Moonshot projects – IIT Jodhpur has created unique platform to encourage its faculty and researchers to Moonshot projects innovative and disruptive ideas. The platform is called ‘Moonshot Competition.’ The platform is called Moonshot Competition and the idea behind it is to develop projects that can eventually lead to large-scale solutions to improve health, societal, economic and environmental issues.

With such an initiative, the institute aspires to stimulate new research initiatives to foster creativity and team-building alongside addressing urgent problems and paving the way to a sustainable future.

The contest
Moonshot Competition was organized for faculty members of IIT Jodhpur. The faculty of IIT Jodhpur had to present their ideas through a pre-recorded video pitch as a part of the contest.

Director
IIT Jodhpur director Professor Santanu Chaudhury said the main objective of the competition is to encourage a moonshot culture and future-driven mindset in the institute, leading to transformational technologies and effective interventions for responding to societal challenges and aspirations.

The ideas
A few of the solution-oriented ideas were selected under Moonshot Competition. And, they are:

Ø Professor Debanjan Guha Roy shared an idea on Harvesting an Asteroid Microwave AssistedRock Pulverize and Electrostatic Separator which is related to Space, Microwave.

Ø Professor Sumit Kalra shared through a video an idea on Personal Independent Digital Twin related to AI

Ø Professor Sankalp Pratap, Professor Romi, Professor G.V. Reddy, Professor Dibyadyuti Roy shared their creative idea on BRBL (To create countless ‘Birbals’ through technology intervention in Education) related to Education-AI

Ø Professor Suchetana Chakraborty and Professor Ankita Sharma submitted an idea on ‘ExPoPsych: Experiencing Positivity at the face of Psychological Vulnerability.’ which is related to AI and Psychology.

International community
Dr. Debanjan Roy, Assistant Professor, IIT J said the international community has gradually started accepting the idea of deep space exploration, human settlement in space, and resource generation from celestial bodies. In the past few years, multiple governments and space agencies have invested in developing technology and formulating regulatory frameworks for this purpose, said Dr. Debanjan Roy of IIT Jodhpur.

‘India is in a unique position to leverage its space expertise to pioneer resource exploration on the moon and asteroids.’ We need strong support from the industry and government to be a leader in this domain,’ he said.

View
Dr. Sankalp Pratap, Associate Professor, IIT Jodhpur said BRBL aims to work on the stated ideals of NEP 2020, providing high quality nuanced inputs to children from all strata of society employing innovative technology.

Also read ‘If you want to study postgraduation in IITs

Dr. Sumit Kalra, Assistant Professor, IIT J, said personalized Independent Digital Twin is the next big revolution after the Internet and AI that has the potential to impact our society on each and every level.

The intervention can result in highly optimized decision-making and execution of tasks, said Dr. Sumit.

Potential
Some of the proposals have the potential to be initiated as a research project and subsequently, commercial viability will be accessed.

Through the Institute has Technology Innovation and Startup Center (TISC) commercial viability and subsequent incubation support can be provided.

The institute has a strong eco-system to support faculty members to conduct research in interdisciplinary domains.

About IIT Jodhpur Moonshot projects

Indian Institute of Technology Jodhpur was established in 2008, to foster technology education and research in India.

The Institute is committed to technological thought and action to benefit the economic development of India.

Moonshot projects – Scholarship in teaching and learning; Scholarship in research and creative accomplishments; and relevance to Industry are three driving forces at the institution.

IIT J functions from its sprawling residential Permanent Campus of 852 acres on National Highway 65, North-Northwest of Jodhpur towards Nagaur.

This campus is meticulously planned and envisioned to stand as a symbol of academics. A large parcel of the Permanent Campus (of about 182 acres) is set aside for the development of a Technology Park to strengthen institute-industry interactions.

The Institute is committed to a multidisciplinary approach of technology development.

moonshot projects – Hence, it has established state-of-the-art laboratories for basic research and has organized its academic degree activities through Departments and its coordinated research through Centers for Technologies.

Pooja Singh

(Full bio)