Artificial Intelligence For Natural Disasters: IIT Madras Student Develops AI-Powered Drones For Locating People

An Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM) student has secured a position under Microsoft’s Academia accelerator programme on 5 February, reports India Today.

A group of students from IITM students had created an Artificial intelligence (AI) powered drone for people affected by a natural disaster. The project reportedly provides precise information about where people are stuck when a disaster strike emerges.

“For making a Mixed Reality app that makes basic tasks like communication, navigation and current status monitoring easy for rescuers, the team from IIT Guwahati has been judged as the first runner up in the competition,” Microsoft was quoted as saying in the report.

The team from IIT also took the other two positions. The third position was secured by an IIT Jodhpur team which presented an idea which works as a solution for Internet of Things (IoT), acting as an early warning system and taking precautionary measures on detection of disasters.

According to the report, three winning teams will be awarded Rs 5 lakh, Rs 3 lakh and Rs 1 lakh respectively.

The theme for “Codefundo++ National Challenge” under Microsoft Academia Accelerator was “build state of the art technology to predict or manage natural disasters better.”

The winning teams will receive technical and educational support through the AI for Earth grantee com.

AI for Earth is a $50 million worth, five-year commitment from Microsoft to put AI at work for the future of the planet launched in July 2017.

Academia Accelerator is one of Microsoft's most inclusive campus engagement programmes aimed at building a broad association between industry and academia in India.