INK Makers, an INK Program aimed to introduce the maker culture to undergraduate students of Manipal University, announced the three winning innovations at the grand finale at Manipal Institute of Technology. A contemporary culture, the ‘maker culture’ is one that revels in the creation of new devices as well as tinkering with existing ones. The project ‘Energy efficient stove and water heater’ by team Vinayaka won the title of ‘INK Makers 2015’ and was awarded a cash prize of INR 3,00,000.

Projects ‘Power Assisted Stretcher’ by team Spearheads and ‘Wearable Sanitizer Dispenser’ by team Excelsior were the runners-up who were awarded INR 2,00,000 and INR 1,00,000, respectively.

INK Makers 2015 winner-Team Vinayaka with Lakshmi Pratury, CEO and Founder of INK

Team Vinayaka came up with an ‘Energy efficient stove and water heater’. The traditional way of cooking using wood and fire wastes a lot of energy and causes indoor air pollution. To counter this, Vinayaka developed a device which consists of a copper pipe through which cold water is passed. The pipe prevents escape of heat from the burnt fuel and diverts it in turn to heat water placed in another container.

Team Spearheads built a prototype of a power assisted stretcher for hospitals. It is an electronic powered stretcher which requires only one person to maneuver it, unlike the conventional stretchers which require three to four people minimum. It enables easy driving as there are no prerequisite skills for its operation.

Team Excelsior decided to tackle problems in the medical field and develop a ‘Wearable Sanitizer Dispenser’. They designed a prototype of a contraption that will dispense sanitizing liquid when a little pressure is applied on it. It can be worn as an accessory by medical professionals and will reduce the risk of transfer of infection from one patient to another which is a common problem all over the world.

Launched in August 2015, INK Makers encourages curious individuals interested in exploring new innovations and technologies across the spectrum of science, engineering, art and design. The Makers Program saw 150+ teams participate in two part series of mini makers festivals organized at the campus. Make-a-thon 1.0 themed ‘Build to Sell’ saw 70 teams participating to build a product they could commercialize and sell. Make-a-thon 2.0 expanded its theme to include ‘Make Manipal a better place’ where 84 teams participated to build something they could use to better their hometown. The 14 winning teams of Make-a-thon fought for the title at the grand finale of INK Makers. 

The winners were judged on the following parameters: Novelty of the idea; Gravity of the problem solving; Feasibility/Workability of the idea; and Final Outcome (Presentation).

Mr. Sunil Rao, Country Head Strategic Partner development - VCs and startups, Google India and Mr. Narendra Bhandari, GM Developer eXperience and Evangelism, Microsoft  graced the event with their presence.

Addressing the audience at the event, Mr. Sunil Rao, Country Head Strategic Partner development - VCs and startups, Google India said “Innovation is the need of the hour and it is wonderful to see such entrepreneurial skills in young students. A platform such as INK Makers encourages students to focus on using and learning practical skills. ”

Expressing their delight on the win, single-member Vinayaka from team Vinayaka said, “We are thrilled to win INK Makers 2015. The Program motivated us to build solutions for the real world. This was truly a great learning experience and the mentorship we received was invaluable.  We thank the INK Makers team for giving us the opportunity to learn and innovate.”

“It was wonderful to see students from different backgrounds collaborate and create something exceptional. We started INK Makers with an aim to build the maker culture among college students and we have rightly seen some promising innovations this year. I would like to wish all the students the best of luck for their future endeavors,” said Lakshmi Pratury, Founder & CEO, INK.

“Make-a-thon is a platform where student can exhibit their innovative ideas in the form of proof of concept. With the support from mentors from industry, this may also lead to cost-effective product. Since this is open to all the disciplines of students from Manipal University, a true inter-disciplinary solution may come out and students will understand the strength of teamwork. I congratulate all the students for their active participation and thank INK for hosting such events in Manipal University.” said Dr. G.K. Prabhu, Director Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal University.

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