Our Zone: Useful innovation

Our zone: Roti Maker

New Bullet Train Is World's Fastest - @ 310 MPH

Would you ride on a train that floats on air and travels at speeds of 310 mph (500 km/h)?

Japan is betting that millions of its citizens would: The nation has successfully tested its new generation of "L0" trains that use magnetic levitation, or "maglev" technology, to achieve record-breaking speeds.

The L0 trains — the fastest in the world — are on schedule to be ready for passengers in 2027 on the line connecting Tokyo with Nagoya, a trip of about 218 miles (351 kilometers) that will take just 40 minutes instead of the usual 90 minutes, according to The Independent.

Automation Vada - Machine

Hybrid electric bike-car

A 36-year old German engineer-businessman wants to reduce toxic emissions from road transportation by fusing together different elements of cars and bicycles.

The man has made a prototype hybrid vehicle that seats two people and reaches a top speed of 45 km per hour.

Nicolas Meyer says hybrid vehicles should weigh less than 100 kg and be made out of natural fibers so as to be more environmentally friendly.

He has already made a mountain bike using bamboo sticks and other light construction material. "That is my hobby," he says.

By 2014, he will present the prototype of his hybrid vehicle, which is just like his mountain bike.
The unit seats two people and reaches a top speed of 45 km per hour. It has two 20-inch wheels in the front and two 26-inch wheels in the back.

It has a hand brake, and is powered either by human force using the pedal crank or by the battery, which can last up to roughly 50 km.

According to the German Federal Environment Agency, emissions from car traffic between 1999 and 2006 has decreased by about 12 percent.

Nevertheless, at 19 percent, road traffic is still responsible for a substantial portion of the total carbon emissions in Germany, said Fritz Brickwedde, a top official of the German federal environmental foundation DBU.

The DBU is supporting the product development of the electric bike-car with 54,500 euros.
Brickwedde said the organization has given financial backing to the project because it reduces pollution.

And considering that two million electric bicycles -- or pedal bicycles assisted by electric motors -- have already sold out, he sees a market for the bike-car.

Meyer, a University of Osnabrück graduate, estimates that the total product development would cost around 120,000 euros.

The engineer estimates the cost for the basic hybrid vehicle at just under 9,000 euros.
In order to drive on the roads, it only requires an inexpensive moped licence plate without the need for a license.

The components are also durable.
"Repairs can be made in any bicycle shop, as the structural components are bicycle in nature," Meyer said.

The two-seater is designed to be charged at any outlet. The maintenance costs are slight, he said.
Meyer said the main advantage of his bike-car is that it builds on the experience of pedal-assisted electric bikes.

He did admit, however, that there were a few drawbacks to improve upon, such as insufficient protection from cold and rain, as well as a lack of carrying space.

Meyer plans to present a prototype of his vehicle in about a year.

 

C-1 electric vehicle

The C-1 basically relies on electronically controlled gyroscopes so that it remains nicely balanced even when you are at a red traffic light.The Lit C-1 is a electric urban vehicle, combining the size of a motorcycle and durability of a car. The C-1 uses electronically-controlled gyroscopes to remain upright even in the case of an accident. It can be charged up in six hours, has a top speed of 120mph, and the battery provides enough autonomy for 150 to 220 miles. It will be available in 2014 and will sell for $12,000 to $16,000 (USD). Check out the video.

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Innovation - Coconut Cutter

Innovation - Manual, Stair Climbing Wheelchair

Shanu Sharma, was recognized as the winner of GE India Innovation Award at CII’s annual event, ‘Decade of Innovation: India @Year 2’ for her innovative design to create a convertible manual, stair climbing wheelchair. Her supervisors were Dr. J. Ramkumar (Mechanical Engg.), Shatrupa Thakruta Roy (Humanities and Social Sciences) and Dr. Satyaki Roy (Humanities and Social Sciences).

Dr Gopichand Katragadda, managing director, GE India Technology Centre presented the cash prize of Rs.1,00,000 to the winner at New Delhi. Presenting the award he said that the design was simple and an effective mechanical concept to enable wheelchair users to manoeuvre over stairs. 

"Such examples showcase how innovation results in localized cost-effective approaches to solve problems specific to the markets they address”, he added.

