TN Science and tech council approves 43 innovation projects

CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu State Council for Science and Technology (TNSCST), under the Higher Education department, has approved over 40 innovation and product development projects for 2025-26, of various engineering colleges across the state, including Anna University.

The initiative aims to recognise creative and innovative ideas from the grassroots level and provide them with technical, infrastructural and financial support.

Compared to 2024-25, when only ten projects were identified, the 2025-26 period saw a jump to 43, said a senior Higher Education department official.

One of the projects includes a smart dual-axis solar-tracking system with weather prediction and adaptive solar-panel adjustment for sustainable rural electricification in Tamil Nadu, the official said. A private college in Coimbatore will develop the project. Anna University will develop diagnostics of Parkinson's disease using printed electronics.

Some other projects include smart stocking for patients with varicose veins and a smart navigation and assistance system for the visually impaired using an intelligent walking stick.

Another college in Erode is set to develop eco-friendly, durable bricks from recycled plastic waste. An IoT-based smart identity card for the safety of working women, a voice-enabled Braille interpretation pad, a CNC-controlled inscription machine for the recreation of Tamil palm leaf manuscripts, an AI-based proximity safety mechanism for accident prevention around uncovered borewells and drainage pits and a smart stress detector based on an EEG signal acquisition and analysis unit are some of the approved projects.

The official said that all the innovation projects were scrutinised by an expert panel and industrial representatives. "The Council has been allocated Rs 3.62 crore by the State and Rs 1.06 crore by the Department of Science and Technology. All the projects will be purely tested and rolled out for public use."