By Anna Valmero
INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police Makati Unit has launched the mechanical anti-terrorist concept (MAC) robot that looks like a magnified version of a robotic toy weighing about 80 kilos.
It is a good sign the government defense unit is looking at technology to better their operations. However, a look at the robot also signals how the technology is really in its infancy — well, it’s a prototype.
A good point about the MAC is that it uses locally sourced parts but it also posed problems for developers.
According to Engineer John Judillo of the Mapua Institute of Technology (MIT), they had difficulty in making the parts fit the configuration of the other thus it took them about nine months to come up with MAC — seven months for conceptualization and two months for development.
Structure: The MAC uses simple electronic motors for actuation sourced locally which can allow immediate repair of the machine. It takes a while for the person behind the control console to command MAC to pick up and drop the explosive to a bomb basket, as I’ve seen in the demo.
As I remember, since the student developers in the team will compete in the First World Cup on Computer Implemented Inventions, possibly the key focus for developing MAC is the programming behind it, specifically using C++ language.
Suggested modification: It is possible to use advanced parts for the design without importing them. How? By partnering with local electronics and if possible, semiconductor companies in the country for the chip parts.
In my understanding, robotics as a discipline combines electronics, mechanics and software. The developers can focus on these three to develop a better MAC. At present, TI and NXP, two of the big names in the chip manufacturing space, have offices in the Philippines. It is possible to tap them as partners for the endeavor and don’t forget homegrown electronics firms, which abound in Manila and nearby provinces.
Built: The first-generation MAC has a fiber glass casing painted black and uses four tires to move around. It is a remotely operated vehicle tied to the control console via an umbilical cord. The cord can be extended to 30 meters, said the developer team.
Suggested modification: If the casing is fiber glass, the MAC could be destroyed in scenarios it cannot wheel away immediately from an exploding bomb. Time is critical to controlling bomb explosions and at P300,000 cost, losing three of these MACs in a month sums up to lost of public money.
According to the developer, the MAC uses wires to enable reliable control. Going wireless is not an option but a must for solutions like this. One can never assume the explosive will always be located less than or equal to 30 meters away from the bomb team. What if it’s on top of the 50th floor?
This question brings to another possible modification. Can the next-generation MAC climb stairs in case explosives are located there and not on the ground floor? Current solutions from other countries use eight wheels to enable the robot to climb stairs. This could be an interesting area to look at.
The MAC has four cameras that can be viewed by the person behind the control console. Despite the four cameras, it takes a while to let the robot move around as well as for the person behind the console to command it without receiving additional input from other bomb disposal members about MAC’s grip on the bomb or how it needs to adjust a little on the left to fit the way.
Suggested modification: In addition to the four cameras, the next-generation MAC can add a camera that will form 3D visualization to allow spatial perspective of the MAC’s location with respect to the bomb based on the images from the four cameras. This will allow the person behind the control console to ‘see’ the environment the MAC is in as well as estimate its distance to the explosive.
What other modifications will you suggest to be included in the next-generation MAC?
9 Feedbacks on "Filipino-made robot to help police"
long
The MAC is a good invention by Filipinos to help our Philippine National Police to safely dispose bombs and avoid human casualty among its force. But looking at the robot, there’s still a need to improve the machine to use it in all situations where the bomb located. In our country, bombs threats always happen inside building and seldom on streets or open spaces where it is accessible by this type of robots. To use it in all situations, first, they should modify the wheels so that it can climb incline stairs of a building about 45 degrees. Second, the robot should operate in wireless because it has more advantages compared to cable-operated. Third, it should use colored higher video resolution to have clearer look of the area in operation.
I once worked in a foreign country that imported this type of robot from Canada. The robot has 4 cameras and has 3 optional claws to use from light to heavy bombs. It has a gun to diffuse a bomb from a distance. It can climb up the stairs and can be operated both wireless and cable.
I hope our Philippine-made robot would be improved and be noticed by countries around the world. In our time today where terrorism becomes public enemy no.1, I believe more countries will use robotic machines in their fight against terrorism, and hopefully our country becomes exporter of this machine in the future.
explorer
i hope they also add infra red vision to the robot
david
I would like to suggest a fully remote control operated MAC Robot for easy manuever and that 30 meters wire could be a problem.
bong
1) body must be explosion proof
2) wheels should be similar to tank design.
Please refer to “Future weapons” - Discovery channel..you can get a lot of ideas.
tnx
Anonymous
I think i’ve read in some articles that there are some types of bombs that is sensitive to radio frequencies. With this, I think it is NOT good to have MAC become wireless. Extending the cable length is more of an option than going wireless. In addition, MAC’s arm can be made to have more tools (a cutter?), in addition to the existing gripper, much like a swiss knife. because some bombs cannot be moved from its place as it may trigger the bomb to explode
I know it will make the cost of developing MAC to go up but this’s just my two cents 
James Monasterial
Good job fellow mapuans! I’m proud to be a mapuan! Astig
geco
This is a great news. It shows that Filipinos have global tech competence. Maybe we could also try developing unmanned aerial/underwater vehicles for various purposes (commercial,civilian or military).
Good luck guys!
geco
Regarding this: Suggested modification: In addition to the four cameras, the next-generation MAC can add a camera that will form 3D visualization to allow spatial perspective of the MAC’s location with respect to the bomb based on the images from the four cameras. This will allow the person behind the control console to ‘see’ the environment the MAC is in as well as estimate its distance to the explosive.
One way to address the suggested improvements above is to incorporate Geographic Information System (GIS) in MAC. MAC will carry wireless Global Positioning System (GPS) with bluetooth or any wireless technology the relative position of MAC will then be broadcasted to the command center computer with a GIS virtual 3D environment such as ArcGlobe; a program will then be written to compute the distance of MAC to any selected structure.
Albert
As one of the members of the developing team of MAC, I really can say that MAC is still in its infancy. Actually, MAC is just a proof of concept and given the proper funding then nothing is impossible. Just wait a little longer guys. Maybe in 3 or 5 months we’ll be releasing another prototype and We will consider your suggestions here.
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