Innovation- CAUSE AND EFFECT

This simple experiment shows the importance of vegetation (and trees) on the environment. The water that runs through soil with vegetation -- on the left, comes out clear, while that that without vegetation is muddy. Of course naman: COMMON SENSE. Yet, why do we keep cutting the trees in our forests and complaining why the water in our rivers are so muddy and dirty? Photo by Cordilleran Environmentalist Roland Yawan.

Innovation - Village scientist invents transformer

A seven grade pass out Manjesh Kumar is now being called a scientist in his village Mishroliya in Dumra region. The 25-year old has invented a low-cost transformer that can light upto 50 bulbs.

The young man hails from the village known for its dark destiny as the acute power crisis in the region had made people hang a lantern on electricity poles to light their homes. Manjesh always dreamt of lighting his village one day but was forced to migrate as a labourer. 

On his journey back home through Delhi, Jalandhar, Ahmadabad, Karnataka, Goa and Hyderabad, he noticed a small transformer of Rajiv Gandhi Gramin Vidyutikaran Yojana. Despite being denied by the villagers, he invented a new technology within a month at an investment of Rs 1,000 that could light more than fifty bulbs. 

According to the villagers, Manjesh has made the village proud of his intelligence. Manjesh’s father Sakal Rai said, “Until the orders by the administration, the transformer cannot be used in the village.”

Junior engineer of electricity department Pramod Kumar said the idea can be considered only after an inquiry.

Elated on his invention, Manjesh said, if the administration considers the idea, electricity can be made available for the villagers at a very low price.

Innovation - Improved Mechanized Loom & Double Shuttle Loom & Automatic saree border weft insertion

Biren Singh (Improved Mechanized Loom)
Manipur

This innovative mechanized shuttle looms simulates the working principles of traditional Manipuri shuttle loom, except that the new machine runs fully automatic with the help of a half-horse power motor.

The output of the machine is 25-50 times more than the traditional shuttle loom, and almost any other power loom. The innovative machine can weave 3-4 fabric per hour whereas the traditional could hardly make 1-2 fabric in a day. Except for the change of bobbin, the machine doesn't require any manpower.

Ngangom Nabakumar Singh (Double Shuttle Loom)
Manipur

The innovative 'Double Shuttle Loom' works on the same principle as that of any other standard manual shuttle looms however, this new machine is broader in width and has provision for two sets of warp rolls.

P L Bhanumurti (Automatic saree border weft insertion)
Tamil Nadu

Traditional Korvai or 'contrast' weaving involves intricate work where the design and the colour of the borders are often different from those of the main body of the sari.

Three shuttles are needed: the weaver operates two, and an assistant operates the third. Bhanumurti's automated system is derived from the "Catch Cord Technique drawing device for looms" so that no assistant is needed and the productivity is increased.

Innovation - Bamboo Lathe Machine

Imli Toshi (Bamboo lathe machine)
Nagaland

Bamboo needs to be stripped off its outer covering for developing smooth surface to make interior decoration items and utility articles like cups, pen stands, etc. Doing the job manually is time consuming and laborious.

The machine developed by Toshi can do all the operations like removing the outer knots, smoothening the surface, internal/external carving and finishing.

The machine has soft touch joystick controlled operating system, which facilitates precision in operation.

The finished bamboo can be used to make bamboo pet bottles. This bottle has the potential to replace the plastics and tin bottles and cans. The bamboo pet bottles can be made with a capacity of 1 lit, lit, 200 ml etc.

Innovation - First Free of Cost ECO Friendly Cab Service in India

Eco Free Cab, which runs on solar energy, is the first free eco friendly cab service in India. The vehicle, which is a modified cycle rickshaw and aims to encourage people to use Go Green vehicles, will provide services to the disabled, school and university students and other people travelling a distance up to 2 km within Anna Nagar and T Nagar. Sivaraj Muthuraman is the founder and chairman of Eco Free Cab which is stepping into the Indian Markets

Innovation - Modified hand pump with tap and attachment for filling animal trough

Swayambhoo Sharma, Madanlal Kumawat, Chandan Agarwal(Modified hand pump with tap and attachment for filling animal trough) Rajasthan/Delhi

Lack of surface water sources and falling water table has made availability of clean drinking water a major problem in Rajasthan.

For human beings, the need gets addressed to some extent but for animals this need is much less appreciated.

Swayambhoo Sharma came up with an interesting solution to address the drinking water needs of animals.

