Industrial cleaning robot produced by Cyprus Robotics will be exported to Europe

Producing smart electronic systems and unmanned vehicles, Tezel Çelebi returned to the TRNC by transferring his company from Istanbul, where he lived for 20 years. With the company he founded in Technopark, he produced 3 prototypes in 2 years, working on 7 projects simultaneously... His biggest goal is to train people in this field...

His dreams about Robot Operating systems and software began at a young age. At a time when the notebook was unknown, he went to Sweden with a scholarship he won at the age of 16 and made software on a notebook for a year in a research laboratory.

After living in Istanbul for more than 20 years, the industrial cleaning robot produced by Tezel Çelebi, who transferred his company and settled in the TRNC and founded the Cyprus Robotics company, started mass production after the tests to be carried out 3 months later, for a price of 22 thousand in an important industrial country in Europe, one third of its equivalents. It will be offered for sale in Euro.

Developed as a high-tech smart electronic system, the cleaning robot with artificial intelligence can map up to 100 thousand square meters. The robot, which is especially ideal for multi-storey hospitals, can divide work with other robots because it has artificial intelligence. He can even call an elevator.

Industrial cleaning robot does not just clean. By examining the structure of the ground with the cameras on it, it gives a ground survey report and can detect cracks. It provides ultraviolet hygiene without human touch, especially in surgeries.

The inventor of the cleaning robot, the Turkish Cypriot entrepreneur Tezel Çelebi, carries out simultaneous prototype work on 7 projects, most of which are ordered from Turkey, with the Cyprus Robotics company, which has been operating in Famagusta Technology Development Center (Technopark) for 2 years.

Tezel Çelebi, who has more than 37 years of field experience in various fields, reading at least 20 different publications every morning, has completed and delivered 3 projects so far with the 2-year-old Cyprus Robotics company.

Tezel Çelebi is also working on an underwater robot called “Orca” with Caretta Robotics, the start-up company they founded together with another Turkish Cypriot software developer, Ahmet Bilgen. This robot, which has many features, is expected to be completed by February.

The Cyprus Robotics company, of which Tezel Çelebi is the director, produces projects with high added value by bringing together different disciplines such as mechatronics, software, computers, electrical electronics, as well as robot operating system (ROS).

Answering the questions of the Turkish Agency Cyprus (TAK) correspondent about his life, projects and goals, Tezel Çelebi says about his robotic studies, "I wanted to show that Turkish Cypriots can do these as well."

“WE CANNOT EXIST WITHOUT PRODUCTION”

Çelebi says that it is not possible to exist without being produced and that robotic systems are an important opportunity in terms of being products with high added value, and says, "Our youth should get rid of football hunting and barbecue hobbies and head towards these areas."

Saying that his biggest goal is to train young people in the field of robotics, Çelebi spends half of his earnings on the education of young people through the courses he opened.

BACK TO CYPRUS AFTER 20 YEARS

Tezel Çelebi, who was born in 1969 in Pile, completed her secondary and high school education in Famagusta. He graduated from Eastern Mediterranean University.

While studying in high school, the scholarship he won from Sweden at the age of 16 was one of the turning points in his life.

He worked on program software on a notebook for a year in a research laboratory in Sweden, when most people were unaware of the "notebook", which he said made a great contribution to its development.

After graduating from EMU, he completed his military service and worked on software for several companies in the country.

Çelebi went to Turkey in 1999, worked in various companies, improved himself and founded his own company.

With the company he founded, he became one of the best "33 Microsoft partner companies" in Turkey. He worked on software in different companies and provided consultancy services.

Returning professionally to robotics after 2015, Tezel Çelebi has carried out many studies on cleaning robots, and has provided consultancy to many companies on industrial robots (mobile) carrying loads.

Describing it as a combination of robotics, software, mechanics, electronics and artificial intelligence, Çelebi noted that he mostly deals with parts related to electronics and artificial intelligence, and also works with different companies in the mechanical part.

