Teenager invents robot and motorcycle using trash

RUPANDEHI, Sept 5: Nineteen years old Subin Sunuwar of Kanchan Rural Municipality-3, Rudrapur has raised quite a few eyebrows by inventing a talking robot and a motorcycle using locally available resources.

According to him, his poor financial status compelled invent those things using limited tools and equipment. By using dumped pieces of wood, plastic, wire, battery and motor, he invented a robot, which walks, talks, blinks, and carries things from one place to another. It can also shut the door. He says he could not use a sensor in the robot due to financial constraints.

Sunuwar has not used any hardware or software in his invention. He says that it cost him Rs 40,000 to invent this robot. Born in 1999, Sunuwar had always been a curious and innovative child, according to his family members.

He had started collecting stuffs for the robot since he was in grade nine. With the objective of supporting his family financially, he spent a year doing labor in India. He appeared for the School Leaving Certificate (SLC) from Saraswati Secondary School, Bargadawa in 2015.

His father Hari Lal Sunuwar works as a blacksmith and a laborer. Hari Lal says he has not been able to do much for his son, as he does not have a fixed source of income. Likewise, he invented a motorcycle by using the parts of a cycle. Apart from the engine, he made all the other parts of the motorcycle using his father's tools and equipment. "I worked hard for a year to make these," said Sunuwar.

His inventions have been kept at Kanti Higher Secondary School (KHSS) of Butwal for display. They were made public on Tuesday amid a program organized by National Institute of Entrepreneurship Development (NIED Nepal) in collaboration with KHSS.

After observing Sunuwar's invention, Social Development Minister Sudarshan Baral assured to provide possible help for his higher education. Minister Baral stated that the provincial government would help him study mechanical engineering under CTEVT. As his percentage scored in SLC will not be enough for him to study engineering, he has decided to appear for the exam again.

MB Bishwokarma, chairperson of NIED Nepal, stated that they would keep encouraging and promoting young and talented persons like Sunuwar.

KHSS will be taking responsibility of his school level education while Lumbini Engineering College has pledged scholarship for him to engineering course in the future.