A group of students from the Indian Institute of Technology - Madras have built a Formula race car. And, Team Raftar is the only Indian team to qualify for the Formula Student Germany 2018 competition in July.
The single-seater race car, built from scratch with the support of a senior alumnus, cost ₹15 lakh. The students’ team was supported by BOSCH and MRF.
Another group of students, Team Anveshak, has developed a Mars Rover, which has qualified for the finals of the University Rover Challenge to be held in the Utah desert.
The all-terrain rover, with minor modifications to the design could be used in defence operations and terrain exploration purposes.
The third group of students, Team Abhiyaan, one of the two teams that has qualified for the international robotics event to be held in Oakland University, Michigan, US, has built a robot – an autonomous ground vehicle that can navigate using GPS.
The team’s mission is to create efficient and safe transportation solutions.
The students have developed their products at the Centre for Innovation (CFI), a result of funding by three batches of IIT-M alumni.
Institute director Bhaskar Ramamurthi said the CFI had emerged as the model in the country for fostering hands-on innovation among students. Though the institute offered them support when they participated in international competitions the students had to find their own sponsors, he added.