Saying that robotics is a dream from childhood, Çelebi noted that he has been working with electronics one-on-one since the age of 11-12, and that he never lost his curiosity and learned to write programs at the age of 16.

Drawing attention to the importance of developing in more than one field, Çelebi said, “If you improve in one subject, you will only improve in that subject. But if you improve on a few subjects, you start to produce something from the combination of these subjects. You can't just study electronics and build a robot. Because the robot is not just an electronic part. It needs a software. It needs a decision mechanism. Therefore, the succession of them made what we do better. Better things have emerged. "Creating robotic, smart things has always been my priority," he said.

Feeling that the crowd of Istanbul, the hustle and bustle, and the constant rush to catch up on something are getting tired, Çelebi transferred his company in Istanbul and returned to the TRNC in 2018.

Realizing that something had changed in the 20 years that had passed when he returned to the TRNC, Çelebi was unemployed for a year due to the effect of the currency crisis. “Risk is a part of our life,” he sums up this great risk he took by returning to the country.

A NEW BEGINNING WITH CYPRUS ROBOTICS

Tezel Çelebi set sail for a new beginning by establishing the Cyprus Robotics company from scratch in Famagusta Technology Development Zone (Technopark) in 2019.

Saying that his company is capable of producing smart electronic devices and underwater land and air vehicles in robotics, Çelebi underlined that the country is unfamiliar with technological issues.

“WE PREFER READY TO MANUFACTURE”

Explaining that Turkish Cypriots prefer to buy ready-made instead of producing in technological matters, Çelebi said, “It is an incredible pleasure for me to produce something. You are putting something out. You are making something that works.” said.

“I REALIZED THE MOST OF MY GOALS IN 2 YEARS… WE CANNOT EXIST WITHOUT PRODUCTION”

Çelebi said that despite being newly established, he achieved most of his goals with Cyprus Robotics and said, "There is still a lot to do."

Stating that he did not reach his goals in education sufficiently, Çelebi emphasized the importance of education in terms of production.

Çelebi “We cannot exist without producing. To exist, you have to be able to produce. To keep an economy alive, you need to produce. In order to produce, you need people who can do this. Unfortunately, there is a lack of practical training for children. The desire to produce and create something cannot be triggered.” said.

“ONION POTATOES, ORANGE WE CAN'T GET ANYWHERE”

Underlining the need to focus on current technologies, Çelebi continued:

“It is no longer possible at this stage for the country to get anywhere by producing potatoes, onions and oranges in this country. The profit margin is very high in the production of electronic robotics on current issues. If we produce and sell something with high added value, we will close the gap in a shorter time. A society that does not produce will eventually open its palms somewhere. We can't get anywhere with the civil servant society, it's not possible. We only know how to consume. We buy everything. We do not train people to produce and sell them. This is a really painful thing.” said.

Çelebi said that they came together with many academics about education and carried out educational activities.

“PROBLEMS, TRAINED STAFF, INTERNET AND LOGISTICS”

Saying that as a technology company, the internet is indispensable for them and that their biggest problem is the internet problem, Çelebi said that before returning to the TRNC, he used 50 megabit fiber internet at his home in Istanbul and that he never saw the internet cut off, and that he was shocked about this issue in the TRNC. .

Stating that logistics issues are also a problem for them, Çelebi said that they receive services from abroad because there is no raw material supplier in the country, that time is very important when producing prototypes, and that there may be problems in logistics due to delays.

TECHNOPARK LAW

Çelebi said that the state can do things to improve some issues, and that with the amendment of the Technopark Law in December, some of the exemptions given to technopark companies for prototype production were lifted, this is good in a way, and that it is prevented from renting a room without doing any activity in the technopark and benefiting from the exemption.

Saying that the removal of the customs exemption also affected them, Çelebi explained that the removal of the exemption from the devices they imported for prototype production put a burden on them.

