No matter how big or small, or rare or routine, a problem is, there is always a solution. Proving the point were 13 projects presented at Gram Bharti in Amrapur, Gandhinagar, on Tuesday, by participants of the Summer School on Inclusive Innovation 2018 of SRISTI Unicef in association with GIAN and NIF. Students from top engineering colleges across the country, including IIT Bombay, IIT Madras, IIT Roorkee, IIT Kanpur, IIT Delhi, Government Polytechnic College, Porbandar, Punjab Engineering College, SVNIT Surat, VSSUT Odisha, SNDT Women’s University, Mumbai and Nirma University, Ahmedabad, undertook field trips and studied the problems faced by various communities. Based on their observations, they came up with solutions that were both affordable and sustainable. More than 50 students stayed for 21 days and worked on the projects. PROJECT: MAHUDA SEED CRACKER Team: Harsh Matrkar, Rishabh Jain, Kuldeep Koriya The seeds of mahuda are collected by the tribals and used for medicinal and cooking purpose. However, before they can get the oil pressed, they need to crack open the hard outer shell. Traditionally, they do it with a stone, which takes a lot of time and effort. To address the issue, the students made a small rotating drum operated manually. The steel balls inside the drum help crack the hard shell. The initial investment is Rs 1,500. The seed cracker helps speed up the work and also addresses the issue of child labour as currently the work is done mostly by children. PROJECT: NILGAI DETECTION SYSTEM Team: Raj Sutariya, Saswat Nanda, Ankita Parab, Namrata Parab, Sulekha Mali, Vrushali Pawar and Nikita Patil To keep nilgai and wild boars away from standing crops, farmers use barbed wires or electrical fencing. Barbed wires are expensive, while electrical fencing is a threat to animals. The students have developed an electronic device that can be placed at a corner of the farm so that farmers can detect movement of nilgai or wild boar when they are 7 metres away. The device will produce the sound of predators, aim lights at the animals and release scents to keep them away. PROJECT: ERGONOMIC AND EFFICIENT CHULAH Team: Pulkit Goyal, Rahul Kumar, Mahak Chhajad, Gautam Katar, Kuldip Siyani and Tarun Puniya A lot of heat is wasted in a traditional chulah. Also, it is uncomfortable to use. Students came up with a chulah with twisted tapes to reduce fuel consumption. It is closed from sides to optimise combustion. Since its height is more than the traditional chulah, it can be operated without bending. The ash is collected in a tray and can be used as manure and for cleaning utensils. One can use wood, leaves, cow dung, coal etc as fuel. PROJECT: PREVENTION OF TOXIC GAS FOR SALT FARMERS Team: Vedprakash Mishra, Karan Birpali and Aman Garj After farming at a well for eight months, salt pan workers seal the boring pipe with a cloth for four months. During this time, hydrogen sulfide gas accumulates in the pipe. When they open it again, they are exposed to the gas, thus endangering their lives. Students have designed a plastic valve which is placed on the pipe and can be opened by pulling the slag thread 20 feet from outside the well. Additionally, the valve is designed with a sodium carbonate container which will react with hydrogen sulfide to neutralise it.
Source: Ahmedabad Mirror