OIT’s graphic design student assistant Talha Nayyar received the Judges’ Choice Award at Innovation Day on April 17 along with his project group members Nabeel Nayyar, and Areeb Khan for RAND-E, a Robotic Assistance and Navigation for Disaster Emergencies.
The College of Engineering hosts Innovation Day annually to showcase innovative and transformative student projects from three categories: undergraduate research, graduate research and senior design.
Talha and his teammates created a rescue robot dog for disaster response and confined space entry. RAND-E uses machine learning to autonomously navigate its surroundings while relaying crucial information to mission control.
The robot has an extensive array of sensors, including a ZedCam stereo camera for obstacle detection, color-coded distance map and depth sensing, four omnidirectional microphones and a 360-degree LiDAR system for low-light environments. These sensors allow the robot to detect trapped survivors in disaster areas without relying on a map. Additionally, the robot is equipped with a solar panel, ensuring reliability in all conditions and a swift response time. Due to its four-legged and compact size, RAND-E can easily navigate environments and terrain that conventional rescue methods may struggle with.
Talha is a senior in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, intending to graduate in December 2024, and plans to attend graduate school at UTA.
Read more about RAND-E on the students’ project poster.
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