IIT Delhi Researchers Have Designed New Drone, Smart Electric Vehicle Charger

The schemes run by IIT Delhi’s IRD wing are known as Students Startup Action Programme and Discover and Learn (1-2-3-4). The two research schemes aim to encourage the students to transform knowledge into “tangible products” at an early stage of their career. The Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT Delhi) has been running two internal research schemes for the students since 2016. The schemes run by the Institute’s Industrial Research and Development (IRD) wing are known as Students Startup Action Programme and Discover and Learn (1-2-3-4). The two research schemes aim to encourage the students to transform knowledge into “tangible products” at an early stage of their career. As part of the two research schemes, the IIT Delhi researchers have producedresearchers have produced computer-vision powered drones with a server-based cloud app to monitor and scale the drone operations for industrial inspections; prototyped edge-AI semiconductor hardware primitives for security applications; an all-terrain, slip-resistant crutch for the disabled and elderly; a point of care device for early-stage diagnosis of sub-clinical mastitis in dairy animals; and a home solution and modular smart electric vehicle charger. Under the two schemes, a seed grant is given to the selected students through their faculty mentors, providing the students an opportunity to use scientific and technical methodologies to solve practical problems faced by society. The Students Startup Action Programme seeks to engage IIT Delhi’s undergraduate student groups in startup actions by providing a supportive environment in recognition, initial seed grant, and expert advice. “Learning to Transform Knowledge to Products” is the key objective of the scheme wherein the selected student teams are given a seed grant of Rs 2 Lakh per year.Knowledge to Products” is the key objective of the scheme wherein the selected student teams are given a seed grant of Rs 2 Lakh per year.  ‘Learning by Research’ is the goal of the other scheme known as Discover and Learn (1-2-3- 4), run by IIT Delhi for its students. Under this scheme, a group of four students each from first, second, third and fourth year of ongoing BTech/ fifth year (for Dual degree or Integrated degree) or MTech programme may propose a project under the guidance of a faculty mentor.  When the final year student graduates, a new first year student joins the team and the projects continue in a relay mode. Since the time the schemes were launched, 18 projects under IRD Students Startup Action Programme involving about 40 students and 32 projects under Discover and Learn (1-2-3-4) involving about 130 students are in progress in various research areas of national interest at IIT Delhi.  Speaking about the two schemes, Professor V Ramgopal Rao, Director, IIT Delhi said: “To enhance research aptitude among its undergraduate & graduate student community and increase learning by research, we had introduced these two schemes at IIT Delhi in 2016.