Day 7: TechTop/Make in India

Day 7 TechTop Workshop to MIT Make in India in Chirayinkil, Kerala

After fun drama and a wonderful night stay at the Pattom Royal Hotel (AC and HOT WATER), the last day of the TechTop Workshop was here. We made our final PowerPoint Poster and wrote the name of our product on our product. We prepared a pitch for the presentations as well in the format that Rohin and Raj told us to:

Hook 

30% of vaccines go bad before they reach the patients. The transportation and storage of vaccines isn’t always at the right temperature, causing the vaccines to go bad. 

Constraint

To decrease the percentage of vaccines that go bad, we want to better the temperature monitoring process with our product. This will help more people and not waste resources. 

Solution

We have a way to constantly monitor the vaccines to make sure they are being stored within the right temperature range and an immediate alert system to tell whoever is responsible if they aren’t being stored properly.

Impact

Use Smart Container, Keep People Healthy

[disclosure: I totally made that statistic of 30% up]

At 11am, we walked over to the gymnasium/auditorium/exhibit center with all our projects that people spent the whole week (including all nighters) working on to put on display. There, there were the project booths of the TechTop competition. I and a few other friends walked around to each booth to hear about the really amazing projects that the participants had made. Some memorable ones were the gas container trolley (already selling on the market! 1200 rupees!) and the bed sheet carrier for stretchers and wheelchairs for people by some amazing younger girls. All the participants kind of made my product look like a failure, but I guess for only working on it for two days, it was half decent. 

Finally we ate our last meal at the college: the delicious lunch (which I didn't eat) with our newfound fast friends. Even though it was just a week, it was surprising how close we had gotten to some people. 

I attended the presentation in which the Honourable Governor of Kerala was present to announce the winners and give prizes. I may or may not have feel asleep during the speeches... 

After that we all came back with our projects and spent an incredibly long time taking tons of pictures! #selfies5ever (If someone is reading this and has those pictures...please share...). It was sad leaving our new friends. Also Aishwarya finally couldn't resist it anymore and proceeded to call me by my full name, which led to confused and laughing people. Sigh...

Me, Titan, and Rhutvik

Luxury Lounge. Sorority Squat on Point.

Luxury Lounge

Me, Revathy, Aishwarya, Arun, and Pritam

And of course, the selfie with the Jesus statue was necessary. Fact: largest statue in the area.

reach for the sky (rim)

There were a lot of whole group pictures too, but I don't have them. Taking those were a struggle. I was surprised to see how openly loved taking selfies. Hold up a phone and 15 people rush in.

After maybe more photos and goodbyes, we finally (after an hour delay) got our luggage and boarded the bus (Party Bus Pt. 2.0). Our party bus may or may not have stopped at KFC for a meal heh heh... It was my first time in a KFC ever. Good stuff. 

We reached back to the house with many fun talks on the party bus and food and cool lights. Now there are 20 people all living together in the house! Because why not have 19 roommates. The guys' living space is kinda funny. 14 guys have only two rooms and a general living space. All the cots. Although I didn't know the majority of the guys, it seems like we all have known each other for a while. 

It was also incredibly nice to be back after living in the hostel at the college. Yeah. 

I met our cook and her daughters and they were very nice. They complimented my eyebrows and even thought I looked like I was a Keralite. We ate dinner (well I didn't...the KFC...:) and I also had besan ka ladoo after a really long time! 

We finally started heading off to bed, though a lot of us stayed behind and played/watched carrom. Some people are really, really good. As in they didn't take two hours AND finished the game. Crazy. 

Tomorrow MIT Make in India is officially starting. Should be interesting!