Mangalore: Prajwal Kumar - Em'power'ing Farmers with Innovative Tillers
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore
With Inputs from Media Release
Mangalore, Sep 17: It is not often that one comes across an innovator who uses his energy and talent to make the lives of farmers easier and better. Meet Prajwal V Kumar, a native of Mangalore, who has invented remote-controlled power tillers that have not only benefited farmers but also won him accolades aplenty.
Prajwal V Kumar, son of Vijay Kumar Bangera was born on November 16, 1979. He is the MD and co-founder of Mangalore Robautics Pvt Ltd, Suratkal which was earlier known as Mangalore Robotronics Technologies. He completed his BE (electronics and communication) from NMAMIT, Nitte.
Prajwal V Kumar receives the prestigious DST-Lockheed Martin India Innovation Gold Medal Award in March, 2012 at New Delhi
He completed an industrial training on Programmable Logic Controller (PLC), after which he worked for two years with Electro Voice as an instrument service engineer. After quitting Electro Voice, he joined Tejas Networks India Ltd, Bangalore, in the year 2005 as a hardware engineer for design and testing of telecommunication STM boards.
At the same time he started working on a remote-controlled power tiller on weekends. The gadget was successfully tested in August 2005. Finding it difficult to cope with two works, he quit the company and started a company by name Mangalore Robotronics Technologies which was later transformed into Mangalore Robautonics Pvt Ltd.
Along with the remote controlled system for power tillers, he also innovated and worked on some gadgets which includes the Unmaned Ground Vehicle (UGV) with multi operational capability, tree climbing and harvesting robots, weeding machine and industrial inspection robots. He has also successfully completed the testing and trails of some of his projects. And few project are supported and funded by DSIR (department of science and industrial research), New Delhi, MSME, NABARD.
The Product
Remote Controlled System for power tillers was basically developed for making the works of farming easier and more comfortable. This system is an electronics combined mechanical gadget which goes as an attachment for power tillers. This new technology which was developed around the year 2005, after prolonged testing and field trials, has now achieved a big success to go for production with great demand from all over India. Innovation is being protected by filing 2 patents in the name of the innovator.
Power tillers are used to plough fields and to make the land suitable to grow crops. Unlike tractors where people sit and control the machine, power tillers need somebody walking behind it to control the directions. It is a painstaking job which has to be carried out for 10 to 15 hours a day under the sun, or during rain, exposing oneself to wet or dry dusty soil. One has to also suffer the engine vibrations and noise. Power tillers are available in the market for a cost of Rs 80,000 to Rs 1,20,000. Government subsidy of around 25 to 30 % is being provided per tiller.
Power Tiller or a Walking Tractor
Manually Operated Power Tiller
Remote Controlled System for Power Tiller
One of the major advantages of a power tiller over tractors is that power tillers can go to any sort of fields where tractors fail to reach. Most of the Indian framers depend on tillers for agricultural need because of its versatility and price. But the drawback is that somebody has to go along with it to till the land which is why it is also known by the name ‘Walking Tractor’.
Considering this drawback, the company came up with the plan to use remote control system to control the tiller without even getting into the field. This remote control system for power tillers has a potential to revolutionize the farming system in India.
Above picture shows how a remote control system is attached to the power tiller. This Remote control system has two units: 1) Hand-held remote unit, 2) Controller unit (Which is attached to the tiller). Using the remote unit, respective operation of the tiller is controlled without the direct human intervention.
Operation includes
1. Left direction control
2. Right direction control
3. Main clutch disengagement Or the brake control.
The clutch and brake levers are engaged using a Pneumatic system (Air) .By using a air from a small air compressors driven by the power tiller engine The three pneumatic actuators perform three individual operations .The electronics radio transmitter transmits the signal from the remote unit which is picked up by the controller unit on the tiller and performs the respective operations.
The complete electronic and pneumatic systems are housed inside a weather proof casing. Remote units use rechargeable batteries which can operate up to 8 hours continuously. The controller unit also uses a battery which is constantly charged by the power tiller dynamo.
Innovation Merits
• Using this technology, one can avoid the strain of walking behind or along with the tiller continuously for hours together controlling its direction.
• The operator operates the power tiller from a far of point without even getting into the field.
• Operator can stand peacefully under a shade avoiding exposure to elements and irritating engine noise.
• Physical damage to knees and the shoulders of the operator can be avoided.
• Even an unskilled operator can operate the power tiller just by the touch of a button, thereby saving time and money required for the skilled labor. This system will encourage those farmers who had stopped farming due to lack of skilled labour, to restart the process of agriculture.
The main objective of mechanization is to increase the production by timely operation and effective work. Sometime due to lack of labor, particular operations cannot be done at the stipulated time, which in turn affects the growth and ultimately results in declined production.
The use of machine saves labor and reduces the time of operation. It helps in performing the operations on a timely basis and also increases the area of cultivation. The introduction of machines will not only make agriculture more acceptable but will also provide opportunities for the use of higher intelligence, skill and initiative.
Awards
Prajwal V Kumar won the prestigious DST-Lockheed Martin India Innovation gold medal award held in March 2012 at FICCI Federation House, New Delhi for his innovation ”Remote Controlled System for power tiller “. The award was presented by Dr Johns D Evans, corporate vice-president, Technology Lockheed Martin Corporation USA, along with T R Ramasami (secretary DST, GOI), Rajiv Sharma (director general, FICCI) and Mitthal (secretary TDB, GOI). This award was presented to 30 top innovations ready for global commercialization. Out of 819 applications from inventors, scientists, research scholars and engineers, 50 were selected and out of the 50, 30 were given the gold medal. From Karnataka, three people have received this prestigious award till date. Out of them, two are from Mangalore. The other person from Mangalore who was awarded this is Owrin Nornoha for his innovation ‘Mozziquit’ a mosquito trap.
The innovation won two awards in the year 2010
1. Best Electronics Product of the year 2010 ( Agricultural category )” awarded by Richard Hyde British high commissioners organized by ISA( Indian Semiconductor association ) held on February 1 and 2, 2010 at Taj West End, Bangalore.
2. Young Innovator of the year 2010 TR35 India organized by cyber media technology review and MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) held on March 8 and 9 at Hotel Royal Gardenia, Bangalore.