BENGALURU: Have you ever misplaced your things? Most of you would say, a ‘Yes’ to this.
Shriank K, a 16-year-old student from the city, has come up with a device – KeepTab – that will keep track of your belongings.
He is one of the 16 finalists to enter the sixth Google Science Fair 2016. It will be held in September, 2016. The science fair is a global online science and technology competition for individuals and teams aged between 13 and 18 years.
KeepTab uses its camera to detect objects, a microcontroller (which incorporates a microprocessor) to communicate with a backend cloud and an accelerometer ( an instrument for measuring the acceleration of a moving or vibrating body).
Once it is pinned to your cloth, the camera captures live images as a user moves around. You can use Google Now app and type ‘Locate my (name of the object)’. The device will respond immediately with a text message mentioning where it is kept. It will give reference to other objects at your home – like your television.
His grandfather served as an inspiration to the idea. “When I saw my grandfather struggle to remember where he kept his belongings – like his spectacles or medicine – I decided to come up with something that can help him,” he says. His friends, family and his school – The National Public School – supported him.
“My school will help me procure the optics required for an updated version of the project,” he informs.
He has also won FIRST LEGO League World Championships in 2012, and other robotics competitions worldwide. He looks up to innovators like Elon Musk and Steve Jobs, and hopes to build simple and original products.