Mumbai:
The annual Techfest 2016 of the Indian Institute of Technology, (IIT) Bombay, which kicked off on Friday, December 16, has Space Expedition as the theme. Innovative and futuristic technology including robots, launch vehicles, mind-controlled drones and satellites from Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and much more is being featured in the event.
Backed by UNESCO and UNICEF, the IIT-Bombay Techfest is largest science and technology festival in Asia. The three-day event, which begins on Friday in Mumbai’s Powai, will conclude on December 18.
“We have included several thrilling and exciting shows, competitions as well as lectures by national as well as world’s most eminent personalities,” Hardik Patil, media-co-ordinator, Techfest, told Gulf News.
The first day of IIT-Bombay Techfest 2016 Techfest 2016 witnessed lectures, competitions, summits as well as exhibitions by students from institutes around the world.
The first day highlights of the IIT-Bombay Techfest 2016 Techfest 2016 also include a mind-controlled drone built by Puzzlebox Orbit, US. The drone can be controlled using the neuro-senses of a person’s mind.
“These kinds of mind controlled drones can be used by paralysed patients in order to communicate with us and ease their work,” a release said.
The visitors at the IIT-Bombay Techfest 2016 have been allowed to operate the mind-controlled drone.
Other major attractions include morphofunctional drones from Switzerland. These drones have a capability of mimicking the actions of bio-creatures, scale versions of launch vehicles and satellites like Chandrayaan and Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM). An Auto Expo will also be held and will feature cars and bikes from Lamborghini, Audi, Ferrari and more.
A Techconnect is being organised to showcase the research and development activities of students of IIT Bombay.
“TechConnect aims to highlight the technologies created in IIT-Bombay, to address critical social needs of the country, and to simultaneously satisfy the requirements of the industry and maximize the benefits to the society,” the release said.
Techconnect will feature a formula racing car and a underwater vehicle built by students of the institute. It will also showcase live data receiving by the by the satellite made by students of Pratham which was launched by ISRO.
Scientist turned film director Bedabrata Pain, Former Director of Intel Labs Jeff Demain, Burj Khalifa, Dubai architect Gordon Gill and IISER professor Archana Pai, among many others are speakers at the IIT-Bombay Techfest 2016.
Other key attractions include a Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) Conclave, an international summit on the Internet of Things and various robot competitions.
The IIT-Bombay Techfest had a footfall of over 1,65,000 in 2015, The fest has an outreach of over 2500 colleges in the country and more than 500 colleges abroad.
