Robo-zoned: Attend IIT Bombay's tech fest if you love drones, robots and NASA

Robots clash in an earlier edition of the robot wars

The IIT campus in Powai is a hub of excitement this weekend. The annual festival of the institute, Techfest, kicks off today with an itinerary of drone shows, robot wars and talks that make it the place to be for any science enthusiast in the city.

The 26th edition of the festival is returning to its physical form after two years of online meets, says Pavithra Pilli, a third-year mechanical engineering student and media head for the festival. "It was quite a challenge to set up the festival this year since there was no momentum," she reveals. A key highlight is the access to 5G technology for anyone on the campus during the fest. "We will be the first institute to have access to it," Pilli discloses.

The current edition will also witness talks by Kathryn Lueders, associate administrator of NASA's Human Space Exploration, and the first woman to head human spaceflight, on the opening day. She will shed light on world space flight by 2050. Tarja Halonen, former president of Finland and the nation's first female president, will be delivering a keynote lecture on December 17. "We will also have Lars Rasmussen, co-founder of Google Maps, and Dr G Satheesh Reddy, former chairman of DRDO attending," the 20-year-old notes.

Pavithra Pilli

For students though, the highlight remains the international robot wars. "It is basically a wrestling match between robots," Pilli observes. The machines are built by students to combat specifications. Competition comes from as far as Brazil, USA, Nepal, Bangladesh and Iran to fight over a cash pool amounting to Rs 12,50,000.

Robotics is a popular draw at the festival, Pilli reveals. The edition has introduced a new drone racing league. Drones will race to test their velocity, drift, and speed across an indoor arena. These activities, alongside exhibits such as Kebbi - an AI-powered robot with speech, vision and sensing ability integration - add to the novelty of the experience.

But in the midst of these technological advancements, the fest also aims to encourage the next generation. Partnering with the NITI Aayog, the institute has invited participation from school students across the country. "Students can access NITI's ATL labs to come up with prototype solutions on the problems in their cities or neighbourhoods," Pilli remarks.

With EDM performances and a drone light show to culminate the event, it feels like a celebration. Pilli concludes, "The drone light feels like the perfect blend of visual appeal and science to bring the fest to a close. "

On: December 16 to 18
At: IIT Bombay, Adi Shankaracharya Marg, Powai
Time: 8 am to 5.30 pm
Log on to: techfest.org