A group of third year engineering students from RNS Institute of Technology has developed an artificial intelligence powered walking robot designed for rescue missions, surveillance, and industrial applications. The robot, named DAWG, stands for Distributed Autonomous Walking Ground Robot and has been built to operate efficiently across challenging terrains.
According to the student team, DAWG has been designed as a dual terrain robot capable of traversing uneven surfaces, debris, and obstacles that conventional wheeled robots often struggle to navigate. The developers said this feature makes the robot particularly useful for search and rescue missions in disaster affected areas, where unstable ground conditions can hinder human access and traditional machines.
The robot is equipped with LiDAR technology, a remote sensing system that measures distance by emitting rapid laser pulses and calculating the time taken for the light to reflect back from surrounding surfaces. Using this data, DAWG can generate highly accurate three dimensional maps of objects and terrain in real time. This mapping capability allows the robot to assess environments such as collapsed structures, tunnels, or industrial facilities with precision.
The team has integrated three modes of navigation into the robot. The first mode is fully autonomous, where the robot navigates independently using artificial intelligence algorithms and sensor input. The second mode is joystick based tele operation, allowing a user to control the robot remotely. The third mode is a pre built surveillance system, in which operators input details of a specific location and instruct the robot to monitor the area and return with collected data.
Students involved in the project stated that most components were locally sourced and developed using open source tools. The design process included the use of Blender software, while parts of the structure were produced using three dimensional printing with PLA material. The main chassis incorporates a gyroid based structure for strength and stability while maintaining lightweight properties.
The team has indicated that they are in the process of applying for a patent for the robot. At the same time, they have expressed interest in making aspects of the project open source in the future to enable other students to gain practical experience in robotics and artificial intelligence development.
DAWG was recently showcased at Auton 25, a technology exhibition conducted on February 16 and 17 at the Hyderabad campus of BITS Pilani. The robot drew attention for its innovative design, AI driven navigation system, and potential real world applications.
The students believe that with further refinement and institutional support, the robot could be deployed for campus security, industrial inspection, post disaster assessment, and tunnel surveillance. The project highlights the growing focus on applied robotics research within engineering institutions and demonstrates how student led innovation can contribute to practical technological solutions.
