Students use technology to wage war on pandemic

KOCHI: From a software that diagnoses Covid-19 to a mask-vending machine, youngsters lined up an array of unique innovations as part of the ‘Innovations Unlocked: Kerala Student Innovators Meet’, organised by the Kerala Startup Mission, on Saturday.

The items showcased by the students included cutting-edge equipment for emergency medical care and crowd control, artificial intelligence-based devices that function by maintaining social distancing, technologies to sanitise large spaces against the coronavirus, and improvised personal protective equipment (PPE) kits.

The virtual expo was the first national event to promote technological innovations to fight the pandemic.
It helped prove the youngsters’ ability to create distinctive and useful devices to counter the Covid-19 spread.

A total of 150 models were displayed at the interactive forum which featured over 300 participants. The selected innovators will be groomed as entrepreneurs.

The event was held in association with TCS DISQ, an initiative by the Tata Consultancy Service Foundation to groom changemakers, and the Wadhwani foundation that creates jobs for new-age entrepreneurs.

Following the evaluation, around 21 models were selected by the KSUM.