Noting that the current building of Technopark is small and there is a need for a larger building, Çelebi said, “If there was a slightly larger area, more companies would come. I don't want to be alone here as a robotics company right now. I want someone else to be. Collaboration is important in projects, funders are more moderate. As the number of companies increases, the development will be faster.”

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE SOFTWARE AND ITS CONTRIBUTION TO THE COUNTRY

Çelebi said that the software they use is special software for robotic systems and that apart from academic studies on this subject, there are no other people who train people for the market.

“Foreign children are researching these issues, they are aware of it. There is no training on Robot Operating System (ROS). The children of our country are not aware of what they will learn. With the effect of the pandemic, the interest and need for robotic systems has also increased.” said.

PROJECTS

Çelebi stated that they did not do special work in robotics for the domestic market, they only made an ozonated fruit and vegetable washing machine for the industry, that ozonation purifies them from all microbes and bacteria, that they dry and return the vegetables and fruits as cleaned, this is a non-profit work for them, to show that such tools can be produced in the country. recorded what they wanted.

Çelebi said that they also built smart cold rooms with artificial intelligence control and smart electronic system features, which are included in the project, and noted that they are working on requests from Turkey in the field of robotics.

Regarding his project for the domestic market, Çelebi said, “I did this to show that anything can be done in this country if desired. I can say that I did not seek profit and even made a loss.”

THE IMPORTANCE OF DOMESTIC PRODUCTION”

Çelebi explained the importance of production with these words:

We always want to get something ready, we do not produce anything. Our money is always going out. However, if such projects are supported, the money will stay inside. This machine would have been paid twice as much if it had been bought abroad. If the state also contributes to the tax issue, these issues will be resolved.

TRNC IS AN IDEAL PLACE

Çelebi stated that the TRNC is an ideal place to produce prototypes, the traffic and transportation are comfortable, the air is clean, and many trials and tests can be carried out very easily.

CLEANING ROBOT FEATURES

Giving information about the industrial cleaning robot, which will start its trials in about 3 months, Çelebi stated that the robot not only cleans, but also provides hygiene and disinfection around with ultraviolet rays, but also cleans the floors.

Çelebi also shared the following information about the production of the cleaning robot:

“Cleaning robot units are printed in Turkey. All mechanical systems will be controlled by our software and circuits. We should have done this with a company in Turkey due to the lack of recognition, we are doing this together with the Ankara company of which I am a partner. They do the mechanical design and the design of all its surroundings (dressing the body), but we do all the electronics and software.

Since we cannot sell it directly from here, the mechanical part will be produced there. The cards we make will be mounted on electronic systems software systems and mass production will begin.

Industrial cleaning robot, wide area cleaning and floor care robot do not only clean. By examining the structure of the ground with the cameras on it, it gives a ground report and detects cracks.

It has a mapping capacity of 100,000 square meters. It can remember every floor of the 6-7-floor hospital. There are very advanced technologies, it can call the elevator and go from one floor to another. If there is more than one of the same robots in the same hospital, they also divide the work among themselves. When it goes into production, the sales price in Europe will be 22 thousand Euros. If certain concessions are provided, production abroad can also be considered.”

Çelebi said that he has been working on cleaning robots for more than 15 years, researching and knowing very well the pros and cons of the products on the market, that making an autonomous robot is a difficult task, and that it requires knowledge and experience. When you say go there, he knows how to go by the shortest route.” said.

“IMPORTANT FOR THE COUNTRY”

Stating that he thinks this project will be a successful and very important project for the country, Çelebi said, “It is very important to show that such projects can be realized in the country. Consider that a fully autonomous robot is produced here, and consider its return to the country if an export channel is opened through Turkey. I am proud." said.

Noting that the robot they developed is a product with high added value, Çelebi said, “Imagine that you produce it for 8 thousand Euros and sell it for 22 thousand Euros. Imagine this being produced and sold in the country. The price of the European counterparts of this robot is 60 thousand Euros…”

OTHER PROJECTS

Çelebi, Although Cyprus Robotics is a 2-year-old company, it works like a "bee" with its 8-person team, of which only 2 are Turkish.

