To aid the relief efforts in Kerala, Government Engineering College of Barton Hill (GECBH) in Thiruvananthapuram, is now fabricating waterproof LED lamps which will be supplied across the state.
Project Candela, an initiative by the IEEE students branch in GECBH, intends to supply a nifty gadget– high-intensity low-voltage LED lamps which were developed by the students themselves!
The students initially started to donate numerous supplies to various collection points in Kerala but soon came together to create something innovative.
Speaking to The Better India, the team behind Candela says, “When we came to know that there is an acute shortage of torches, candles and matchboxes, we wanted to work on how to overcome this shortage. So we designed an LED lamp that can substitute candles.”
Rahul, one of the student coordinators, shares, “We started this off so we could provide a light source to people in relief camps, but as people are now returning to their electricity-less homes, candles cannot be used, considering the possibility of a gas leak.”
As of now, there are 40-50 students working on the torches, producing 550 units in two days, which have been shipped to government relief camps across Kerala. People who are on the way to the relief camps have also collected the gadget for distribution.
When asked about the funds, Rahul tells us, “We mostly depended on college funds. Some alumni members have provided us with raw materials but we cannot rely much on college funds as they are limited.”
The students have tested the device in all forms from a drop test, to a waterproof test. The high-intensity light lasts for 15 hours approximately.
The group is open for donations as well as orders. If you wish to contribute or know any regions where the device will be of use, contact Lekshmi on +91 94473 35336 and Rahul on +91 85470 32569.
(Edited by Shruti Singhal)