Railway engineer comes out with pocket device

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: It may be difficult to observe

social distancing

while working in a group or at an office space. What if a device takes care of the Covid-19 protocol?


A

railway engineer

from

Thiruvananthapuram division

has developed a 'social distancing ensuring device' (SDED 2.0) which generates a sound alarm when social distancing is not maintained.

Nidheej R, junior engineer at signal and telecommunication of Thiruvananthapuram Division has come up with the device that works on

radio frequency

and generates the alarm when another person carrying a similar device comes within 3-meter distance.

“It is a more advanced version of a SDED 1.0 device, I had made earlier. The previous device worked on a sensor fixed on a helmet and triggered an alarm when the person goes near any other person or object. To remove the drawback, I used radio frequency in the devices. The other person should also have the device for the alarm to work. People can easily carry it in their pockets, can fix it with their ID cards or wear it as a watch,” said Nidheej.

The device weighs 30 grams and sends a unique radio frequency signal to another device which triggers the alarm. The devices take two hours for complete recharge and can work for 12 hours. It cost Rs 800.

The ministry of railways shared the video of the working model in its social media page, which received over 66,500 views within a day. “Innovative minds in Indian Railways showcase their creative skills to combat #CoVID. An ideal device to ensure #socialdistance at workplace - A novel initiative by Thiruvananthapuram Division (SR),” stated the post shared in Facebook.

“It will be useful among railway technical staff, including those handling signal and telecommunication, where work is done as a team or a group. Now we have developed only a prototype and it has been tested and working satisfactory. We are ready to transfer the technology to other railway zones or railway workshops,” Dinesh R, Senior Divisional Signal and Telecommunication Engineer, Thiruvananthapuram Division.

Another remote-controlled device 'RailMitra' made by Nidheej, to carry essentials to COVID-19 patients received wide acceptance. Railways workshop is manufacturing more RialMitra devices which will be provided at railway hospitals.