KOCHI: When the state experienced a deluge, the main issue many faced was the inability to get in touch with close ones who were stranded at various places. With power supply going off, many were unable to use their mobile phones and social media, which would have come handy in the time of a crisis like this. It is this situation that prompted a group of engineering students to do their bit. ‘Inspire’, the organisation run by the students of Barton Hill Engineering College, has made over 1,000 temporary power banks and distributed them among flood victims.
“We saw many Facebook posts in this regard. So, we thought of making power banks with available raw materials. As help was pouring in from all quarters providing food and medicines, we thought of concentrating on other basic needs,” says Indrajith V, a third-year engineering student. A prototype was created and more than 200 students worked on it. The power banks, a simple and cost-effective model, was made from 8 AA batteries with two cartridges. It can hold four batteries which are then crossed together.
The equipment is connected to a USB cable which when connected to a phone charges it up to 15 per cent. “However, the power banks were made for an emergency situation and a long-term use can damage the phone as it gets heated fast,” Indrajith warns. The funds for the same was sourced by the students. However, there were many challenges too, the prime being the unavailability of raw materials.