victory at Teknofest, Baykal revealed that when they initially applied to the competition, they had only produced one leg of the dog. However, the competition board was highly impressed with the idea.