‘Solar Powered Crop Harvesting Robot’ wins Intel India Embedded Challenge 2011

BANGALORE, INDIA: T.J. David and Kudikala Shravan Kumar, from International Institute of Information Technology, Hyderabad have won the coveted Intel India Embedded Challenge grand prize for 2011 for their project Solar Powered Crop Harvesting Robot.

The nationwide competition is an initiative by Intel in India to recognize and reward outstanding ideas in embedded technology, based on the Intel Atom processor.

“We want to cultivate technical talent in India and promote our knowledge economy, so we can cater to emerging markets. Companies like Intel who share their technological expertise and foster the development of these skills in India play a crucial role in this endeavor,” said HK Mittal, head, National Science & Technology Entrepreneurship Development Board,(NSTEDB) Dept of Science and Technology, Government of India, New Delhi. “Our association with Intel India on the Intel Embedded Challenge awards helps to create a pipeline of ideas in the field of embedded technology that will further advance social development.”

“Intel believes technological innovation is the driver of future economic and social success. By providing India’s engineering students and technical professionals with exposure to the highest level of proficiency, Intel seeks to nurture an ecosystem in which innovation can thrive,” said Dr. Praveen Vishakantaiah, president, Intel India. “This platform offers students and professionals an environment where their talent can be nurtured.”

This year’s Intel India Embedded Challenge had two main categories – ‘Embedded Geeks’ and ‘Embedded Solutions for a Social Cause’. Entries were submitted under five themes: Biomedical and healthcare, Education, Smart Solutions, Industrial and Consumer Electronics, Rural IT, e-governance and citizen services.

In addition to the grand prize, each of the following theme winners received a Rs. 50,000 prize for the best innovation in their category.