Mansa: In a remarkable display of innovation, students from a private school in Mansa, Punjab, have developed the first Punjabi Sikh robot, named Johnny’s. Created by 11th and 12th-grade students, the robot has already been tested on the Mansa-Barnala Road, with a demonstration video shared on social media showing its impressive capabilities.
According to the students, Johnny’s can scale high places, extinguish fires, and even defuse bombs, making it suitable for tasks that are risky or impossible for humans. Equipped with multiple sensors, the robot can also understand and respond to questions. In the demonstration, when asked its name, Johnny’s replied, “My name is Johnny,” showcasing its interactive abilities.
The students emphasized the importance of such technological initiatives, urging peers to engage in practical, hands-on innovation to advance India’s technological landscape. “Robots like Johnny’s can perform tasks in areas where humans cannot safely go,” they said, highlighting the potential impact of such projects on society and safety.
Johnny’s was developed in the school’s Atal Tinkering Lab, part of the Government of India’s initiative launched in 2016 under the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) of NITI Aayog. These labs aim to nurture creativity and a culture of innovation among students from grades 6 to 12, particularly in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
The Mansa students have previously showcased their problem-solving skills in response to a remark by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann about the practical relevance of trigonometry. Using sine and cosine formulas, they calculated the height of a building without a measuring tape, demonstrating real-world applications of mathematical concepts taught in schools.
With Johnny’s, these young innovators have not only taken a step forward in robotics but also highlighted the potential of school-level innovation labs to shape India’s next generation of tech leaders.
