Working models at the district-level science exhibition, conducted under the INSPIRE Awards Scheme – 2014, seem to have redefined the proverb, ‘Necessity is the mother of invention,’ as the students turned regular household implements into new entities. Seeking solutions to everyday problems, they developed new devices by retrofitting the original ones with simple modifications.
‘Fan Cooler’ is one such instance of an innovative model, which has its roots emerging from a trivial but pressing problem of a common man’s household. The model, created by D. Harshita of Mandal Primary and Upper Primary School (MPUP) Thummalagunta, comprises a table fan and a few additional implements, turning it into a smaller version of an air cooler. “This idea emerged when we did not have money to buy an air cooler in the scorching summer. So, I thought why not create a smaller version incorporating the principles of a regular air cooler,” said the budding innovator.
Ms. Harshita created a cooling unit using a plastic bowl stuffed with material used in cooling pads of air coolers. A motor draws water from a container below and disperses it through a network of pipes, cooling the entire unit. Excess water is sent back to the container through an outlet. Viola! An affordable solution to every household.
On similar lines, students tweaked simple concepts to create new devices, addressing everyday problems and also to find better ways to do everyday chores. Some of them include producing biogas in smaller quantities for household purposes, growing organic mushrooms and wheat grass in an effective manner, rain water conservation, solar cookers, vermin-composting and much more. Besides this, their models also sought to tackle environmental, security, alarms and several other issues.
The exhibition, this year, is held at five different places in Chittoor district. The ‘Inspire Awards Scheme’ sponsored by the Government of India is aimed at fostering scientific temper among students through innovative science projects and providing the necessary platform for their encouragement. Two toppers at the event will be selected for the State-level competition, and winners from State will be sent to the national-level fair to be held in New Delhi.
