With new innovations, IIT-M displays projects at annual open house

CHENNAI: Putting the best technological innovations forward, the Indian Institute of Technology Madras' (IIT Madras), the centre for innovation (CFI) displayed over 70 creative projects at the annual open house held at the campus on Sunday.

Besides the several innovations of the previous years, the students displayed new products this year like, electric powered formula race car, a purely solar-powered electric vehicle, a fish-like biomimetic robot that mimics a real fish's movements using soft robotics, an autonomous beach cleaning robot which efficiently removes debris from a beach's surface preserving its natural beauty.

Subsequently, some of the other new products that were on display included a glove that provides a sensation of force, temperature, and texture for immersive virtual reality, a drone for afforestation in difficult-to-reach areas, a 3D printer that directly uses environment-friendly pellets instead of manufactured PLA fibres, a community application for the entire student body at IITM and lastly an Artificial Intelligence (AI) DJ.

As the open house is a unique chance for students to put forward their work to the public, including investors and collaborators; the students were keen on bringing innovations that impact society on a large scale.

Second year Aerospace Engineering student Krishma Mehta said, "Through my student innovation programme, I discovered a variety of opportunities, ranging from technical skills to team management and even obtaining a patent. I am eager to see where this project takes us."

And Jaayanth SK, second year engineering design student said, "This project gave me a chance to practically implement what I learnt in classes and opportunities to work on technology I wouldn't have had access to otherwise."

Prabhu Rajagopal, professor and faculty advisor, CFI-IIT Madras, said, "CFI has managed to reach a vast majority of the undergraduate students of the campus and also a good number of post-graduates.

With 15 clubs dedicated to hobby activities, six competition teams and several spinal or support teams today, CFI is the centre of innovation activities at IIT Madras, tackling problems ranging from water logging in the city and secure elections to space exploration, electric and mass mobility."