SEMC 2018: Safety sandals, track cleaning robot & more!
LUCKNOW: Now, a chip inserted in a woman’s footwear can summon help for her if she finds herself in danger. This innovation, developed by a female student from Andhra Pradesh, sends messages from the user’s mobile phone to the police and her kin.
It also shares the woman’s GPS location.
Alumolu Leela Sri of IIIT, who has designed these special footwear, said, “I thought of this concept to make the life of women more safe and secure.” Her creative engineering model was appreciated by Dr Renu Swarup, secretary, department of biotechnology, government of India, who inaugurated the Students’ Engineering Model Competition (SEMC), hosted by GD Goenka Public School, Lucknow, during the India International Science Festival (IISF) 2018, on Saturday.
Another innovation that was the highlight of the contest was the ‘Intelligent Track Cleaning Robot’ -- a solution for cleaning railway tracks and platforms automatically, with minimum human intervention. The design can help dent the practice of using human scavengers and is also cost-effective and energy-efficient. The ‘KRRYP Garbage ATM’ also drew a lot of appreciation. “It is an interactive dustbin that encourages people to dump waste inside the bin and get rewarded in return,” said Rahul, a participant from Maharashtra.
Students of engineering colleges from across the country are displaying their creativity at the SEMC, emphasising the role of science in addressing various societal challenges.
Out of 2,500 entries, 100 working models were selected to be displayed at the event. These are based on the theme of ‘science and technology -- building partnerships, impacting society’.
The exhibition started on October 6 at the GD Goenka Public School, Shaheed Path, Lucknow, and will wrap up on October 7, with declaration of the names of winners. Visitors are allowed from 10 am to 5.30 pm. The event gives a platform to students, scientists and technocrats to exchange creative ideas in line with flagship government schemes such as ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyan’, ‘Swasth Bharat Abhiyan’, ‘Make in India’, etc.