Shaheer Ahmed
Pakistan is the land of raw talent. Whether it is sports, films, music, or science, our people have the potential to conquer the cosmos if it came to that. Creativity and innovation thrive here especially in the form of young budding artists and scientists. One of the prime examples of such innovation meeting practicality is the tale of a local engineer who took it upon himself to fight autism and craft a rather creative solution for it. For those who don’t know, autism is a complex lifelong developmental disability, found prevalent in some people. This disability usually appears during early childhood and can hamper the usual functioning of the child, afflicting the social and communication skills of the individual. Considering how rare this disability can be, it should come as no surprise to you that Pakistan lacks reliable data to document the presence of this disability. However, there are estimated to be at least 350,000 children suffering from autism in Pakistan.
Due to the lack of reliable data, there aren’t many treatments available for autism-struck children. However, a local engineer in Karachi has changed that by giving a unique one-of-a-kind solution. Understanding the adverse effects autism has on children, Muhammad Ali Abbas, an aspiring innovator, and engineer from Karachi has invented a robot. This robot is built to help autism-affected children improve their cognitive abilities and overcome loneliness through communication. The pioneer Abbas is a graduate of the Usman Institute of Technology. His creative idea of using a robot to fight autism has been termed as the best one in the health care sector. His idea held its ground in the nationwide competition of creative ideas.
President awards PKR 75,000
Impressed by the astonishing feat, President Arif Alvi has awarded PKR 75,000 to the young engineer. Things look quite promising for Abbas as he has initiated his own company that goes by the name of “Inventors.”
Peeko
The invention itself follows a perfect design. Abbas has named this robot, ‘Peeko’. Peeko improves the communication ability of autistic children, both in Urdu and English languages, using advanced AI algorithms. The robot is different in the sense that it forms a bond with its patients. The invention has encouraging effects on children suffering from autism. The parents of these children have also expressed their relief that now due to this robot, their burden has been reduced.
Peeko: Just for PKR 200,000
The robot will be available in the market for PKR 200,000, according to Abbas. He further added that work is ongoing on the robot so that this idea can be implemented worldwide, and it can better help autistic children all around the globe.
This invention shows great promise, as it is using advanced data collecting techniques to learn and adapt according to the children’s needs. Peeko is a direct testament to Pakistanis’ potential when it comes to problem solving and innovation. Hopefully, this robot will inspire more potential leaders and inventors of the future.
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