PANJIM: In one of its major academic achievements, the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Goa has developed an android based application for indoor navigation of patients in the hospitals, an invention that also received KPIT Innovation Award.
The students, NIT Director Gopal Mugeraya told a press conference on Tuesday, have developed the application named ‘Mediway’ that can be installed on mobile tablets fitted permanently on ‘Smart’ wheel chairs to guide patients to reach their destination. “The application will load the map of the hospital and guide patients through visual and voice-based commands at each important point and lead them to the destination. The app features shortest routes and is based on low cost Bluetooth beacons,” he said.
Since its inception, the institution has contributed significantly to a number of research activities. The director informed that 32 projects, worth Rs 19 crores are undertaken by the faculty members and that the institute has sanctioned 15 seed money projects worth Rs 1.34 crore to encourage and support the faculty. Adding feathers to its cap, NIT Goa has file five patents in the last academic year while many more are in the pipeline. “Under GIAN program, the institute has conducted 17 courses where foreign professors were invited from various reputed universities and research organisations,” he further added.
From the current academic year, the NIT has introduced civil and mechanical branches that saw an overwhelming response with all allotted seats filled. Presently functioning from the temporary campus at Goa Engineering College, NIT is certain that the land for new campus will soon be developed. The Ministry of Human Resources Development has approved constructon for the first phase with the budget of s 497 crores, to be completed within 2 years. The institute proposes to have 1260 students on par with top technical institutes.
