Questioning gives birth to new ideas

Updated on: Monday, September 26, 2011

‘Bots' were the order of the day at the ‘IIT Madras Confluence', a special initiative of IIT-M's technical festival, Shaastra 2011 here on Sunday. Students of IIT-M showcased different kinds of ‘Bots' such as the ‘Alter Bot' which can scale any terrain and the ‘Orienter Bot' which can used by persons with visual impairment.

Few bots were also GSM-enabled such as a GSM-Based Vending Machine to purchase medicines. Students also showcased installations that were entries in technical festivals.

The festival also brought together stalwarts from the fields of research, industry, public policy and entrepreneurship who shared their views on the festival's theme “Inspire the Future”.

Former director of IIT-M and member of the governing body of the Centre for Policy Research P. V. Indiresan urged the students to start questioning if they wanted to experience a future different from that of the older generations. “You are going to have a bright future only when you question the past. Questioning everything will always throw up new ideas,” he said.

“The day you follow the herd, you will no longer be an innovator,” said chief scientist of GE India Engineering Group, T. Asokan.

The reason there is so much attention around innovations is because of continuing crises the world faces, he added. “We should not try to solve problems for somewhere else but those we are currently facing,” he said.

Chief executive officer of IIT-M Research Park Sandhya Shekhar talked about bridging the gap between the individual and the industry. “Multinational companies are relocating to India because there is a significant opportunity and an abundance of talented minds,” she said.

“There is a huge gap between a brilliant idea and a commercially viable venture,” she said.

A holistic understanding of the problem will help bridge this gap, she added.

Chairman and managing director, Invention Labs, Ajit Narayanan spoke about his journey as an inventor to inspire others.

Using his creation, Avaz, first assistive device for people with speech disabilities as an example he spoke about his challenges as an inventor.

Questioning gives birth to new ideas

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