IIT Madras Sewage Cleaning Robot is an example of how a college project can become a real-world technology startup. Divanshu Kumar, who studied Mechanical Engineering at IIT Madras, developed the HomoSEP robot as part of his master’s project to address the dangers faced by sanitation workers.The project was showcased at the IIT Madras Carbon Zero Challenge in 2019 and later won an award for the best master’s project in sanitation. Kumar went on to co-found Solinas Integrity, an IIT Madras-incubated startup. The HomoSEP robot is designed to clean septic tanks and manholes using a rotary blade mechanism and suction system, reducing the need for workers to enter hazardous spaces. The company has also developed Endobot for pipeline inspection and Swasth AI for data management. Kumar’s journey highlights how engineering innovation can move from a campus project to technology with significant social impact.
IIT Madras Sewage Cleaning Robot: From Project to Startup
