Intel launches an Intel powered Museum inaugurated by Honourable President of India Shri Pranab Mukherjee

‘Navachara’ (New Ideas) is a culmination of indigenous technology exhibits which will keep changing in our quest of inspiring Innovation in India. Across the year, we will solicit projects on new technology based innovations and selected makers will get an opportunity to feature their exhibits in this museum.

The spread of technology is transforming our world, inspiring breakthrough innovations, new industries, and new opportunities. This is an economy where knowledge is opportunity. As the pace of change accelerates, young people must develop the skills that will prepare them to compete and succeed. As the next generation of innovators, young students are poised to make a significant difference to the pace and direction in which the knowledge economy evolves. More than ever it is imperative for them to explore the possibilities powered by information and technology access. Nurturing an interest in design and discovery, cultivating an awareness of a Do-It-Yourself (D-I-Y) culture and instilling a creative confidence are small steps in building a robust scientific temper among tomorrow’s innovators.

The Navachara(meaning innovation)museum at the Presidential Estate has a compelling mix of information, scientific know-how and inspiring innovation designed to encourage young people on the path to scientific discovery and learning.

The ‘Robotic Dog’ is sure to excite young students’ curiosity! Clumsy, as our dog is called, resembles a real dog, with the help of 16 Servo Motors that enable him to perform complex motor actions like walking and squatting; and sensors that allow him to see, touch, hear and see! Just like a brain, the microcontroller board takes inputs from these sensors and controls his movements! What is special is that Clumsy has been designed by a talented school student who won prestigious awards at an International science competition .

The‘Virtual Tabla’now makes playing the drums as simple as moving your hand. Play the drums and hear its rhythmic soundwithout touching the drums at all! Sensors detect hand movements and play a corresponding sound with the help of microprocessors. Now, who would’ve thought of that?!

Like the Robotic Dog, the Virtual Tabla has been created by a school student at a makeathon . These innovations demonstrate vividly how young minds can be inspired to take their ideas to a whole new level through the power of technology.

The ‘Stringless Piano’, similar to the Virtual Tabla,is a sensor activated device that creates music seemingly out of thin air! It has a wireless, touch-sensitive electric sound producer that responds to action mechanisms to sound like a regular piano.

The Virtual Tabla like the 3D printer, are testimony to the ease with which modern technologies facilitate innovation. Both these innovations are built on the Intel® Galileo development board; a microcontroller board that makes it easier for those without a technical background – whether it is be a school student, an artist, a designer or just a D-I-Y enthusiast – to quickly prototype simple interactive designs such as LED light displays that respond to social media, or to tackle more complex projects from automating home appliances to building life-size robots controlled by a smartphone.

The museum also has a ‘Talking Wall’ and a ‘Planet Wall’intended to inform and encourage students on the path to discovery. An interactive audio-visual displaywill arousecuriousity about various discoveries and the mechanics of innovations. It gives information about national science fairs where students can showcase their talent and also featuresyoung geniuses, through the passage of time, who have earned international recognition through their ground-breaking research.The next one on the wall could easily be you!

There is time for some fun at the end of the intense experience that Navachara is designed to provide. Click a selfie 3D-stylewith the President’s House as a backdrop! The Intel® RealSense™3D camera , the world’s first and smallest integrated 3D camera,is designed to sense a user’s head and hands in 3 dimensions to provide a natural and immersive interaction.

Email the selfie to yourself as a memory to cherish; and to your family and friends, who were not there, to spread the word about Navachara.