Richard Yim, a newly minted mechanical engineering grad, grew up in Cambodia where the fear of stepping on landmines was part of every child’s life. As a young boy, Yim dreamed of inventing technology that would put an end to landmine casualties around the world.
“After war, when peace comes and bullets stop flying, landmines are still in the ground,” says Yim. “Children shouldn’t have to be afraid to step off the beaten path. They should be able to walk to school and hike and explore their world without fear.”
Yim worked at larger companies during his early engineering co-op terms and then confided to the staff at St. Paul’s GreenHouse, Waterloo’s social impact incubator, that he wanted to lead a venture that would one day put an end to landmine casualties. He became CEO of Landmine Boys, which designed a robot to safely defuse landmines without an explosion. The Capstone Design project was one of six major winners at the 2016 Norman Esch Capstone Design Awards competition for Waterloo Engineering students.
Check out Yim's story in this video: