Kolkata: A sensor hub, country's first, will come up in Kolkata, where sensors used in defence, railways, multi-storey buildings and flyovers will be manufactured, marking a milestone towards making the country self-reliant and reducing foreign dependence on producing those sensors.
Sensors have been an integral part for averting danger — be it defence or railways. Thanks to the initiative and now, it can be possible to take action in advance to avert accidents.
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has planned to make the country self-reliant in this regard. As a step towards that development, now fibre sensors will also be manufactured in Kolkata. The sensor hub will be built at the CSIR–Central Glass & Ceramic Research Institute (CSIR–CGCRI).
Meanwhile, the Union Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) cleared the air. Plans are afoot to start the work including preparation of DPR.
Professor Bikramjit Basu, director of the Central Glass and Ceramics Research Institute, told ETV Bharat, "The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology is helping us to set up the 'CSIR-MeitY Innovation Centre'. Several organisations, including the West Bengal government's Webel, are involved here. This is the first organisation in the country to set up a hub for the production of such fibre-based sensors."
Researchers are hopeful that foreign dependence on sensors will be reduced by about 40 per cent in the next four to five years. The 'CSIR-MeitY Innovation Centre' will be an innovative institution for IoT sensors (Internet of Things) and business incubation. It will also be considered the first startup in the country to provide solutions to IoT sensor problems. Above all, the design and development of sensors will be done at the Kolkata hub.
Sensors key for troubleshooting
In large bridges, multi-storey buildings, long tunnels, and even metro rail tunnels, where there is a connection error, or where the pressure is high, or where there is vibration—these can be detected well ahead of an accident through sensors.
In many cases, accidents occur on railways due to wire breakage or signal breaking. In many cases, the railways have to face major accidents due to the negligence of drivers or other workers. In many cases, despite mechanical faults, the drivers or workers involved in railway work have to take onus for the accident.
However, a plan has been in place to develop sensors to understand in advance where the fault lies, what exactly caused the accident, or even to prevent the accident.
Focus on building 4-5 types of sensors
The primary goal of the Sensor Division of the Glass and Ceramics Research Institute is to develop four to five types of sensors. Which can play an important role in several major industrial and developmental projects including the Indian Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Railways, and Construction.
Sources claim that fibre Bragg grating sensors, temperature sensors, tilt sensors, displacement sensors, force sensors are being developed.
As many as 12 FBG fibre sensors have been developed for the steel industry. The central agency is trying to develop multiple sensors to avoid multiple accidents in Indian Railways. The researchers of the agency said that they had been initially successful. That success has already been achieved through FBG sensors. This sensor can monitor multiple areas including the speed of the train, the number of times the wheel has turned.
Sources claim that as a pilot project, 'FBG displacement' and 'FBG strain sensors' are being used to detect problems in the railway pantograph on the Sealdah-Budge Budge section. According to an official, sensors are being used to find out in advance about the health of 210-500 MW generators through FBG-based vibration sensors.
