A machine that turns rice straw into powder in record time, a semi-robotic system for cleaning manholes and sewer lines, and a device to self-screen for cervical cancer are among 16 innovations that have been chosen in the second edition of India Innovation Growth Programme (IIGP) here on Thursday.

IIGP, instituted jointly by the Department of Science and Technology, Lockheed Martin and Tata Trusts, is aimed at identifying innovations that can create significant social impact and bring industrial transformation in the country. Each winner is awarded a sum of ₹25 lakh.

The winners

Moksh, developed by Green Farming Forever Innovations, is a radiation-based dryer that picks up rice straw from ground and converts it into powder.

Bandicoot, sewer line and manhole robotic system developed by Genrobotics Innovations, Thiruvananthapuram, makes manual scavenging redundant. SelfCervi, developed by CareNX Innovations, incubated at IIT-Bombay, is a do-it-yourself kit to screen for cervical cancer.

The others in social innovation category includes a handheld device called Saarthi that helps visually impaired to manoeuvre around obstacles. It was developed by Torchit Electronics, a multisensory education platform for visually challenged people. Another winner was a low-cost post-mastectomy kit called Poorti for breast cancer survivors. It was developed by Aarna Biomedical Products.

Industrial innovations

Industrial innovations that got recognition include a smart electric vehicle charging station and system controller, a system for making underwater inspection of critical infrastructure such as dams, bridges and offshore structures, and an adaptive underwater wireless acoustic communication modem developed by IIT-Madras.

Besides, a green propulsion technology for low-thrust applications in space, using premixed hydrogen peroxide and alcohol that can replace toxic propellant hydrazine, developed by Manastu Space Technologies Pvt Ltd was another innovation that won the laurels. According to a statement, a total of 3,000 applications were received and evaluated across areas such as assistive technology, healthcare, clean energy, cyber security, data analytics, space technology, education, sanitation, internet of things, fintech etc.

In the last six months, the shortlisted, top 50 Open Innovation Challenge applicants were invited for advanced training sessions on design, readiness of the market and business models at IIT-Delhi, along with a boot camp at IIM-Ahmedabad, it said.

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