TV addict Kids in India simply love Japanese cartoon character ‘Doremon’ who always come up with very cool gadgets to help his very average and foolish brother Nobita. Doremon’s gadgets are unreal but still fantastic and innovative and kids always dream of having them. But I wish to take this opportunity to talk about Susant Pattnaik, a real life Indian Doremon.
Susant, son of a veterinarian from Bhubaneswar, is a serial innovator and an entrepreneur, having invented several cool devices since his high school days. From a wheelchair that operates through breathing to an anti-theft mechanism for cars, the list of his innovations is big and enviable. Moreover, more than ten of his innovations have already made the critical transition from idea to a working prototype. Recently, Susant was also among the top winners of the seventh National Grassroots Innovation Awards, given by the National Innovation Foundation.
One of the most interesting and award winning innovation of Susant is his wheelchair specially designed for paralyzed and which operate just through breathing. This wheelchair prototype uses an innovative battery operated breathing sensor invented by Susant, which is worn as a headphone by the users to navigate the chair by giving commands just with their breath. The sensor acts both on air and heat in the breath. This breathing sensor is attached to a transmitter while the receiver device receives wireless signals in the form of breath. As the user breathes, the transmitter transmits the signal and the receiver receives it for controlling the movement of the wheelchair and performing other tasks. Now, Susant has also designed a novel anti-accident circuit for the wheelchair to avoid any mishaps.
This breathing sensor technology has been recognized and awarded by various organizations like National Innovation Foundation, MIT Technology Review, NASA, Intel, etc. He was also selected as youngest inventor by MIT Technology Review.
Another interesting innovation by Susant is the anti-theft mechanism for cars which is operated through a mobile phone. The anti-theft device uses a mobile SIM card which can be paired with your phone. The moment anyone breaks into the car and tries to fiddle with ignition, you get a beep on your phone with a call back number. The moment you call back, the mechanism get activated to immediately shutdown the car. This device also enables you to even trace the car via GPS.
Susant claims to have successfully installed this mechanism in over 50 cars in Bhopal. Moreover, variation of the same technology can have wide applications especially in security systems for home, office and shops.
Another innovation by Susant which can have wide application is the Low Cost Voice Operated Electrical and Electronics Appliance system. It works on voice by saying the name of the electrical appliance, for example light bulb or fan by mentioning its proper time of activation or deactivation, through any cell phone.
Presently, Susant is working on a very interesting concept, ‘Super Sense Technology’, a circuit-based device that will remove the need for a keyboard or mouse for a computer. One can attach it on the wrist and operate any computer by a slight hand movement. He is also working on an advanced model that has a jacket with an in-built computer. The jacket and the wrist band together works like a computer. According to Susant, you can type, draw or even access the internet – without needing a separate computer.
Apart from being a serial innovator and entrepreneur, Susant is also a motivational speaker and regularly addresses large gathering of students, which includes students from premier institutions like IITs. He even has a NGO for supporting innovators like him. Needless to add, he lists Dhirubhai Ambani among his role models.
