The opportunity to interact with Anushka, a humanoid robot developed by engineering college students on a minimal budget, was quite intriguing. Created at the Krishna Institute of Engineering and Technology in Ghaziabad, Anushka is touted as the first robot of her kind in North India to demonstrate autonomous movement.
What was most impressive was that Anushka was built for a mere Rs. 2 lakh thanks to parts sourced from a dump yard, a tiny fraction of the millions usually required. Her face includes 3D printed components while flexible silicone skin was provided by a model-maker. Engineers spent one and a half years designing Anushka to greet visitors and answer queries accurately.
Anushka's system utilizes a “master-slave” structure where a processor acts as the brain directing multiple micro-controllers and servo motors. She understands over 20 languages through natural language processing and accesses vast databases to reply appropriately. Anushka also recognizes faces using a high-definition camera from 10 meters away.
Interacting with such a responsive robot was strange yet her speech was clear without signs of delusion. While Anushka may not be considered self-aware, she exhibits intelligent behavior through listening, vision, communication and physical movement capabilities working together seamlessly. Engineers now aim to enhance her mobility and develop bipedal machines.
My encounter with Anushka highlighted what others before me felt – it is challenging to dismiss intelligent robots entirely as lifeless due their remarkably human qualities despite being artificial in nature. The students have undoubtedly produced an impressive machine on an unbelievably small budget through committed work.
