AUN student builds a firefighter robot-The future of Africa is here! Quenching fire with technology, the IEEE club president tells us how radio frequency, motors, and a microcontroller can help protect lives and property from a blaze.
AUN student builds firefighter robot
American University of Nigeria’s (AUN) Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) club showcased a firefighter robot at the recently concluded Nigeria Technology and Innovation Expo 2020. Fitted with a tank to pump and spray water, the robot can also detect fire. IEEE club President, Attahir Rabiu represented the student body at the event. He reminisces about his first impressions of AUN. “In 2016 during orientation at AUN, we were asked to write on a piece of paper; “AUN is my…” I had just spent a few days on campus so I wasn’t really sure what AUN meant to me. So I decided to write what I hoped AUN would be for me. I wrote, “AUN is my avenue to success.” Today I look back at the day I wrote those words and ask myself if my hopes came true. I can truly say that they did.” Attahir recounted.
Building this robot is a befitting climax to what has been an exciting four-year expedition for Attahir. With a project like this under his hat, he believes he has now come full circle in his final year at university. However, he did not embark on his journey to success alone. He found willing accomplices on his path at AUN. He acknowledges the great contributions of his peers in building the robot which generated a lot of interest at the technology expo. “I worked closely with IEEE Vice President, Wisdom Anuhu, another Telecommunications & Wireless Technology major. It was a collective effort.” He said.
Indeed the IEEE club was an association brimming with peer pressure for positive social impact. Club members frequently met to discuss the robot’s technical features such as incorporating radio frequency for remote operation and also the application of motors interfaced to the microcontroller. In the final prototype, two motors were used for movement of the vehicle and another to place the arm of the robot.
Attahir is grateful to his parents for investing in quality education. “I thank my parents for supporting me and making all the sacrifices for me to embark on this journey. AUN has given me the fundamentals to become a world-class telecommunications engineer who can make groundbreaking innovations in the IT world. The school has given me entrepreneurship and leadership skills through programs such as Emerging Leaders Academy, IEEE Club, summer internships, Honor Society, Hult Prize, and much more. AUN has transformed me into someone that has the potential to change the world. I say this because after four years at AUN I feel that I am ready to take on the many challenges we face as a nation so that one day an ambitious young man will sit down and write about his experience at the Nigerian University of America. My passion is to better the lives of people using technology.” Attahir surmised.
Even though the fire fighter robot was a crowd pleaser at the tech expo, it was not AUN’s only showing. Another proud ambassador for AUN was Chidi Okpoechi. Chidi was the best graduating student in 2019 from the Computer Science department. He independently built a new computer programming language from scratch. The Simple Programming Language showcased by Chidi was a novel piece of work. His innovative design forms a sequence of instructions which automate the performance of a task on a computer to solve a given problem.
The abstract technicalities of Chidi’s computer language is by no means a small feat. His presentation at the tech expo found an eager audience in fellow technology enthusiasts.The Abuja Tech Expo brings together researchers, innovators/inventors, technology entrepreneurs, institutions and investors to showcase their capabilities, commercialise research findings and also promote research collaborations.This year’s event titled “Enhancing the Growth of a Diversified Economy through Science and Technology” was held at Eagle Square Abuja from 16th to 20th March 2020 and was declared open by Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari.