India-based inventors in race to win global innovation contest
Bengaluru: Seven India-based inventors are among the finalists who will vie for $500,000 in prize money and in-kind support in a global competition of hardware-led social innovation.
The finalists of the 2018 American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Innovation Showcase (ISHOW) will present their design prototypes in Bengaluru on April 5, ASME said in a statement.
The finalists built innovative design prototypes for diabetes, foetal monitoring, the visually impaired, oral cancer and irrigation, among others.
"They are the first regional finalists selected from over 150 entries worldwide," the statement added.
Among the finalists is Vinayak Nandalike from Bengaluru who invented "Sparsh", a multi-parameter, portable, hand-held medical device that helps clinicians screen diabetic patients for symptoms of peripheral neuropathy.
Tarun Bothra of Ahmedabad who developed Saathi, a biodegradable sanitary pad made from banana fiber, one of the most absorbent and abundant natural fibers in India, is also among the finalists.
Also in the list is Balaji Teegala of Hyderabad who developed a foetal monitoring technology that makes it possible to record, collect and share foetal data with clinicians for timely interventions in remote locations.
The winners selected in Bengaluru and two other ISHOW events in Nairobi (May 10) and Washington (June 21) will share $500,000 in seed grants, technical assistance, design and engineering reviews and access to ISHOW's partnership network, it added.
"ASME originally created ISHOW after our research showed an urgent need to support hardware innovators seeking to enter global markets and make a societal impact," said Charla K. Wise, President of ASME.
"We believe this year's entries all have the potential to address some of the most vexing issues faced by humankind," Wise said.
ASME said it received more than 150 submissions vying for the $500,000 in cash and in-kind prizes that the organisation has offered to help bring socially innovative hardware-led solutions to market.
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Delhi records high of 32.7 deg C; AQI remains 'moderate'
New Delhi (PTI): The maximum temperature in Delhi settled at 32.7 degrees Celsius on Sunday, 1.3 notches below the seasonal average, according to the India Meteorological Department.
The minimum temperature was recorded at 20.1 degrees Celsius on Sunday, 1.3 notches below the average for the season, while the relative humidity stood at 46 per cent at 5.30 pm, the IMD said.
The weather department has forecast a partly cloudy sky for Monday with the maximum and minimum temperatures expected to hover around 34 and 19 degrees Celsius, respectively.
The air quality remained 'moderate' at 4 pm, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) reading of 134, a slight drop from Saturday’s 137, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data showed.
According to the CPCB, an AQI between zero and 50 is considered 'good', 51 and 100 'satisfactory', 101 and 200 'moderate', 201 and 300 'poor', 301 and 400 'very poor', and 401 and 500 'severe'.
