VietNamNet Bridge – A lecturer at the Vinh Long University of Polytechnic Education has invented a robot that can beat school drums at programmed times.

In the past, Nguyen Huu Tho, a lecturer at the school, created a bell system that could ring automatically when lessons begin and finish. The system has been used at many schools in the province.

However, Tho later heard that teachers would prefer to hear a drumbeat to signal the lessons’ start and finish. The use of a drum for such purposes has been familiar to Vietnamese students over many generations.

So Tho began working on the 1. 6 meter tall robot early this year, finishing it in October.

The inventor said that the most difficult tasks were programming it and making the drum beat loud and rhythmic.

The engine inside the robot, when activated, raises the robot’s hand and holds the drumstick. The robot can beat the drum one time or several times as programmed.

Tho said it did not take much time to program and operates like a “smart drummer”. In general, timetables at schools are fixed for the academic year and no adjustment is needed.

The robot can also operate during temporary electricity outages, as there is an electricity accumulator installed inside the robot. In normal conditions, the robot runs on electricity provided directly from the electricity grid. However, when the electricity is cut, it will operate on electricity from the accumulator.

Tho said the robot can operate without interruption, even if power is lost for one or two consecutive days.

Tho’s invention has been applauded by many schools in the province, because it will not only ease the workload of schools’ workers who beat the drums or ring bells, but also help keep the tradition of drumming at Vietnamese schools.

Tho said the robot was worth VND10 million, and can be used for many years.

“The robot is made of galvanized iron which can protect it from getting rusty. The robot’s life expectancy may be up to 20 years,” Tho said.

The first automatic drumming robot will be displayed at the Mekong River Delta’s Economic Cooperation Forum in Soc Trang Province.

Tien Phong