Pics: Nayana J C
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (NJC)
Mangaluru, Jul 23: Showcasing its focus on innovation and research-driven engineering education, Srinivas University Institute of Engineering and Technology (SUIET), Mukka, unveiled three advanced technological projects developed by its students and research team – an Artificial Intelligence-based Autonomous Electric Vehicle, an AI-powered reception robot named SRINIBOT, and a Mineral Exploration Drone.
The projects were demonstrated on Thursday in the presence of Srinivas University chancellor Dr A Srinivas Rao, vice chancellor Dr Satyanarayana Reddy, registrar Dr Anil Kumar, registrar (Development) Dr Ajay Kumar, dean of SUIET Dr Ramakrishna N Hegde, director of research Dr Praveen B M, faculty members, researchers, and students.
Speaking on the occasion, chancellor Dr A Srinivas Rao said universities must move beyond conventional classroom learning and encourage students to develop technologies that can address real-world challenges. He said the institution would continue to support research, innovation, and interdisciplinary projects that prepare students for future industries and contribute to society.
The AI-based Autonomous Electric Vehicle, developed by engineering students with the support of faculty mentors and the university management, integrates LiDAR, AI-based vision systems, GPS navigation, and an AI assistant. The six-seater retrofitted electric vehicle can operate autonomously on predefined routes while also offering a remote-controlled override facility for safety and operational flexibility.
The vehicle has been designed with potential applications in patient transportation, defence operations, and autonomous mobility solutions. Powered by a 5 kW lithium-ion battery, it offers a backup of around one-and-a-half hours and can travel nearly 20 km on a single charge. The vehicle can attain a speed of around 28 kmph in manual mode and 5 kmph in autonomous mode. Sensor fusion technologies, including LiDAR, ultrasonic sensors, odometry, and visual SLAM, have been integrated to enable mapping and autonomous navigation.
The autonomous vehicle was developed over six months at an estimated cost of Rs 4–5 lac by retrofitting an existing vehicle to reduce expenses. The project was guided by Prof Vishwas C Shetty, while research associate engineer Vishak Mendon served as the research and development technical lead. Students Shreyas, Adwitiya, Ujjwal, Akshay, Manjunath, and Prakhyath assisted in the project.
Another major attraction was SRINIBOT, an AI-powered reception and visitor assistance robot designed to modernise visitor engagement and provide instant access to university information. Standing five feet tall, the robot features an AI-based voice assistant, face detection and recognition capabilities, an interactive touch display, and multilingual communication support.
The robot can interact naturally with visitors, answer queries related to admissions, departments, campus facilities, events, and administrative services, and provide personalised assistance. It has been designed as a customisable platform that can also be adapted for use in hospitals, hotels, industries, and government institutions.
SRINIBOT was developed within a month at a cost of approximately Rs 5 lac. The project was guided by Akhil K P and executed by research associates Niketh Jadav, Joyal Jose, and Samarth Naganur.
The university stated that the projects reflect SUIET's commitment to fostering innovation, sustainable technologies, industry-oriented learning, and the practical implementation of Artificial Intelligence and robotics in higher education.