Worried about the environment: Sainath Manikandan has invented a robot that collects plastic from the sea. Khushnum Bhandari for The National
Worried about the environment: Sainath Manikandan has invented a robot that collects plastic from the sea. Khushnum Bhandari for The National
Worried about the environment: Sainath Manikandan has invented a robot that collects plastic from the sea. Khushnum Bhandari for The National
Worried about the environment: Sainath Manikandan has invented a robot that collects plastic from the sea. Khushnum Bhandari for The National

Abu Dhabi pupil invents marine robot to chew through the world's oceans plastic problem


Gillian Duncan
  • English
  • Arabic

A young eco campaigner is taking a bite out of the planet's plastic problem - after developing a robot to devour waste clogging the oceans.

Sainath Manikandan was so affected by a documentary he watched at the age of just five on widespread environmental waste that he has been doing his bit to tackle the issue ever since.

Now aged 11, he is an active member of Emirates Environmental Group and has taken part in numerous initiatives run by the group and his even spearheaded his own campaign in his school and his community to collect recyclables.

He also writes about environmental issues and is an ambassador of Drop It Youth, a UAE campaign to raise awareness about the problem of single-use plastic.

His interest has culminated in an invention to address the original problem: a robot which ‘eats’ any plastic it finds while swimming across the surface of the water.

“I control it with the remote controller,” said Sainath, a grade seven pupil at Gems United Indian School, in Abu Dhabi, who is supported by his sister, Sai Sahana, in his campaigns.

Sainath Manikandan, 11 has designed a robot to collect plastic from the sea at Gems United Indian School in Baniyas.
Sainath Manikandan, 11 has designed a robot to collect plastic from the sea at Gems United Indian School in Baniyas.

“There are three motors. The motor at the front collects the waste, which is kept in the back. The other two motors work like paddles to make it move. I have built a prototype. It works. It can hold 100kg to 200kg of plastic.”

He said Masdar, the UAE’s clean energy company, is even interested in producing it.

“Emirates Environmental Group are planning to help me. Even Masdar will help me with the robot’s development. And of course in my school I get a lot of support,” said Sainath, who also holds a brown belt in karate.

“My teachers and principal give me the opportunity to explore my capabilities. They are very supportive and motivate me in all my activities.”

The robot, which he designed for Innovator 2018, held as part of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, was recently chosen to be the Best Technology Project in the Future Entrepreneurs event running at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre.

But that is just one of a string of awards he has won.

“He won the Diana Award 2018 who believe that young people have the power to change the world,” said his mother, Lalitha.

And just this week, he was named an outstanding individual in the Beeah Environment Excellence School Award.

His mother, Lalitha, is proud of his efforts.

“My children Sainath and Sai Sahana mean the world to me and are my greatest resource. They are being guided in the right direction by their school principal, supervisors and teachers to move ahead and dream big,” she said.

Sainath isn't alone in his effort to combat plastic waste, as it is an issue being seriously by senior figures in the country.

At the World Ocean Summit, held in Abu Dhabi last month, regional officials, private sector chiefs and ambassadors agreed to confront the problem of plastic being recklessly dumped at sea.

The meeting also delivered a pledge to promote cleaning-up 10 major river systems across Africa, Asia and the Middle East. These systems are believed to cause 90 per cent of the oceans' plastic problem.

The pledges were non-binding with more details expected in the next few months but millions of tonnes of plastic waste are being dumped at sea each year. The UN has warned marine life faces irreparable damage from the problem.

“With statistics indicating that there will be more plastic in the oceans than fish by 2050, the world must step up and commit to a more concrete action plan to generate solutions that can reverse these statistics,” said Dr Thani Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, at the meeting.

TEAMS

US Team
Dustin Johnson, Jordan Spieth
Justin Thomas, Daniel Berger
Brooks Koepka, Rickie Fowler
Kevin Kisner, Patrick Reed
Matt Kuchar, Kevin Chappell
Charley Hoffman*, Phil Mickelson*

International Team
Hideki Matsuyama, Jason Day 
Adam Scott, Louis Oosthuizen
Marc Leishman, Charl Schwartzel
Branden Grace, Si Woo Kim
Jhonattan Vegas, Adam Hadwin
Emiliano Grillo*, Anirban Lahiri*

denotes captain's picks

 

 

MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid

When: April 25, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Allianz Arena, Munich
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 1, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid

Federer's 11 Wimbledon finals

2003 Beat Mark Philippoussis

2004 Beat Andy Roddick

2005 Beat Andy Roddick

2006 Beat Rafael Nadal

2007 Beat Rafael Nadal

2008 Lost to Rafael Nadal

2009 Beat Andy Roddick

2012 Beat Andy Murray

2014 Lost to Novak Djokovic

2015 Lost to Novak Djokovic

2017 Beat Marin Cilic

How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
  1. Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
  2. Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
  3. Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
  4. Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
  5. Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
  6. The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
  7. Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269

*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs: 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLA

Price, base / as tested Dh150,900 / Dh173,600

Engine 2.0L inline four-cylinder

Transmission Seven-speed automatic

Power 211hp @ 5,500rpm

Torque 350Nm @ 1,200rpm

Fuel economy, combined 6.4L / 100km

The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Power: 510hp at 9,000rpm
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
Price: From Dh801,800
Specs

Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request

Tailors and retailers miss out on back-to-school rush

Tailors and retailers across the city said it was an ominous start to what is usually a busy season for sales.
With many parents opting to continue home learning for their children, the usual rush to buy school uniforms was muted this year.
“So far we have taken about 70 to 80 orders for items like shirts and trousers,” said Vikram Attrai, manager at Stallion Bespoke Tailors in Dubai.
“Last year in the same period we had about 200 orders and lots of demand.
“We custom fit uniform pieces and use materials such as cotton, wool and cashmere.
“Depending on size, a white shirt with logo is priced at about Dh100 to Dh150 and shorts, trousers, skirts and dresses cost between Dh150 to Dh250 a piece.”

A spokesman for Threads, a uniform shop based in Times Square Centre Dubai, said customer footfall had slowed down dramatically over the past few months.

“Now parents have the option to keep children doing online learning they don’t need uniforms so it has quietened down.”

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While you're here
Quarter-finals

Saturday (all times UAE)

England v Australia, 11.15am 
New Zealand v Ireland, 2.15pm

Sunday

Wales v France, 11.15am
Japan v South Africa, 2.15pm