Inventors showed off their gadgets and robots at an event in Thailand this week.

The creations included a trash collection robot which can be controlled remotely with a smartphone app.
Another booth attracted attention by showing how water hyacinth can turn into useful biodegradable mats and baskets.

A fruit picking machine with special functions was also shown, where the machine picks fruit sizes based on the input of its user.

While another group created a nurse robot with a camera on its head that can receive inputs from patients through an interactive touchscreen on its body.

The Thailand Research Expo, which is in its 15th year, was held at the Bangkok Convention Centre at the Centara Grand hotel throughout the week.

It was organised by the National Research Council of Thailand, Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research, and Innovation together with other agencies at the capital.

The exhibition attracted various inventions around the country and encouraged research scholars and students to participate by making it free to all visitors.

Several inventions focused on assisting with the medical care of COVID-19 patients.

Associate Professor Doctor Samphan, one of the organisers, said: "An important role of a university is its ability to transfer knowledge and to build up society in the most effective way possible.

"One of the major problems faced by our nation's research scholars is the non-existence of centralized research works and also limited research funds."