IIT Madras CFI students organise Research Conclave to showcase cutting-edge technology

Students showcased 73 projects including fixed-wing UAVs for military surveillance and autonomous underwater vehicles for oceanographic exploration.

Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) students from the Centre for Innovation (CFI) organised the second edition of the annual Research Conclave at the campus on November 4.

According to a press release by IIT Madras, the objective of the conclave was to showcase the cutting-edge technology developed by students to other academics, industry professionals and investors.

According to a press release by IIT Madras, the objective of the conclave was to showcase the cutting-edge technology developed by students. A ‘Competition Team Demo Day’ featured the various prototypes developed by CFI competition teams in the last 6 months which included a solar-powered race car, a reusable sounding rocket, fixed-wing UAVs for military surveillance and much more. The conclave featured 73 projects, presented by 14 technical clubs, 7 competition teams and saw the participation of over 800 students.

CFI provides students with access to funding and state-of-the-art facilities including 3D printers, laser cutters and electronics workstations, among various other facilities. So far, over 100 patents and many student-led start-ups have originated from CFI in various fields, mentioned the press release by IIT Madras.

“The research conclave is an important mid-year review of the social and innovative projects at CFI. it is an occasion to showcase the deep research and concepts being explored by the club teams of CFI," said Prof Prabhu Rajagopal, Advisor (Innovation and Entrepreneurship), IIT Madras.

“The Research Conclave is expected to create opportunities for students to collaborate with industry professionals and investors. By showcasing our work, the current students aim to inspire and encourage incoming students to engage in innovative endeavours. This year's edition boasts participation from a wider range of sectors and domains within the technology field. The number of student teams and members involved in presenting their projects has grown," said Sarthak Saurav, Student Executive Head of CFI-IIT Madras.