Now Reading: IIT Guwahati develops Rs 3,500 water-testing device
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IIT Guwahati develops Rs 3,500 water-testing device
IIT Guwahati researchers have developed E-Eye, a portable device that detects arsenic, lead, iron, chromium, fluoride and E. coli in water. The institute said the device costs about Rs 3,500, while each…
The Story in Brief
IIT Guwahati researchers have developed E-Eye, a portable device that detects arsenic, lead, iron, chromium, fluoride and E. coli in water. The institute said the device costs about Rs 3,500, while each test costs around Rs 2. It uses colour-changing chemical reactions and optical sensing to measure contaminants and display digital readings.
Researchers said E-Eye has tested more than 2,700 samples, with results comparable to standard laboratory instruments. The device can transmit readings wirelessly to treatment facilities and may help monitor water sources, food, soil, milk and industrial effluents. The research, funded by the electronics and information technology ministry, has been published in the IEEE Sensors Journal. The team is exploring commercialisation and adding solar power and cloud connectivity.
The Indian Opinion
Claims that a cheap gadget will replace water laboratories are premature, while dismissing it as a laboratory experiment would also be lazy. The device could make local screening easier, but field conditions, calibration and independent testing will decide its value. Commercial rollout must show that the Rs 2 test cost holds outside controlled trials and that readings remain reliable across India’s varied water sources. Those are the numbers to watch.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
