Indore (Madhya Pradesh): After opening a prelude centre in Ujjain this month, IIT Indore has made big plans for technology development in the ancient town for the next five years. Though it is still to get land for its satellite campus project named Deep Tech Research Laboratories & Discovery Centre, IIT Indore has started its operations by setting up Centre for Experiential Learning on Innovation, Technology and Entrepreneurship (C-ELITE) in the Mahakal town.
This C-ELITE will be merged with the satellite campus when IIT Indore would get 100 acres in Ujjain and construction activity is done on it. "IIT Indore will be developing 250 new technologies in 5 years. Through Lab-to-Market programme, it is envisioned to incubate 150 ideas and convert at least half of them to be market ready. In addition, the campus will have degree programmes, executive programmes, and skill development programmes. It is also planned to train 2,500 personnel in deep technology in 5 years. The campus will have 05 conference halls, 15 digital classrooms, Administrative Building, Residential & Hostel complexes. Thus, it will serve as a hub for cutting-edge research, interdisciplinary collaboration, and the nurturing of talent that will contribute to the nation's progress," IIT Indore said in a press release.
The prelude centre is housing three labs including Makers’ Space, Heritage and Innovation Centre in Astronomy and Space Engineering (HICASE) and Laser Engineering. Makerspace Laboratory will provide an enabling physical environment for young engineering students to go hands-on and give form and expression to their innovative and creative minds. The objective is to empower students to take systems apart, examine the component parts, and rebuild the original systems. It will also help students to put together new systems, to convert creative ideas into actual engineering products. HICASE will be one of the first of its kind to use the best of ancient and modern worlds to enlighten young minds. The aspects covered in this centre are Astronomical Heritage, Space Science Education Hub and Skill Development Centre, Data Intensive Computing & Analytics Laboratory and Startup and Innovation in Device Technology related to Astronomy and Space Research.
The Laser Engineering lab will provide hands-on experience to the student and faculty in designing the laser system for different customised requirements in the industries. The lab includes laser-based GI Index Printing on Textiles to print Bagh logo for geographical indexing on the textile’s products and wood carving, Laser Michelson Interferometry in high-precision distance and thickness measurements using the laser beam, Laser Engraving and 3D Printing, Opto-Mechatronics System which will give a glimpse on laser beam steering in nano to micro level and Photoacoustic System for Health Monitoring for screening early-stage cancer diagnosis.
