MMDA chief wants robot traffic enforcer

MANILA, Philippines - Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Francis Tolentino is asking a group of inventors – all high school students from Bulacan – to develop a robot that can detect violators of traffic regulations without the need for human intervention.

According to a statement released by the MMDA yesterday, Tolentino met with the students from Dr. Yanga’s Colleges Inc. (DYCI) in Bocaue town, who presented their award-winning robot, “Man’s All-Around Global Interactive Solutions” or MAGIS.

At their meeting, Tolentino challenged the team to create a robot traffic enforcer for the MMDA that would be stationed at intersections with traffic signal lights. 

Tolentino wants the MMDA robot traffic enforcers to detect motorists who will beat the red light and those who would commit other infractions. He pledged full support to the team for this project.

“The Philippines is slated to become one of the world’s top economies by the Year 2050. We will get there through the genius, hard work and skill of young people like you,” Tolentino said.

The DYCI robotics team – composed of high school students Alexandra Mae Guevarra, Claire Receli Reñosa, and Chelsea Andrea Morales and their coaches Beryl Cruz and Romyr Gimeno – recently placed fourth in the annual World Robot Olympiad held in Abu Dhabi with their five-foot tall MAGIS robot.

Malaysia, South Africa and South Korea won the first, second and third place, respectively. The International School of Manila won fifth place in the open category and the Philippine Science High School based in Camarines Sur, won fifth place in Robot Soccer.

Cruz said MAGIS is a robot that has a calamity tracker dog, which could detect floods. It is also has a mini-screen projector for entertainment; e-brail for the elderly who can’t read; a thermometer and blood pressure measuring device; and is also a personal savings machine.