A technological festival (Tech Fest 2024) organised by the Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment (KSCSTE) began at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Palakkad on Saturday.
A Seshadri Sekhar, Director of IIT Palakkad, inaugurated the event. K.P. Sudheer, Principal Secretary, State Department of Science and Technology, presided over the function.
V. Ajith Prabhu, Chief Scientist, KSCSTE, Santhakumar Mohan, Dean of Industry Collaboration and Sponsored Research (ICSR) centre, IIT Palakkad, Suresh P.R., Principal, NSS College of Engineering, Palakkad, and K. Vijayakumar, Principal Scientist, KSCSTE, were present.
Prof. Sekhar, in his inaugural address, cautioned the students not to get carried away by artificial intelligence (AI), stressing that human intelligence surpasses AI.
He urged the students to deepen their domain expertise while emphasizing the need to have a basic understanding of other areas. Prof. Sekhar added, “innovation is nothing but the way one looks at it. If a person can make it more efficient, cheaper, or simpler, that’s an innovation.”
Prof. Sudheer reassured technologists about AI, emphasizing that it is a database created by humans. He stressed the need for researchers to collaborate and refine ideas through discussions.
It was the ninth edition of the tech fest organized by the KSCSTE, and its continuous evolution has significantly enhanced its quality over the years, he said.
Prof. Sudheer said there are plans to collaborate with Kerala Technical University for future editions, to organise a unified tech fest instead of separate events.
On day one, the tech fest showcased 31 selected innovative projects by engineering students across the State, including sensors for identifying spoiled chicken, innovations for delivering insulin and medicines to inaccessible locations, and a chemical-free water treatment plant.
