VIRUDHUNAGAR: Innovation is the calling card for success and a better future. But it was only in September 2018, after a tedious application process, that the concept of scientific innovation knocked at the doors of the kids at the Devangar Girls Higher Secondary School at Aruppukottai, as the institution was granted the Atal Tinkering Lab (ATL) facility.
The lab provides thinking-based learning at schools across the country where young minds can give shape to their ideas to combat societal problems. The facility is an initiative by the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) under NITI Aayog to foster students’ scientific interest and creative minds. Soon after the lab was launched at the school, the students came up with numerous ideas to create innovative devices. Even the pandemic couldn’t hinder their scientific desires.
It has been two years now since the ‘innovators team’ of 15 students have been coming up with ideas that have brought them several achievements. They undertook and succeeded in 70-odd electronic projects and 50 science projects. The latest of them is the ‘Safety Driving Tool’ for hearing-impaired drivers, created by R Madhumitha, K Aishwarya Lakshmi and V Ramya, guided by their trainer Indhu Kalimuthu. “It’s not an easy task for hearing-impaired people to drive vehicles, even with hearing devices. A constant noise disturbance makes it difficult for them to concentrate. So, we came up with the idea of creating vibrating devices for them which would help them drive,” said the students.
The device, which costs Rs 1,200, has two components - an ultrasonic sensor and a vibrating motor. While the sensor is fixed at the rear end of the two-wheeler, the vibrating motors are attached to the handles. “The sensor detects vehicles approaching from about 10 m away, and if the vehicle is on the left side, the vibrator on the left handle vibrates,” said Indhumathi.
The device was also selected for the INSPIRE (Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research) Awards - MANAK (Million Minds Augmenting National Aspirations and Knowledge) given by the Department of Science & Technology (DST), Government of India, along with National Innovation Foundation (NIF) - an autonomous body of DST, and received Rs 10,000 in the Tamil Nadu Ilam Innovators Challenge (TNIIC) in 2020. The process of obtaining a patent for the device is underway.
‘Think, brainstorm, debate’
Speaking about how they get ideas, one of the students said having a keen eye for problems around and being curious to find solutions, followed by brainstorming with team members and their trainer helps them achieve their goal.
“Women’s safety is a widely- discussed topic and we all have scores of ideas to help women protect themselves. We even have apps dedicated to that. But, when we have something in our hands that might threaten the opponent, we will feel more courageous,” said Indhumathi. The Women Safety Tool considered to be an important but the easiest one — has just two components, a bottle of spray attached to a lighter. This was created by Sharmila and Madhumitha. “One can press the sprayer with the lighter on and a burst of flames will erupt, distracting the perpetrator and giving us time to plan our next move,” said Indhumathi.
Range of innovation projects
The ATL is used to provide regular training to 100 students and is managed by Manonmani, the in-charge. Workshops and competitions are also conducted. The innovator team has made around 70 electronic projects, with 18 of them being the main projects, two of which are community projects.
One is a smart dust bin, which opens automatically based on a motion sensor - put to use at the school; the other is a cost-efficient automatic hand sanitiser dispenser – provided to the Aruppukottai Government Hospital, Aruppukottai town police station, municipality office, the school and the treasury office.
The other innovations range from a cotton-candy maker to home automation; a railway track-cleaning robot which can be fixed at the base of the engine to suck out wastes, a mini sewage cleaning robot worth Rs 1,200, and a fishermen alert drone which can be used to prevent border issues.
Library ‘start-up’ for science projects
Another innovative project by the team is a start-up similar to a library for science projects. Basic science projects from textbooks have been made into kits with materials necessary to prove scientific laws. The teachers or students can borrow them by paying Rs 5. The start-up named ‘Creative Stars’ will be put to full usage after school reopens for all students, said Indhumathi.
Giving shape to youngsters’ ideas
The lab provides thinking-based learning at schools across the country where young minds can give shape to their ideas to combat societal problems. It is an initiative by the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) under NITI Aayog to foster students’ scientific interest. The lab at the Devangar Girls Higher Secondary School in Aruppukottai, with a team of 15 students have succeeded in 70-odd electronic projects and 50 science projects