Since the outbreak of COVID-19 and the enforcement of lockdowns all over Tunisia, the country’s Ministry of Interior introduced a robot to roam its streets and make sure that citizens are abiding by the quarantine.

The company behind this robot is a Tunisian company called, Enova Robotics. Their model Pearl Gurad, or “PGuard” which is being used by the police force is equipped with sensors, including heat sensors, a microphone, and a camera. It has long range wifi connection, laser and GPS. Pedestrians can show their ID cards to the robot, which in turn transmits the data to the cops operating it.

The Start

The company was founded by Anis Sahbani in 2014 to build robots that ease people’s lives, especially in matters of security, learning, health and logistics. This was a year after Sahbani, a doctor of robotics studied the market and the feasibility of this business, and searched for the right team.

Enova Robotics introduced its first robot Mini-Lab in 2014, which is a robot that specializes in learning. It was used by professors in France to teach their students how to create one like it. The company later on made its first sale in November of that same year.

Meet the Other Robots

Other than Mini-Lab and PGuard, the company created 3 other robots. The first one AGV is a robot that helps with logistics, it aims to automate the transportation process within factories. While the second one, Veasense, serves as an alternate care giver to the elderly. The thirs, Veasense 2, is an assistant for event managers and organizers .

Enova Robitcs’ Success

Enova Robotics has raised $1.6 million dollars of funding in 2018. The PGuard invention won the Tunsian startup the first prize in the National Competition for Inventions in Tunisia. It also won awards at the International Trade Shows for Inventions in Cairo, France, Geneva, Austria and Kuwait.

The company has expanded in Germnay, Austria, and France and aims to expand further in the Middle East, Europe and Asia.