Innovations of junior scientists need patronisation

One thing that scientists around the globe talk about is the importance of providing young minds with the opportunity and platform to showcase their talent and encourage them to bring out the best from them. Keeping that in mind, Dhaka College organised the sixth Science Exposition in the first week of February 2018. The participants of the exposition were students from class six to twelve. It was a gateway for the students to enter into a world of invention and create the spirit of competition among the participants from different schools and colleges.

The junior scientists have brought some unique projects for display. One group showcased oil produced from mahogany seeds. This oil can be used in the crop field as pesticides to reduce harmful insects and also as fuel instead of diesel or petrol or CNG. It was terrific that this oil was produced from mahogany seeds, which were thought of as waste and thrown away. There was another group that impressed everyone with their project, 'One house one farm'. The students prepared the model that included cow shed, crazing field, bio-gas plant, poultry farm over the pond, tube-well, paddy field, rainwater reservoir, etc.

Also, there were technological projects in the exhibition. A group of students made a robot that had a sensor and display on its body. If anyone is injured in a factory or a house, the sensor can give a signal about the injury level. At the same time, the display showed message whether the injured person needs to go to the hospital or not. This sort of innovation from such young children is remarkable. Some students brought a car which ran automatically in a circular path on a whiteboard. It had all the necessary arrangements (lighting system and sensor system) to make it usable in factories to carry products to different points.

Perhaps the most talked about project was the digital voting system. One can cast a vote during the election staying at home. There is one user identification (ID) number and password, and that is personalised completely. A voter can log in using the ID and password and vote the desired candidate and can log in once using one user ID. There is admin section who may log in using another user ID and password for collecting the result. This system, if used correctly and safely, will help to avoid clashes at voting stations and can increase transparency in the elections.

The event also saw quite a few medical projects. One of them was a circuit system with which a doctor could observe an ICU patient from outside the ICU. The system was developed using variables like pulse rate, blood sugar, breathing rate, heartbeat, neuron signals, etc. A doctor or a nurse can get the updates automatically. The circuit system will be included in a watch and will be set up on the hand of the patient.

Other projects include agricultural freezing system. auto-sensor lights on streets, cars having a generator connected to its wheel, etc.

If these projects are implemented in the coming years, our country would get specific benefits. Further research can be conducted on the inventions to be used for the interests of humankind. These projects, although prepared on a small scale, should not be lost and the concerned authorities must think over patronising our junior scientists. The usage and advantages, prospects and barriers of these projects should be judged and implemented correctly. It is also possible to nurture the merits of the younger scientists and let their innovations get maturity and bring fruits to us. Otherwise, our merits will nip in the bud.

The writer is a lecturer of English in English version wing of Birshresto Munshi Abdur Rauf Public College, Dhaka. She can be reached at [email protected]