Air Force School lads get ` 5 lakh for 'charging phone while talking'

 ‘Teenovators-2013-14,’ witnessed a novel mind boggling quest enabling deep thinking exercises and exciting innovations at T M A Pai auditorium here on Friday. It was open for the students from IX and X standard from 500 schools across India.

The contest stressed on the novelty in proposed project idea, methodology applied, thoroughness in analysis, clarity in findings and most simple and innovative solutions to a challenging problem. The top three teams were rewarded on the occasion with a cash prize worth Rs 10 lakh. Students with the passion to sharpen their creative and innovative skills took part in the competition. As many as eight teams were eligible for the grand finale held at Manipal University.

Ganesh Siva from Air Force School, Bangalore, that won the first position and took away Rs 5 lakh cash prize told Deccan Herald that working on the project ‘Your phone gets charged even as you talk’ was unique experience. The innovative thoughts imbibed in harvesting the radio energy that is released in the process while a person talks over his mobile phone is very much useful for everyone. Through this, around 30-40 per cent of the battery back-up is possible. However, the device should be integrated into the mobile and the project is in the nascent stage.

In this particular device, the radio energy is tapped into using a simple antenna, diode and a capacitor. Akhil L from Narayana Junior College, Champapet, Hyderabad that won second prize worth Rs 3 lakh, said that the project ‘Solar Sun Tracking System’ traces the sun to generate extra electricity. Sun is tracked through light detecting sensors to generate electricity efficiently. In this process, the solar panel which is attached to a rotating motor turns towards the sun and is done with the help of LDR sensors. He added that the optimal energy instillation from sun is possible during rainy and winter season.

Sheshadripuram PU College Bangalore team won third prize worth Rs 1 lakh. The team had developed the device ‘Conservation and production of energy through generators’. Arjun said that the device could be adapted at domestic use at a smaller scale. Here electric energy is generated when solar energy is used to heat water moving through black, evacuated cylindrical pipes to about 200 degree Celsius.  The government should provide subsidy so that the project can be enhanced for large-scale implementation.