Ploughing is an arduous task. It takes time and involves physical labour. More farmers now use a tractor for ploughing, than those who still depend on traditional bullocks.
But a tractor does not come for free. The fuel charges, the driver’s wages all need to be borne by the farmer who rents it. And the charges easily work out to anything between Rs.3,000 to Rs. 3,500 for ploughing an acre.
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And the next issue is the vehicle’s availability to source it on time. In some villages, farmers book the vehicle in advance since it would be busy on rent for days together.
These things can change — seems to be the concept of a group of engineering students from Mailam Engineering College, Tindivanam, Villupuram district, Tamil Nadu which has devised a new solar powered plougher to till fields.
The three wheeled machine operated using remote control seems promising.
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Mr. I.Vetrivel, Mr.V.K.Arun, Mr. K.Sivaraman and Mr. V.Premnath comprise the group of final year electronics and communication engineering students who developed this device.
“Basically our college is situated in an agricultural region and there are plenty of fields surrounding our campus. And many of our students come from agricultural families. As part of annual project work these four students wanted to try doing something different.
“They could easily relate to the problems faced by farmers in sourcing a tractor during the season and decided to work on something on that line. And the outcome is this device,” says Mr. Rajapartheeban, Assistant Professor and Research Coordinator, Electronics and Communication Engineering Department.
Before startingBefore working on the idea the students had interviewed several farmers in the region to know what their problems in cultivation were.
Many farmers had told them that sourcing labour for ploughing and marketing were major issues for them.
Being students, they decided to work on the ploughing issue since it was something within their purview.
Work started on the same bearing in mind that something should be developed that could run on solar energy as this would reduce the dependency on the regular fuel inputs. The result was a remote controlled solar powered plougher that is eco friendly and cost effective. The sample machine, if popularised, can to an extent effectively solve dependence on human labour as well as the tractor.
Easy operationOperating this machine requires no technical knowledge or training and it is very much user-friendly according to Mr. Rajapartheeban.
Sensors are fixed on the front wheel of the machine by which the machine deviates itself from getting blocked by stones and other obstacles in the ploughing field.
This mechanism can be operated automatically from 15 metre distance by a remote using radio frequency control unit. It can run for two hours at a stretch. Being solar powered, there is no problem of battery getting overloaded.
“This is only a demo unit developed by our students. We have still not fixed any price for this. We are sure that being an agricultural country this type of innovation can be, refined, scaled up easily, on being provided the right type of encouragement. To manufacture several units like this and make it popular, the government or some big industries should come forward to encourage this innovation,” says Mr. Rajapartheeban.
Enhancing the ideaThe students are planning to enhance the idea using smart phones and tablets to operate the device. Ideas on how to further customise the plough for each user, and upgrading it with headlights for working in the night is also on.
Fitting a camera and ultrasonic sensor for live information to the operator is also being discussed, according to Mr. Rajaparthiban. Patent has also been filed for this device.
For details contact the guide Mr. M.Rajaparthiban mobile: 9710419007, email: parthe86@gmail.com, Mailam Engineering College, Villipuram, Tamil Nadu.