Rourkela: The National Institute of Technology (NIT) Rourkela has secured two prestigious research projects under the Union ministry of education’s Scheme for Promotion of Academic and Research Collaboration (SPARC), with a combined funding of over Rs 1.82 crore. Each project will be implemented over a two-year period, strengthening the institute’s international research engagement.
SPARC is a national initiative aimed at enhancing India’s research ecosystem by fostering structured collaborations between Indian higher education institutions and leading global universities, enabling joint research, academic exchange, and capacity building in priority areas.
The first project, titled “Smart Exoskeletons in Healthcare: Principle and Practices for Developing Scalable Exosuits for Rural Applications,” has received Rs 95.16 lakh in funding. It is led by Dr Anup Nandy, Associate Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, as Principal Investigator, with Dr Ratnakar Dash as Co-PI. The project is being carried out in collaboration with the University of Nebraska at Omaha, USA, with Prof. Mukul Mukherjee as Foreign PI and Prof. Philippe Malcolm as Foreign Co-PI.
The research focuses on developing affordable, scalable, and easy-to-use wearable robotic devices, or exoskeletons, to assist individuals with mobility impairments caused by illness or injury. The exosuits are being designed specifically for elderly users and post-stroke patients, with a strong emphasis on applicability in rural and local clinical settings. Using smart sensors and artificial intelligence, the wearable systems will support lower-limb movement and help analyse and correct motion patterns during rehabilitation. The collaboration also includes joint coursework, hands-on workshops, and student and researcher exchange programmes.
The second SPARC project, “Novel Disruptive Technology: Design and Development of Smart and Sustainable Technology for Agri-Food Systems”, has been awarded Rs 87.24 lakh. It is led by Dr Madhuresh Dwivedi, Associate Professor, Department of Food Process Engineering, with Prof. Rama Chandra Pradhan as Co-PI. The international partners include Dr Anubhav Pratap Singh from the University of British Columbia (UBC), Canada, as Foreign PI, and Dr Anika Singh, affiliated with UBC and the British Columbia Institute of Technology, as Foreign Co-PI.
According to an official communication, the project aims to develop a rapid, non-destructive method for assessing the quality and safety of agri-food products without cutting, cooking, or chemical testing. The proposed smart sensing system will use mild electrical signals to evaluate food quality in real time, enabling detection of freshness, spoilage, and quality variations across farms, markets, and processing units. The technology is expected to improve food safety, reduce wastage, and benefit farmers, processors, and consumers, particularly in resource-limited settings.