Thaindian News

New Delhi, April 28 (IANS) An artificial intelligence-based system that can save up to 47 percent power in electrical devices, a mobile-based remote control system for water pumps and a non-humid air cooler were among the 30 innovations that were awarded by the DST-Lockeheed Martin India Innovation Growth Programme (IIGP) 2011 here Thursday.

IIGP was launched in 2007 by India’s department of science and techology, US-based Lockheed Martin, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and various other parters to help Indian innovators with promising early-stage technologies find markets in the US and around the world.

The winners were awarded medals, certificates and Rs.1 lakh each.

“The winners were selected from among 1,000 applications which were screened by experts on the basis of the readiness of their ideas to be launched in the market,” said Nirankar Saxena, director, FICCI.

“The unique technology ideas that can be converted to commercial ventures in diverse fields such as environment, power, telecommunications etc were selected,” he added.

According to feedback received from IIGP technology participants, the programme been able to generate revenue worth over Rs.350 crore till 2010. “In 2011, we are expecting that the revenue generated in this manner will exceed Rs.490 crore,” FICCI director general Rajiv Kumar said.

Lockheed Martin’s senior vice president, Ray O. Johnson, praised “the ingenuity and entrepreneurial vigor of the innovators at this competition”.

Some of the awarded innovations were:

Artificial intelligence based power management system: Developed by Kochi-based Nelvin Joseph, this technology is a hardware cum technology bundle capable of saving upto 47 percent power in electrical devices using artificial intelligence based algorithms. This is also among the 50 most innovative technology of 2011 worldwide selected by the World Bank.

3nethra: Developed by Bangalore’s Shyam Vasudev Rao, it is a portable low cost camera that helps in pre-screening of five eye diseases - cataract, diabetic retina, glaucoma, cornea issue and refractive index measurements.

Hairminator: Developed by Pune-based women pharmacologist and entrepreneur Mrinmayee Bhushan, this technology derives natural plant lectins that inhibits hair growth for men and women of all ages.

Non-humid air cooler: Developed by Ahmedabad based Altaf A. Teenawala, this air cooler cools the air 40 percent more than the normal air cooler and produces 60 percent less humidity. It produces almost no sound.

Photonic smart card: Developed by Ajith Kumar P.T., this smart card uses photonic data storage technology based on holograms to provide extremely high levels of data storage on a thin card.