He developed an arrangement such that every time people pump water for their use, 20 per cent of pumped water will directly go to fill animal water trough. Since most people feel lazy in filling drinking water trough for stray animals, this innovations solves this problem by a kind of tax at source.

Another problem faced in hand pumps is that a single person finds it very difficult to pump and at the same drink water (without a vessel with him/her).

Chandan, then a first year student at IIMA came out with an idea of storing water in the body of the hand pump so that having pumped, one could use a tap and drink water like any other tap.

Yusuf Khan and Madan Lal Kumawat, two other innovators combined the idea of Chandan and Swayambhoo Sharma and developed a hybrid model.

Innovation - Compost Aerator & Leaf Pruner

Gurmeel Singh Dhonshi (compost Aerator & leaf pruner)
Rajasthan

Decomposed bio-waste has better fertility values. Decomposition can be fastened if the biomass is aerated, humidified and properly mixed.

Dhonshi's machine is a tractor PTO driven machine, which can thoroughly mix the bio-wastes and add moisture as well thereby reducing the time of decomposition.

The machine can cover a row of wastes disbursed by 100 trailers of size 11 ft x 6.5 ft x 2.5 ft (i.e total 400 ton) in one hour. Tractor consumes 3.5-4.0 liter diesel per hour. The compost has better fertility value as compared to FYM and vermin compost.

Total time for converting the biomass into manure while processed by this machine is 25-40 days, which is otherwise 3-4 months by the conventional methods.

Innovation - Automatic Food Making Machine

Abhishek Bhagat (Automatic Food Making Machine)
Bihar

Who has not wished a machine, which would cook one's chosen recipe every time exactly as one wished it to be? But then such a machine will not elude us any more, if Abhishek's innovative food machine comes in the market.

This is a tested gadget with boxes in it to hold different ingredients and a display screen from which one can select options to cook different items.

Then, the screen displays the required quantity of each ingredient. Once the items are fed into the machine, it cooks the dishes.

Innovation - Washing-cum-exercise machine

Remya Jose (Washing-cum-exercise machine)
Kerala

All those who wash clothes by hand have often wished for a washing machine that is cheap. But then, frequent power cuts (particularly in the rural regions) would make it difficult for one to use even a low-cost electric washing machine.

Remya Jose, then a class 11 student, thought of a simple, ingenious solution. She developed a washing machine which does more than just wash clothes. It even provides its users the chance to shed a few kilos!

Innovation - Portable smokeless stove & Efficient wood stove

Ashok Thakur (Portable smokeless stove)
Bihar

This stove uses paddy husk, which is cheaply available, as fuel and gives a smokeless flame. The stove and the fuel, both being cost effective, are easily affordable for common man.

It weighs 4 kg. It needs about one kg husk per hour.

V Jayprakash (Efficient wood stove)

Kerala

Jayprakash has incorporated a secondary burning chamber in the stove to allow maximum combustion of the hydrocarbons, released as a result of the burning of biomass. He has also developed many variants of the same.

The stove has higher combustion efficiency in the range of 37.67% when wood is fueled and 29.48% when coconut shell is used as fuel.

Innovation - Solar Mosquito Destroyer

Mathews K Mathew (Solar Mosquito Destroyer)
Kerala

This device makes use of the smell from the septic tank to attract the mosquitoes, which get trapped in the device.

Heat builds up inside the device as a result of direct sunlight exposure. The trapped mosquitoes, thus, get killed due to the accumulated heat.

He has commercialised his product, on a small scale and will love to have partners who will scale it up. The innovator has also developed house fly trap.

Innovation - Walnut Cracker, Peeler & Washer

Mushtaq Ahmad Dar and Tauseef Ahmad (Walnut Cracker, Peeler & Washer)
Jammu & Kashmir

Manual cracking of walnuts involves a lot of time and drudgery. Mushtaq has come up with a walnut cracking machine which can process dry walnuts of various sizes, shapes and thickness to crack them open without damaging the fruit inside.

Peeling walnuts is a very labour intensive task involving a lot of drudgery. The sap of walnut skin burns hands and stains clothes as well.

The walnut peeler does away with all these problems. Using the walnut washer of Tawseef, the time required to wash, which otherwise is done manually using hands, has been reduced by over 60 per cent.

The machine can process approx 80 kg of walnuts/h. The present version has cracking efficiency about 85 per cent, the peeler has capacity of 70 kg of green walnuts/ h. The washer has capacity of washing 90 kg walnuts/h.