Turkish university students develop house robot

A team of five students from a Turkish university have designed a robot which can work as a babysitter, a watchman or even a personal alarm bell.

Ankara-based Bilkent University students Muhammed Akbulut, Hüseyin Furkan Bozkurt, Suleiman Aijaz Memon, Hamed Mohammadi and Fahrettin Ömer Uyar, have named their creation Arbo.

Arbo uses a simple technology. It communicates with its owner via a mobile phone app, connected through Bluetooth wireless technology.

The robot can recognize voices, sense temperature, and avoid hitting objects when moving.

It can look after pets and children at home, and also keep security checks on the house. "Arbo can measure humidity and temperature. It can notify of gas leaks or a possible fire, and work as a CCTV camera, sending video footages of the house to its owner," Bozkurt said.

The students noted that the robot can also be used in a hospital setting to monitor patients. "It can recognize nurses and patients, and can give warning in case of an emergency," Bozkurt said.

For now, Arbo, can only understand 12 commands in the Turkish language. "But it can be customized and many more features can be added to it," Bozkurt added.

"In the near future Arbo will able to carry glasses at home, or files and medicine in hospitals," Bozkurt said.

The students thanked the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK) for its support in creation of the robot.