INDIA SCHOOL ROBOTICS CHAMPIONS Team Bangalore Mavericks — comprising Nikhit Laxman (15) and Shubham Singla (14) — was ranked #3 at the 15th World Robofest 2014 hosted by Lawrence Tech University (LTU) in South Field, Michigan, USA on May 17. The awards include an undergrad scholarship for LTU, plus gift vouchers and a trophy.
This annual robotics competition — open to class IX-XII students and conducted with the objective of generating the interest of teens in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) subjects — is organised by LTU with the support of Bangalore-based robotics company Novatech Robo Pvt. Ltd. This year’s fest attracted participation of 20 teams from around the world, all of them national robotics champions in their own countries.
This year’s ‘Avoid Meltdown’ challenge required participants to design and construct a 35 cm x 35 cm robot equipped with navigation, grabbing and sensing capabilities. At the World Robofest 2014 finals, their robots were given the task of deactivating a nuclear reactor within a 120 seconds deadline. “We designed and constructed our robot christened Maven over a period of five months starting October 2013. Maven won the Robofest India challenge round held in Bangalore on February 8. After winning the nationals, we further improved the design and capabilities of Maven. This enabled us to deactivate the simulated reactor in 110 seconds at the World Robofest in Michigan behind teams from USA and Korea,” says Nikhit, a class IX student of Ebenezer International School, Bangalore.
The young champions acquired competitive excellence by participating in several robotics design competitions during the past three years. “First we won the Indian Robotics Olympiad 2012, followed by the First Lego League in 2013. These experiences helped us cope with competitive pressure,” says Shubham, a class IX student of Bangalore’s Sri Chaitanya International School.
The duo acknowledges the contribution of Jacob and Ranjith — mentors from Novatech Robo. “We could have never designed Maven without their help. Our school teachers too gave us lots of encouragement and support,” says Shubham.
Now back in school from Michigan, Team Mavericks is preparing for the Robo-Cup Soccer and WRO robotics championships in the years to come. “My dream is to design robots for the benefit of humanity,” says Nikhit. After completing Plus Two in 2017, Shubham plans to study automobile engineering.
Wind in your sails!
Paromita Sengupta (Bangalore)
Gaurang Shetty
AN ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING graduate and business management student of Somaiya Vidyavihar (University), Mumbai, Gaurang Shetty heads the university’s Research Innovation Incubation Design Labs (RiiDL), established in 2010 to promote and facilitate innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship.
The only child of Ratnagar and Geeta Shetty, a former canteen manager of Premier Automobiles Ltd, and a private tutor, Gaurang’s interest in engineering and entrepreneurship was ignited when he was selected to represent K.J. Somaiya College of Engineering at a student design competition for formula racing cars held in Hockenheim, Germany in 2008. “Our eight-member team designed a racing car within two weeks. Although it didn’t win a prize, it sparked the idea of establishing an innovation centre to serve the needs of Somaiya University and affiliated institutions which have an aggregate enrolment of 33,000 students. This idea was readily accepted by Mr. Samir Somaiya, chairman of the Somaiya Vidyavihar trust. Thus RiiDL was launched in 2010,” recalls Gaurang. 
Since then, RiiDL has incubated six start-up business enterprises, filed for ten patents and designed a ‘pollution mapping kit’ to assess the quality of air, levels of carbon monoxide, particulate matter and noise, in addition to recording humidity and temperature. Other innovations include an interactive chess board for the blind, and a ‘piano staircase’ for children’s parks and amusement outlets.
In July, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), USA, presented the centre a commendation award, and last year the Mumbai-based Godrej Culture Labs conferred a cash award (Rs.20,000) on RiiDL.
“I am really excited about our pollution mapper. We intend to work closely with the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation to install this portable device to monitor air pollution, a serious health hazard for Mumbai citizens. We also propose to establish RiiDL replicas in other urban and rural habitats to devise local solutions for local problems,” says Gaurang.
Way to go, Bro!
Nadia Lewis (Mumbai)