'Doctor Robo' adds value to rural healthcare

Visakhapatnam: Y Jessica (Class X), K Reshma Bindu (Class X) and K Varshini Priyanka (Class IX) could not contain their excitement as their project surfaced in the top 30 teams selected for 'Shepreneur internship' programme. This paved the way for a five-day virtual internship with focused mentorship facilitated by experts from Dell Technologies wherein the students got to work exclusively on their project.

After completion of the virtual internship, the team of 'Community Thinkers' from Dr BR Ambedkar Gurukulam-Centre of Excellence, Madhurawada, Visakhapatnam, proceeded to another five-day internship in Bengaluru. "This internship segment will give us a new exposure to emerging technologies and learn from one another. We are glad that 'Doctor Robo' caught the nationwide attention and our hard work in pouring life into the prototype that stretched for almost a year paid off dividends," the trio says.

With an MIT App inventor, Arduino board, servo motor and a Bluetooth module, the 'Doctor Robo' helps in treating primary health issues such as fever, cold, cough and headache. "All we need to do is share the symptoms of the health issue by choosing a language that one is comfortable with. The 'robo' will prescribe medicines through a text message and a voice message.

The project is designed to meet multipurpose needs and it comes in handy in Agency areas where people have restricted road and healthcare accessibility. By meeting their hospital needs at their doorstep, the platform aids in cutting the transport cost as well," the girls explain. Even in times of the Covid-19 pandemic, such intervention aids in treating patients without any fear of getting infected, they add.

When the community thinker team came up with 'Doctor Robo' as a part of the ATL Tinkering Marathon 2021-22, they never expected that their project would get shortlisted among top 30. With support pouring in from Principal of the school P Nirmala, district coordinator S Rupavathi along with guide and ATL in-charge T Rambabu, the trio was able to stand out in the Atal Innovation Mission's (AIM) flagship innovation challenge wherein schools identify community problems and offer innovative solutions through working prototypes.

Apart from experts, the unique project garnered the appreciation of Minister for Social Welfare Merugu Nagarjuna when he visited the school earlier. The ATL Marathon 2021- 22 witnessed 7,000-plus innovations and 16,000 students. In addition to prizes and certificates from AIM, NITI Aayog, 350 of them got internship opportunities with top companies in India. As the last phase, top 30 teams were shortlisted for the student entrepreneurship programme (SEP). With the assistance of Artificial Intelligence, the team intends to add digital consultancy next.

Setting time schedules to check on patients and storage of health data of the patient based on the complaint keyed in are some of the other add-ons the team plan to include in future.