Students in Surabaya Learn About Robots from US Researcher

Surabaya, E. Java (Antara) - Students at Sekolah Robot Indonesia (SRI) or Indonesia Robotic School, Surabaya and Sidoarjo (East Java) are learning submarine robot assembly at a workshop named Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) by a United States (US) researcher, Wednesday. "Students here have the potential to learn robotic technology, and it is very possible to develop that," former NASA technician, Eric Stackpole, said at the workshop organized by the US State Department. Previously, the robotic team from the school called Lintang Selatan, Surabaya and Sidoarjo won the Special Award as the most diligent and spirited team at the Maritime Advanced Technology Education (MATE) of the International ROV Competition in the US on June 26 -28, 2014. "The ROV is useful for exploration, research, education, or as a fun hobby. The way to assemble an ROV is relatively easy and it is not too expensive," Stackpole said. Technically, the ROV underwater which can explore the environment underwater can be controlled from the ground through a remote. The exploration results can be broadcast on live video by computer controls, so that everything recorded from 100 meter depth can be instantly recognized, he explained. The underwater robot made by the team that won the special award is not technically different from the underwater ROV robot, the coach of Lintang Selatan robotic team, Dhadhang Setiya Budi Winarto, said. "The slight difference is that the ROV was made through research, and hence the shape is simpler and the cost is relatively cheaper, ranging from US$600. The Lintang Selatan's underwater robot has a bigger shape and the cost is about US$1,200, he explained. Both these robots have similar mechanisms. "It is just that the Lintang Selatan's robot has a brace arm in order to meet the ROV competition requirement. The robot was on a mission to remove empty cans and bottles, and bring them to the surface," Dhadhang explained. After winning the Asian ROV competition in Hong Kong on April 10-15, and receiving a Special Award in the world-class ROV competition in the US, Lintang Selatan's robot will be developed for underwater shooting in a number of areas in Indonesia. "At the beginning we were pessimistic when joining the world-class ROV competition in the US, because we did not have the experience and were joining the world class competition for the first time. We were surprised to win the Special Award," a team member of Lintang Selatan, Ahistya Purbolintang, from SMAN 1 (high school grade 10) Sidoarjo, said. (*)