Their village does not have street lights, which causes accidents. To solve this problem, two Class IX students of the Buchireddy Palli Government School in Tiruttani have designed 'e -slippers' that generate electricity when the wearer walks, lighting the footwear up.
The 14-year-old students, V.M. Akashwaran and S. Parthiban, showcased their inventions at the Southern India Science Fair held in Bengaluru from January 7 to 11. “There are very few street lights in our village and pedestrians often get hit by vehicles as they can't be spotted easily. So, we decided to make something that will help people,” said Akashwaran.
Slippers are provided by the government to schoolchildren. “We placed piezo-crystal plates in the slippers, connecting them to a rechargable battery. While walking, electricity is produced and it helps light up the LED strip in the footwear. We can also charge mobile phones using this power,” he explained. They developed a passion for science two years ago and the school has been encouraging them.
Two other inventions
Apart from slippers, they have also invented a 'gliding platform' that helps the elderly cross tracks without having to climb a foot overbridge, and a 'multipurpose walking stick' with sensors. They fund the projects with their own money. “I would like to carry out research and make things that are useful for the public,” said Akashwaran. “There are close to 700 students in the school. Many of our students are involved in such projects, but they don't get the deserved exposure. This is the first time two of our students have been able to showcase their projects at such an event,” said R. Dharmalingam, a teacher.