Çelebi, who has prepared and presented the prototypes of 3 projects so far, continues 7 projects simultaneously.

Among its projects, there is also a device prepared for Ankara Metropolitan Municipality, which instantly measures the rain water level in the sewer and delivers it to the online early warning system to take action.

The smart underwater camera prototype, which is another project, takes underwater shots, including depth measurement, with a compass inside, and can identify every object and living thing it sees underwater. There are also different versions that work at night. After the trial is done, 15 will be produced on order. The project was produced to support decision makers.

The “Dolphin” project is a surface unmanned autonomous vehicle. Dolphin, whose customer is from Turkey, analyzes a designated area above the water, can take images, and measure temperature and sea pollution. It can generate data for scientific or academic reports with various sensors on it. It instantly transfers all data to land. The control mechanism is managed by the robotic system.

It can charge itself with the solar panel on it. Version 3 will be put to sea for trial. It will measure several chemicals in the sea, such as nitrate and ph in the water. This project is of great importance in regions with fish farms.

The advertising and information machine prototype was produced entirely in Cyprus, only the monitor from abroad. It can be programmed remotely. This electronic billboard can also be used for information. Usage areas, shopping malls, schools, hospitals, airports. It can also be adapted for different business models.

Another project is the agricultural robot. This robot will examine the plants cultivated in the agricultural field and detect their diseases. Accordingly, it will be able to spray. It is used in modern agricultural areas. It will enable more efficient products to be obtained in agriculture. This machine also has the ability to sow.

Another project is the security robot developed on order from Turkey. It detects situations such as toxic substances and gas leaks in production facilities such as oil refineries with cameras and sensors.

Çelebi also gave information about the underwater robot named "Orca", which they developed under the Caretta Robotics company, which they founded with Turkish Cypriot Ahmet Bilgen, one of the successful software developers in their field. ) stated that this project is a high added value project that includes advanced technology.

Noting that they established Caretta Robotics as a start-up company (focusing on a product, developing it, evaluating and selling the company with the product), they went ahead of what they had planned in the project, and that they would have finished their autonomous tests in February, Çelebi emphasized that the work they started at the beginning of the year would be completed in 1 year.

SUGGESTIONS TO YOUTH

Making suggestions to the young people about education, Çelebi said, “First of all, I would like to say that whatever the department they are studying, they should show interest and try to learn and not be afraid of making mistakes. One of the biggest handicaps of our children is to give up at the slightest mistake. Error is the nature of this business, we learn by making mistakes. Every mistake is an experience for us to do better.” said.

Stating that he tried to increase the number of robotics training courses as much as possible and to attract children to these subjects, Çelebi emphasized that families had a great responsibility in this regard.

Çelebi said, “Our children's interests are usually inherited from the family; football hunting, barbecue. Structure interests within a family automatically pass to children. If they want to do something, they have to focus on their own field. If you teach, children learn, it should not be said that nothing will happen to our children.” He spoke as

“OUR PEOPLE ARE ESSENTIAL”

Noting that Turkish Cypriots are intelligent at their core and can succeed if they want, Çelebi continued as follows:

“You are finishing university but you don't want to be about production, you want to be a civil servant. This means that there is a problem on the road that you have not been grafted onto. The current education system should be adapted to the present. Electronic systems in the 1980s are not the same as in 2020. Practical training should be placed somewhere in the education system. The necessity must be recognized. I am speaking especially for the engineer, you do not add anything by making a child read from a book for four years.

TARGETS

When asked about his goals, Çelebi smiled and said, "There are no goals in Cyprus conditions," and noted that he wants to continue this work for at least 15 more years, that better projects will come out, but he wants to narrow his goals.

He said that he is worried about whom he will transfer the company to after 15 years, and that there are currently only 8 employees in the company.