HYDERABAD: An intermediate first-year student from Suryapet is among 60 young innovators selected to exhibit their projects at a national-level competition, with his prototype offering a technology-based approach to improving road safety.
Kollu Mahidhar’s innovation, titled “Smart steering with health alerts to reduce accidents”, is designed to monitor a bus driver’s health and alertness, detect alcohol consumption and identify obstacles, including pedestrians and schoolchildren in blind spots.
The project was selected from around 790 exhibits at the 12th National Level Exhibition and Project Competition under the INSPIRE-MANAK Award, held recently at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi.
The idea took shape when Mahidhar was in Class 9, following an experience that made him think about the scope for technology to prevent road accidents.
Prototype integrates multiple sensors with microcontroller, GPS, SMS tech
“While travelling to school, I witnessed a fatal accident. It made me wonder why we could not develop a system that would alert passengers and authorities before a situation turned critical. That is how I came up with this device,” Mahidhar tells TNIE.
The working prototype integrates multiple sensors with a microcontroller, GPS and SMS technology. Sensors fitted to the steering wheel monitor the driver’s pulse rate and other vital signs. If abnormal readings are detected, an alarm alerts the conductor and passengers, while an SMS carrying the vehicle’s GPS location can be sent to the authorities concerned.
An alcohol-detection sensor checks the driver’s breath before the vehicle starts. If the alcohol level exceeds the prescribed safety limit, the system is designed to prevent the engine from starting. An eye-blink sensor monitors the driver’s alertness and triggers an alarm if prolonged eye closure indicates drowsiness.
The prototype also incorporates smoke and fire detection sensors, emergency door-release switches and ultrasonic sensors fitted around the vehicle. These help detect obstacles, pedestrians and schoolchildren in blind spots, alerting the driver to potential hazards. The emergency door-release mechanism is intended to facilitate passenger evacuation during an emergency.
Looking beyond the prototype
The device is currently at the prototype stage and has been tested on a school bus, with some of its features demonstrated. Mahidhar has applied for a patent, and the process is under way. He hopes to develop the system for mass production.
“We are working on improving the functionality of the project. We are also planning to integrate AI so that alerts can be sent directly to the fire department in the event of a fire and to the police in cases involving alcohol detection,” he says.
Mahidhar, a former student of MSR Central School, Suryapet, comes from a family of educators. His mother, Kollu Lalitha, is the principal of a private school, while his father, Kollu Madhusudhan Rao, is the director of three private schools in Suryapet.