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Chandigarh: Gardener’s son creates jogging charger for tackling energy crisis
As per science teacher at Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 8, Chandigarh, Deepak Bhardwaj, who had helped Adarsh with this project, the innovation can also, partly, be correlated to family’s economic condition
Adarsh of Kaimbwala village, who studies in Class 11 at the Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 8 (GMSSS-8), earned distinction in the 11th National-Level Exhibition and Project Competition under the central government’s Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research (INSPIRE)- Million Minds Augmenting National Aspiration and Knowledge (MANAK) scheme. The 16-year-old boy’s innovation, a jogging charger, was selected among the top 31 projects that were displayed at the event.
Adarsh hails from a weak economic background. His father, Arvind Kumar, works as a gardener in three houses of Sector 8. While Adarsh had developed the project when he was in Class 9, he has now opted for the arts stream. As per science teacher at GMSSS-8, Deepak Bhardwaj, who had helped him with this project, the innovation can also, partly, be correlated to family’s economic condition. However, Adarsh says that he is focused on pursuing a course in computer applications and getting a degree related to artificial intelligence (AI). The Class 11 student is also learning Python computer language side-by-side with his course work.
Speaking about his innovation, he said he wanted to do something for the energy crisis and also improve the health of people.
While describing about the device’s uses, Adarsh said, “I have also attached a light attachment which can be used as a torch when going for a walk in the dark. I thought of the army while making this charger as soldiers can greatly benefit from such a device.” He says getting a patent is next thing on the cards, but he will improve the design further at first, making the device more comfortable to wear. He feels that, eventually, a startup can be incorporated for this.
To reach the national level, Adarsh had to first get selected at the district and state levels. While receiving a ₹10,000 prize, he cleared the state-level to proceed with his innovation. At the national level, as many as 350 students were selected to exhibit their innovations, out of which Adarsh secured the 31st position.
The INSPIRE- MANAK is one of the flagship schemes of the Centre’s department of science and technology (DST), for nurturing ideas and innovations of school students while motivating them to pursue science and a career in research, jointly implemented by DST and the National Innovation Foundation (NIF). Under the scheme, students are invited from all government or private schools across the country, to submit original and creative technological ideas/innovations focusing on common problems and come up with solutions on their own.
The jogging charger device is made by connecting a battery to two pieces of wood which generates power while jogging. The wooden strips are attached to user’s thighs by with belts. The charger generates electricity in the form of direct current (DC), which can then be stored in a battery. The on-board battery capacity of the device as of now is 5,000 mAh and jogging with the device on for about 20 minutes can fully recharge it.
