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Editorial |
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Fuelling Imagination of Young Empathetic Innovators of India |
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Many cars collided on Mathura road a few months ago because the drivers could not see a car in accident ahead due to fog. This could have been avoided if the idea of Gayathri and Pranav from Naval school, Kochi, Kerala had been implemented in vehicles. They suggested that whenever a two-wheeler (for that matter, any vehicle) meets with an accident, an emergency light should start flickering along with an alarm so that vehicles approaching the spot could be alerted. Auto manufacturers should take note. In the earlier round of Ignite competitions for children, we have received many ideas to improve auto sector from the safety perspective. in one such idea by S R Valava, Kalpakkam related to window panes coming down automatically when carbon dioxide levels went up in a car with doors closed. Many times children or elderly are inside car, with doors closed and a/c on. NIF fab-lab team show-cased a prototype of this modified car at Festival of Innovation exhibition. Similarly, if a driver smells of alcohol, a vapour sensor will disconnect the ignition and car will not start. Insurance company should invest in such innovations. Three girls from Latur had earlier submitted an idea, techepdia.sristi.org for a black box for car so that in the event of unfortunate accident, insurance companies can get data on driver’s performance and diligence. A lot of undue payments for reckless driving can be avoided and irresponsible behaviour can be restrained.Winter is approaching and many people, unwell or old or even others, wish to be covered with a blanket when temperature dips during the middle of the night. It will be possible now if the idea of Govind, Grambharati, Gandhinagar, Gujarat is implemented in the design of the beds. During late October-November when winter just starts approaching, patients and old people will have an automatic blanket covering system in the bed. If you are as concerned about environmental conservation as Nagpur’s Manodnya is, you would not fly kite next time without a small pouch of seeds attached to it. When the kite gets cut, seeds will be dispersed randomly and make the earth greener. Children get many infections because they don’t wash their hands before/after eating food. But not anymore, if the Shereen’s idea from a Delhi slum becomes a national policy. Every lunch box will be imprinted with the statutory advice: ÒWash your hands before you eat food (and after food)Ó. These and many more ideas from around the country, from Andaman Islands to Jammu and Kashmir were displayed at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on November 7, 2016. The Honourable President Shri Pranab Mukherjee honoured 31 creative and innovative children with Dr A P J Abdul Kalam IGNITE Awards 2016, selected by National Innovation Foundation (NIF), India. Of over 55,000 ideas, collected largely by the volunteers of the Honey Bee Network (HBN), selecting only a few for the award was not easy. It is ironical that while among children, the share of girls is almost half, i.e. 13, but among grown up innovators, it goes down drastically. Institutional space for expressing women’s creativity and innovation obviously needs to be expanded.The invigorated efforts of the government to curb black money may get a fillip if the idea of Madhur Gupta, Chandigarh of printing QR codes on high-denomination currency notes is experimented with. Dr A P J Abdul Kalam IGNITE 2016 competition is organised annually by NIF to recognise original technological ideas and innovations by children up to Standard XII or those out of school up to the age of 17 years. This year, students from 25 districts, 16 states and Union Territories were awarded for their ideas/innovations out of 55000 submissions received from 458 districts of the country.The Honey Bee Network is growing in the hearts of thousands of children to kindle the spirit of creativity, compassion and collaboration, vital for making India truly an inclusive society. NIF not only recognises these children but also files patents in their name, helps convert their ideas into prototypes and facilitates their diffusion through market and non-market channels.What are you waiting for creative children? Submit your ideas for IGNITE 2017 competition at ignite@nifindia.org. Why not become a volunteer of HBN and persuade your parents to do so too? i expect you to spread the flame of inclusive innovation in all the corners of the country and the world? |
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| Volume No. |
Honey Bee 27(4) 3, 2016 |
