Johnas Sequeira
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru

Mangaluru, Feb 6: In recent times road safety has become a major concern. The government has imposed many rules and regulations to ensure the safety of riders, still, we are witnessing a number of accidents every day. Many of these accidents are due to negligence and scant respect to traffic rules. According to a survey about 1.3 million people lose their lives due to road accidents every year.

One of the latest rules imposed is compulsory helmets for pillion riders. Many of the accidents occur due to disobedience of rules. Several times, riders are seen wearing helmets only when cops are around, and carrying them in their arms when they are not.

Now, a device has been developed by a young girl from the remote village in Karkala taluk that can make the cops' job much easier. Sthuthi Bhat, a student of class 7, has found a way to make riders wear helmets compulsory, without having to be coaxed or forced.

Hailing from rural Mala village of Karkala in Udupi district, Sthuthi Bhat who studies in the government school of Mala, has developed a device, which, once installed, will not allow the rider to start the bike without wearing helmet!

This invention is the first of its kind in the two-wheeler history. Installing this device in the two-wheeler will force the rider to wear the helmet. This technology works on wireless radio frequency waves. Radio frequency circuit is installed inside the helmet, and the receiver is placed inside the battery of the two-wheeler. Thus, radio waves emitted by the device from inside the helmet are caught by the receiver inside the two-wheeler and transmitted to the gear and the ignition, hence, unless the radio frequency from the helmet reaches the receiver, the bike will not start. This device operates on 27 mega hertz radio frequency.

The process takes place only when the helmet is worn by the rider, as frequency waves are not transmitted when the helmet is not worn. This technology has been developed at a cost of just Rs 1,500. This technology also gives out IVR message through the speaker inside the helmet if the rider forgets to push in the bike stand.
Sthuthi has developed this technology on the encouragement and guidance of her uncle Praveen Bhat and her science teacher Veena.

Speaking to daijiworld, Praveen Bhat who is a teacher in a technical school in Karkala said, "We observed that Sthuthi had interest in the field of science. So I encouraged her talent and gave her the idea and inputs. She has invented this device under the guidance of her teacher."

Sthuthi also demonstrated her invention at the national-level scientific fest Jignyasa 2016 in Belagavi and at a state-level competition held at Hubballi last month.