Skill Odisha Conclave kicks off, SOA presents four ideas

Bhubaneswar: An innovative startup idea focusing on mitigating the risk of accidental electrical fires developed by students of the Institute of Technical Education and Research (ITER), faculty of engineering and technology of Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan (SOA) here, is among four such ideas put on show at the three-day Skill Odisha Conclave 2023 which started on Thursday.

The solution to such fire hazards, mainly in commercial and industrial organisations, lay in the product which could analyse and predict the possibility of a fire and cut off the power supply automatically to prevent any unwarranted disruption and damage, Prof Renu Sharma, ITER’s additional dean (student affairs), said.

The conclave was inaugurated by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.

“This technology has the potential to significantly reduce the risk of electrical fires and could become a game changer in the field of fire safety,” Prof Sharma said.

The other startups included ‘Plant Eye’, a revolutionary disease detection model designed to detect crop diseases using Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based techniques and infrared thermal imaging.

Besides, a startup idea involving Audio Recognition and Mapping System for traffic signals and another using AI to revolutionise virtual environments and create new business opportunities had been showcased at the conclave.

The ‘Plant Eye’ is a disease detection device which can alert farmers of the presence of pathogens and offer detailed diagnostics for early detection, prevention and corrective action. It also provides information on suitable crop varieties and types for diversification thus protecting crops from disease and pathogen damage, she said.

The Audio Recognition and Mapping System for Traffic Signals could detect vehicles and pedestrians at intersections using advanced audio recognition algorithms to map and synchronise traffic systems in real time. “This responsive solution optimises traffic flow, improves road safety, reduces congestion and minimises carbon emission,” Prof Sharma said.

The other startup idea had the potential to revolutionise virtual environments. While TwinVerse’s Web 3 based platform used AI to enhance user experience allowing for creation of custom 3D scenes and access real-time data, this product had the potential to revolutionise virtual environments, Prof Sharma said.

Prof Manas Kumar Mallick, director, ITER and Satish Samal, assistant professor at ITER, along with Prof Sharma, attended the inaugural function of the conclave.