Grade 10 students of Shiv Nadar School (a not-for-profit initiative of the Shiv Nadar Foundation in K12 education) ideated solutions to the most pressing ongoing issues via disruptive technology at the annual technology event–Colloquium 2022 held on Dec 22. The annual conference provides a platform for students working on a year-long tech project addressing a real-world problem.
The winner of this year’s competition was Team Brox from Shiv Nadar School, Faridabad that comprised students– Raghav, Kaashvi, Neeyati, Rayirth and Shagun. The team developed a printer to increase braille literacy by designing a personal and affordable Braille Printer for schools. The winning team has received an all-expenses-paid trip to CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research) in Geneva, Switzerland.
The second prize went to team Accisafe from Shiv Nadar School, Gurugram that comprised students- Archit, Siddharth, Nysha, Ishita and Sarthak. The team developed a protective air vest aimed at safeguarding two-wheeler riders during accidents.
The competition aims to foster scientific temper in students and follows a two-tier selection process, where student projects are first scrutinized by a sub-jury, followed by a presentation and interaction with an external jury to understand the efficacy and viability of the projects. While 60 projects from Shiv Nadar School, Noida, Faridabad, and Gurugram were presented to the sub-jury, only seven were shortlisted for the final jury round. The external jury comprised Amit Sethi, Co-Founder & CTO, Cashify, Ankit Jain, Managing Director, Dyson India, Arunabh Sinha, Founder, UClean.
Speaking at the occasion, Mark Nelson, Head of Technology at Shiv Nadar School, said, “At Shiv Nadar School, we aim to provide our students an environment where they can imbibe multidisciplinary knowledge. And by making them work on critical projects linked to real-world problems, we motivate them to think critically and analytically. Young students are astute observers, so they naturally develop research, reasoning, and predicting skills through investigation, invention, and planning. It’s fulfilling to see the results our students produce every year. We can happily admit that our annual technology event- Colloquium, has successfully advanced the innovation competence of our students.”
Apart from the winning projects, the other innovations showcased at this year’s Colloquium included:
- Zephyrus – A cost-effective, eco-friendly, and portable air conditioning device for people with weaker socioeconomic background. The energy consumption is 40-60% lesser than ACs and coolers.
- Repose – A single IoT- device to aid people suffering from sleep disorders through sensory stimulation. The device combines the effects of aroma and music therapy while maintaining ambient temperature, which is ideal for good sleep.
- Eutrozyme – Reviving water bodies via a cost-effective, eco-friendly and home-grown solution. This Innovation is aimed at eliminating eutrophication.
- Alayna –As a sustainable solution to fast fashion, Alayna, with its network of local artisans, upcycles textile waste (katrans) into elegant fashion wear.
- Auxillium– Interactive AI Robots that help reduce anxiety levels and maintain stable vitals for critically unwell children during pre/post-surgery.
