Hong Kong Dentist Designs Robots to can Detect Landmines

Robots that can detect landmines and trigger explosions are being developed in Cambodia.

Ng Tze-chuen, a Hong Kong dentist and inventor, designed robots to help minimize landmine accidents.

"Cambodia is one of the most heavily mined countries in the world. Even today, its people still suffer heavy casualties from unexplored mines and ERW (Explosive Remnants of War)," Ng said.

The many landmines hiding in different areas of the country can be traced back to Cambodia's very dynamic history. The past coalitions and the Vietnam War, especially, left thousands of landmines in places many no longer remember.

Ng is developing remote-controlled drones that can carry a carpet-like surface to detect mines using ultrasound. One is a multi-functional "robotic carousel" that can detect, collect and put mines in a net, and detonate them on site.

Ng is collaborating with the Cambodian Mine Action Center (CMAC) and the Institute of Technology of Cambodia.

In a visit to the country last year, Ng shared the problems that Cambodia is still experiencing even after years war.

"You have to visit the minefield near the ancient city of Battambang to understand the problem. It was a five-hour drive from the capital with roads becoming progressively more bumpy, even riding in a Range Rover; the road terminated in uncharted muddy fields. Before entering the control zone, I was asked to unlock my seat belt and declare my blood type in the event of an accident," he said.

According to Mines Advisory Group (MAG), there are about 9,000 mined areas that still needs to be cleared, putting the citizens at risk for air-dropped bombs and unexploded ordnance (UXO).

"Together, landmines and ERW have caused human casualties and suffering long after the armed conflict ended," said Heng Ratana, CMAC Director General.