Students and general visitors in hundreds flocked to the Exhibition of Technology and Products conducted to mark Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav or celebration of the 75th anniversary of Independence, on Tuesday.
The concluding day witnessed a beeline to the exhibition organized in front of the Kote Anjaneyaswami temple opposite the Balarama gate of the palace and the organisers said that the response was beyond all expectations.
On Monday the organisers intended to close the exhibition at 5 p.m. but the rush was such that the expo had to be kept open till 7 p.m. The response on Tuesday exceeded Monday’s crowd and it was largely youngsters, college and school-going students, said the organisers.
Both the DFRL and the Defence Bioengineering and Electro Medical Laboratory (DEBEL), Bengaluru, which participated and showcased many of its products are Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) laboratories.
As the focus of DFRL’s research is on food and meant to cater to defence personnel deployed under varied conditions, it showcased a slew of products developed and patented by it. The DFRL has of late been focusing on degradable materials, rapid testing kit, and diversification of convenient rations suiting the requirements of armed forces in different terrains.
Newer products such as degradable cutleries, photo degradable polymeric materials for secondary packaging, rapid test kit to check the quality of milk and frozen meat, light-weight energy-rich convenient products like energy bars as well as mobile laboratory for microbiological testing were on display.
The mobile laboratory had come in handy in the early days of the first wave of the COVID-19 and it was deployed at the K.R. Hospital for collecting and testing the samples for the virus.
The DEBL has been carrying out R and D in the field of bioengineering and electro medical technology related to defence. Some of the technologies developed by it include protective equipment, individual underwater breathing apparatus, submarine escape system, and advanced micro-climatic conditions suit for battle tanks and submarines.
The advanced micro-climatic conditions suit helps in mitigation of extreme temperatures and heat stress faced by the soldiers operating battle tanks and submarines when the ambient temperature can go beyond 50 degrees C. The suit comprises a liquid cooled garment connected to an active chiller unit and helps beat heat stress, according to the scientists who explained the salient features of some of the products on display.
One of the significant technologies developed by DEBEL and which was on demonstration was the Medical Oxygen Plant (MOP) system. It was developed as a spin-off product from the onboard oxygen plant system developed for India’s Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas. It took less than two years to translate the concept from design to development and came in handy for hospitals during COVID-19.
