IITs smart tech to be on display soon

Updated on: Monday, April 23, 2012

Research designs and prototypes of various technological innovations, ranging from everyday household items to sophisticated gadgetry, designed by students at the Indian Institute of Technology would soon be on public display.

The lay public including a mix of curious schoolchildren students as well as industry representatives keen on checking the commercial viability of these products, are expected to attend the 8th edition of Open House scheduled on April 21 at the IIT Delhi campus here.
 
Prof A K Ghosh, Chairman of the Open House Committee, said, "We would be displaying a lot of projects that are innovative and commercially viable by our faculty and our students for the benefit of the society. A large number of school children and industry representatives will also be visiting the fair." 
 
A few of these ideas such as the electrically enhanced needle-free transdermal delivery of drugs have already been picked up by various industries for further research and development.
 
The device, a programed chip, looks like a watch whose dial can be opened and filled with medicine. Adjusting the settings will allow specified quantity of the drug to permeate the body through small amounts of electricity.

"After the prescribed quantity of the medicine has been absorbed by the body the device automatically switches off and can be programmed to switch on later. We are testing it on insulin, Diclofenac (painkillers). This device is very safe and dose can be controlled and can be reduced. This device is going to be more effective than taking pills or injections," said Prof Sneh Anand, Centre of Biomedical Engineering, who and her team of students have invented the device. 

More such devices which might bring about a revolution in the medical world like Light Weight Composite Hinge Joint for polio patients which can be produced in a mass scale and are more affordable for the masses belonging to a low socio- economic background would also be on display.
 
After the 'Smart Cane' innovation for the visually impaired the IITians have come up with 'Roshni' a cell-phone based indoor navigation system for the visually impaired that can be used in homes or in public places like museums or parks to enable the free movement of such people.
 
"The Fabric Feel Tester is a new kind of device to evaluate the quality of the fabric on the industrial level. In India we previously used to use the Kawabata Evaluation System (KES) which is very expensive and highly technical device to be used widely by the industry. Our technology is affordable and can be used by all textile industries," says Apurba Das, Associate Professor, Department of Textile Technology and the technical expert behind the invention.
 
The KES system is priced at a hefty Rs 1.5 crore in the market where as the new Fabric Feel Tester would be available at Rs. 1.5 lakhs only.
 
"An Ahmedabad based company is manufacturing our technology and 15 days back they have already received 15 to 20 orders to manufacture our technology," says Apurba.
 
He further adds that this technology will help Indian textile companies to do business with companies all over the world by just emailing the quality of their fabric to the client and get feedback within minutes.
 
Bamboo based structures like cycle rickshaw, cycle trolley and other equipments have been designed for the rural masses to avail cheap and environment friendly transportation.
 
In light of the recent earthquakes around the world, a group of students have rolled out the latest tech "base isolation" that aims to prevent devastation due to earthquakes.
 
More such innovative ideas which are on display are the world's first hydrogen-powered three wheelers called "HyAlfa" which was also launched at Pragati Maidan's Auto Expo-2012. Mahindra and Mahindra based on the recommendation of IIT had developed the three wheeler.
 
Alternative energy have also found its way in projects like the Green Urban Transit system and Direct Hydrocarbon Solid Oxide Fuel Cells which are based keeping in mind the costly fuel.
 
Projects like Responsive Camouflage Textiles, Indian Digital Heritage Preservation, Interactive Virtual Display as well as Active Sonar Classifier are also on display.

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