Drone irrigation, printer cartridge recycling: Students’ exhibition woos all
Imagine a drone capable of irrigating an acre within five to seven minutes, while saving as much as 90% on water. Imagine a device which would allow you to sit down and still get the same exercise as walking.
Or a garbage-picking device that does not require batteries or electricity. Imagine harnessing energy from the flowing water without building dams.
These were only few among the several innovative products exhibited at the College of Engineering Pune (COEP) Technological University to mark the launch of the five-day ‘Innovation, Design and Entrepreneurship Bootcamp’.
One of the most impressive exhibits was a 1,5-metre drone used to irrigate crops. The drone was brought directly from Shindawane Village in Pune where it is currently in use. It is fitted with a 15-litre water tank.
“CS-Krishi can spray an acre in five to seven minutes and use at least 90% less water,” said Rushikesh Sonawane, Director of CerebroSpark Innovations, the Pune-based company which developed this product.
“Because the current cost of this device is too expensive for some farmers, most farmers prefer paying per acre,” according to Sonawane.
As the list continued, it became clear that environmental concerns drove several of these innovations. A garbage-picking machine automatically picked up trash. This simple mechanical device, developed by Nagpur’s Clean Lane Equipments and Solutions requires only that the sanitation worker push it.
“Because it needs no other source of power like batteries or electricity, it is quite energy efficient, environment friendly and easy to maintain,” said Mihal Wargantiwar at the exhibition.
RCube Recycling recycles printer cartridges and has provided an example for the next step following garbage collection.
“We recycle at least 50,000 printer cartridges every month at our recycling plant in Mumbai,” said a staffer at the stall. The company developed a technology that converts used toner powder, which would otherwise be considered waste into new and useful printing material.
A second innovation was the hydrokinetic turbines, which were designed to generate electricity using moving water from canals and water bodies. “This does not use any extra land and is much more consistent because water flow, unlike that of wind, is highly predictable,” said Weti Maini from Maini Renewables which was incubated at the Bhau Institute at COEP itself. She has also been granted a patent for the blades used in this equipment.
Walking further brings one to the ‘SitWalker’, developed by Sushrut Designs to improve blood circulation in the feet by moving the feet in a way that is similar to walking.
“A person can be sitting and still getting the health benefits of walking,” said a staffer at the stall. The benefits are especially beneficial for those with diabetes or who live a sedentary existence. It reduces the risk for varicose venous and deep veins thrombosis.
Nearby, several young boys huddled around the colourful stall created by Wharf street Studio.
The multi-faceted project, which was based on blockchain technology and gaming, included a board game and colorful stickers featuring the characters of the game based on Indian mythological figures.