Imagine a lush green farm thriving with paddy crops and vegetables. In the midst of this, instead of a farmer toiling under the sun for hours, there is a robot who has taken over tasks like ploughing and seeding.

Turning this imagination into reality, Class 9 students Monika Gudivada and Varshini Karedla have developed a prototype of a robot that can carry out multiple tasks.

“My grandfather is a farmer, and I observed how it was becoming increasingly difficult for him to complete agricultural tasks on his 3-acre plot of land. When I expressed this concern to my school teachers, they encouraged me to think of a solution, and that is how the concept of a multi-purpose robot was born,” says Monika.

After spending months on research and technology, Monika, Varshini and Varshini designed an eco-friendly robot that functions on solar energy and can save time and labour.

The table-sized robot named ‘Multi-Purpose Agricultural Robot’ is equipped to perform key tasks like ploughing, seeding, watering, spraying biofertilizers and pesticides simultaneously.

The solar panels attached on the top of the robot convert solar energy to mechanical energy which runs it.

The students tested the robot in a local farmer’s plot. Vouching for the time-saving technology, the farmers mentioned, “I use different equipment for different practices which is very timeconsuming. This robot is capable of performing multiple tasks in one go and is wonderful.”

Presently, the prototype demands the farmer to be in close proximity with the robot to operate it with a remote control. However, the students plan to make an autonomous machines connected to a smart phone.