(IN): Electronic brake to immobilise elephants

[Guest guest]

*‘Electronic brake’ to immobilise ‘mad’ elephants

 

The Pioneer, 15 November 2009

 

VR Jayaraj | Thrissur

 

*What can a mahout do to bring under control his elephant when it starts to

run amok while taking part in a temple festival or walking along a busy

road? Till now, there was nothing he could do but to roar the commands which

his ward would have obeyed in sanity or run for his life.

 

But, now he can bring the “mad” elephant under control within a fraction of

a second by making it stop abruptly, by simply pressing a button on the

remote control device in his hand. When he does it, the elephant will stop

all of a sudden, thanks to the “electronic brake” system tied to one of its

hind legs.

 

The “electronic brake' for elephants was successfully test-run the other day

at the Thekkinkadu Maidan of Thrissur, the capital of elephant-lovers in

Kerala. Zakarias Mathew, the inventor of the 'brake' and his associates

showed the owners of the elephants that took part in the experiment as

subjects how they could be immobilised in any state at any place. The only

condition is that the ma wielding the remote control equipment should be

within a radius of 25 metres from the elephant.

 

The brake, an electronic equipment of 12 inches long, 8 inches width and

four inches thickness weighing eight kilos would be strapped to one of the

hind legs of the elephant. Both the legs of the elephant would be strapped

together - but allowing freedom of easy movement - using strong straps

emerging from the “brake”.

 

When the button on the remote control equipment is pressed, the straps of

the machine would automatically be tightened, immobilising the elephant

instantly. The elephant is an ominously strong animal but its hind legs do

not have the mechanical power to snap the straps of the brake. Elephant

owners said they were convinced that the brake was effective.

 

Mumbai-based Senso Engineering run by Zakarias Mathew would charge Rs 30,000

a piece for this brake. But elephant-owners said they would not mind paying

so much for an elephant costing up to Rs 30 lakh. But their only fears were

these: Whether the brake would work effectively in the presence of water as

it happens when the elephant's urine flows down the legs, in the rains or

when it is taking a bath in a river and whether the eight-kilo weight of the

equipment would irritate the elephant.

 

But Senso is unfazed. It says it can provide the “brake” in a

water-resistant pack so that the issue of water is solved. Also, it says the

worries about the weight of the “brake” is unnecessary since, in normal

conditions, an elephant always carries chains weighing up to 40 kilo on its

legs. The “elephant brake” ensures that there is no need of these steel

fetters.

 

Elephant owners in Thrissur say the brake could be of great help in managing

elephants, especially when they are suspected to be in musth. “This can

really prove to be an advantage, particularly when in temple festivals where

large numbers of people assemble. However, more experiments would have to be

carried out, said Paulose, an agent organising elephants for festivals.

 

The idea of developing some gadget to transfix an elephant through remote

control system had come up in Zakarias Mathew's mind after he heard of a

tragedy in which an elephant killed three persons at a temple festival years

ago. Mathew had invented several highly-utility systems in his industrial

life and a coconut-plucking machine, a cashew-nut shell remover and a gadget

that can extract 30 per cent more juice from sugarcane than in normal

process are some of them.

 

 

http://www.dailypioneer.com/215909/%E2%80%98Electronic-brake%E2%80%99-to-immobil\

ise-%E2%80%98mad%E2%80%99-elepha/nts.html

 

 

--

http://www.stopelephantpolo.com

http://www.freewebs.com/azamsiddiqui

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

> The idea of developing some gadget to transfix an elephant through

> remote control system had come up in Zakarias Mathew's mind after

> he heard of a tragedy in which an elephant killed three persons

> at a temple festival years ago.

 

The real tragedy lies in using these highly sensitive animals in

something as stupid as a temple festival.

 

S. Chinny Krishna

 

 

 

aapn [aapn ] On Behalf Of

azam24x7

16 November 2009 14:46

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(IN): Electronic brake to immobilise elephants

 

*'Electronic brake' to immobilise 'mad' elephants

 

The Pioneer, 15 November 2009

 

VR Jayaraj | Thrissur

 

*What can a mahout do to bring under control his elephant when it starts

to

run amok while taking part in a temple festival or walking along a busy

road? Till now, there was nothing he could do but to roar the commands

which

his ward would have obeyed in sanity or run for his life.

 

But, now he can bring the " mad " elephant under control within a fraction

of

a second by making it stop abruptly, by simply pressing a button on the

remote control device in his hand. When he does it, the elephant will

stop

all of a sudden, thanks to the " electronic brake " system tied to one of

its

hind legs.

 

The " electronic brake' for elephants was successfully test-run the other

day

at the Thekkinkadu Maidan of Thrissur, the capital of elephant-lovers in

Kerala. Zakarias Mathew, the inventor of the 'brake' and his associates

showed the owners of the elephants that took part in the experiment as

subjects how they could be immobilised in any state at any place. The

only

condition is that the ma wielding the remote control equipment should be

within a radius of 25 metres from the elephant.

 

The brake, an electronic equipment of 12 inches long, 8 inches width and

four inches thickness weighing eight kilos would be strapped to one of

the

hind legs of the elephant. Both the legs of the elephant would be

strapped

together - but allowing freedom of easy movement - using strong straps

emerging from the " brake " .

 

When the button on the remote control equipment is pressed, the straps

of

the machine would automatically be tightened, immobilising the elephant

instantly. The elephant is an ominously strong animal but its hind legs

do

not have the mechanical power to snap the straps of the brake. Elephant

owners said they were convinced that the brake was effective.

 

Mumbai-based Senso Engineering run by Zakarias Mathew would charge Rs

30,000

a piece for this brake. But elephant-owners said they would not mind

paying

so much for an elephant costing up to Rs 30 lakh. But their only fears

were

these: Whether the brake would work effectively in the presence of water

as

it happens when the elephant's urine flows down the legs, in the rains

or

when it is taking a bath in a river and whether the eight-kilo weight of

the

equipment would irritate the elephant.

 

But Senso is unfazed. It says it can provide the " brake " in a

water-resistant pack so that the issue of water is solved. Also, it says

the

worries about the weight of the " brake " is unnecessary since, in normal

conditions, an elephant always carries chains weighing up to 40 kilo on

its

legs. The " elephant brake " ensures that there is no need of these steel

fetters.

 

Elephant owners in Thrissur say the brake could be of great help in

managing

elephants, especially when they are suspected to be in musth. " This can

really prove to be an advantage, particularly when in temple festivals

where

large numbers of people assemble. However, more experiments would have

to be

carried out, said Paulose, an agent organising elephants for festivals.

 

The idea of developing some gadget to transfix an elephant through

remote

control system had come up in Zakarias Mathew's mind after he heard of a

tragedy in which an elephant killed three persons at a temple festival

years

ago. Mathew had invented several highly-utility systems in his

industrial

life and a coconut-plucking machine, a cashew-nut shell remover and a

gadget

that can extract 30 per cent more juice from sugarcane than in normal

process are some of them.