Kerala Affairs
Kerala becomes first state to use robotic scavengers to clean manholes
The Kerala government launched robotic scavenger, Bandicoot, to clean sewages in this temple town, becoming the first state in the country to use robotic technology to clean all its commissioned manholes.
<a href="https://exam.pscnotes.com/water-Resources“>Water Resources Minister, Roshi Augustine, launched Bandicoot under the Guruvayur Sewerage Project in Thrissur district by the Kerala Water Authority (KWA), as part of the 100-day action plan of the .
“With the launch of the project in Guruvayur, manual scavenging in Kerala has ended. Now Kerala has become the first state in the country to use robotic scavengers to clean manholes,” Minister claimed in a release.
The robotic Tron Unit, which is the major component of Bandicoot, enters the manhole and removes sewage using robotic hands, similar to a man’s limbs, the release, adding that the machine has waterproof, HD vision cameras and sensors that can detect harmful gases inside the manholes.
Bandicoot, developed by Kerala-based Genrobotics, had recently bagged ‘Kerala Pride’ award at the Huddle Global 2022 conclave organised by Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM).
National and International Affairs
Vitamin-D deficiency hits developing neurons in schizophrenia: Study
Using a new visualisation tool known as false fluorescent neurotransmitters, neuroscientists at The University of Queensland have discovered how vitamin D deficiency affects developing neurons in Schizophrenia, a serious mental Health disorder.
In a nutshell, the study, which comes a day after World Schizophrenia Day is marked,highlights the importance of vitamin D in brain development and the potential impact of deficiency on the onset of the mental condition.
Schizophrenia is associated with many developmental risk factors, and while the precise neurological causes of the disorder remain unknown, the mental health disorder is associated with a pronounced change in the way the brain uses dopamine.