JOIN USFrom over 55,000 applicants this year as part of the Dr APJ Abdul Kalam IGNITE Awards recently organised by the National Innovation Foundation (an autonomous body of the Department of Science and Technology, Govt. of India) at Rashtrapati Bhavan, 13-year-old Parth Bansal was one of the few chosen for the award.
His invention, a laser cane for patients of Parkinson’s disease, a first-of-its-kind innovation in India and abroad was awarded by the Honourable President, Pranab Mukherjee. In an exclusive chat with Metrolife, the ninth standard student of Apeejay School, Noida, talks to Jayashree Narayanan about what brought about the idea, his passion for innovation and more.
Tell us about yourself.
My aim in life is to become a ‘scientist with a difference’- a scientist who not only makes innovations but creates devices which can help people in their day-to-day activities.
I enjoy working hands-on for various areas of my interest - making new and innovative things using waste material, robotics, mobile applications innovations or improvisations on the already existing ones, reading about the latest happenings in the scientific world through internet etc. I love reading about quantum physics, space geometry and space time etc.
Can you describe your invention?
My grandmother has been suffering from Parkinson’s disease, a chronic and progressive movement disorder, since the last three years. As the Parkinson’s disease progresses, the amount of dopamine - a chemical that sends messages to the part of the brain that controls movement and coordination - produced in the brain decreases, leaving a person unable to control movement normally.
The primary signs of the Parkinson’s disease include tremor of the hands, arms, legs, jaw, face, slowness, freezing of movement and rigidity or stiffness of the limbs. The doctor suggested that things like light ray on surface or any illusion which create a hurdle in front of foot could help her in walking. My father searched for options in the market that could help her but couldn’t find anything. Meanwhile, I researched extensively about Parkinson’s disease. That’s how I got an idea to fit a LED plate in the stick that my grandmother was already using, which made a ray of light on the surface. I later added laser light, instead of LED, a switch and cells.
My grandmother, who found it difficult to even take the first step straight, can now do so with ease and comfort. With the illusion created by this, the patient treats it as an obstacle. The first step taken with stability ensures the safety of the individual.
Since it worked as a device which served the purpose so well, I further enhanced it by adding more features like a torch and charging facility. It is now a fully functional supportive device ready to serve many others.
Congratulations on your win! Tell us about the competition journey.
I got to know about the Ignite Competition through my school. Further, I was assisted by my teachers to fill up a form that had asked for a lot of detailed information regarding my work. A dossier was prepared with an exhaustive write-up as well as a PPT on my invention.
Describe how was it receiving the honour from the honourable President?
Receiving the honour and that too from none other than the President of India was surely a dream come true. As a part of the award, I received a citation, a trophy and a bag full of book on Ignite 2016 on innovations made by children like me and other contestants.
I walked with pride as I fondly remembered the source of my inspiration- the missile man himself - our respected former President late Dr APJ Abdul Kalam in whose memory this programme has been initiated.
I feel delighted and on top of the world.
Are you also planning to improve it?
Yes, most certainly. I have already added a few features like a torch, rechargeable
battery and I am constantly working to make it better so as to be able to suit the
various needs of such patients.
What’s next?
I am already working on two favourite projects:
Free energy generator and a transparent (see-through) mobile phone which will have the ability to help prevent accidents.