About four years ago, Danny Hameeteman started the Throwabot project in the Entrepreneurial Lab of TMC (TEL). At that time it was just an idea and it was being researched whether this could become an actual product. It is now a genuine product and ten robots have been handed over to the Ministry of Defence, with which a development program was started last year. An impressive project to be proud of.

Throwabot is a robot that can explore potentially dangerous situations. It is a robust, lightweight robot that can be remotely controlled. It is equipped with a camera and microphone so the controller can hear and see what the robot observes. "In this way, a situation can be mapped out quickly without risking human lives," says Danny. The robot is qualitatively strong and partly constructed from 3D printed materials, making it accessible to the customer for purchase and use. "There are similar robots on the market, but due to the high price they are not used for what they are intended. The Throwabot is only an exploratory robot and is not equipped with weapons.

Joint development program with the Ministry of Defense

Over a year ago, the team presented the first prototypes to Defense Innovation Center FRONT. They are constantly looking for innovations that improve the safety of their employees. Since then, the team has been working hard to develop a new prototype that meets the most important requirements. The first ten robots have now been delivered, with which the Ministry of Defence will investigate whether the exploratory robot can improve the situational awareness of their personnel when operating in urbanised areas.

A startup in robotics

Many people contributed to the final design of Throwabot. Besides Danny, Toine Kuipers, Bart van Liere, Koen Ruefli, Luc Meijer and Mart Raimond have also become members of the Throwabot team. In the past few years, the project team usually consisted of eight employeneurs, ranging from interns to senior engineers. In 2019 Danny, Toine and Bart set up their own startup: Sita Robotics. While the TEL project focuses on Throwabot, Sita Robotics focuses on applying the technology to potential customers. The goal is to have a line of robots in three years with which lives can be saved.