National

Memorandum of Understanding with Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board

An MoU has been signed by IIT Palakkad with Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) on 17 August 2020 for research, development, training and consulting in the field of infrastructure technology. IIT Palakkad will provide advice on the plans and designs of infrastructure systems, including various categories of roads. It also aims to promote research and development in infrastructure projects. KIIFB will also provide opportunities for the research scholars from IIT Palakkad for conducting internships and projects, in addition to organising workshops, expert lectures and webinars on relevant topics.

Memorandum of Understanding with Electro Optical Systems, Chennai

IIT Palakkad has signed an MoU with Electro Optical Systems (EOS), Chennai on 12 June 2020 for Research & Development in the field of Industry Additive Manufacturing Adaption. EOS will collaborate with IIT Palakkad in conducting AM adaption training programmes for industries and support them to develop the fundamentals of parts qualification. The work is mainly to include development of processes for design for AM, redesign of parts, powder reusability, process repeatability and to meet potential airworthiness compliance. EOS and IIT Palakkad would also work on qualification/ characterization of EOS materials for tooling and aerospace application. In addition, both the parties will cooperate on internships of B. Tech and M. Tech students and suitable projects.  

Memorandum of Understanding with Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST)

An MoU was signed by IIT Palakkad and Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST) Thiruvananthapuram on 06 April 2020 for the development of Automated workflow for Point of Care Portable Ultrasound that can be used in the care of patients with Covid-19. Currently, X-Ray / CT Scan are the commonly used diagnostic modalities for evaluating the lung condition of covid-19 patients in India – These are hazardous, costly and impractical for patients in ICUs/Hospital wards. Doctors in Italy have demonstrated the usefulness of Lung Ultrasound Scans for monitoring covid-19 patients on daily basis, which is highly useful for frequent monitoring and timely medical intervention to reduce the mortality.  University of Trento, Italy, has shared a large database of Lung Ultrasound Scans of covid-19 patients with IIT Palakkad. Based on this data, an automated analysis of ultrasound lung scans using machine learning techniques will be developed and clinical trials in collaboration with Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute of Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST), Thiruvananthapuram, will be conducted. The technique developed could also be applied to monitor lung diseases other than covid.

Memorandum of Understanding with ITI Limited Palakkad

Public Sector Undertaking, ITI Limited Palakkad, has entered into an agreement with IIT Palakkad on 06 April 2020 for jointly developing Electronics & Controls of Portable Emergency Ventilator and Pulse Plethysmograph for Intensive Care Units (ICUs). Pulse Plethysmograph (PPG) is used for Continuous Monitoring of blood pulse, heart rate and oxygen saturation of patients in ICUs. The PPGs currently used in hospitals are costly (ranges from Rs 18,000 to Rs 30,000). Moreover, currently available PPGs do not have communication feature with nurse-station and hence the nurses will have to perform bedside monitoring of vital parameters, which is a difficult task in an ICU where several patients are treated.

Memorandum of Understanding with Kanjikode Industries Forum

IIT Palakkad has signed an MoU with Kanjikode Industries Forum (KIF) on 04 April 2020 for jointly developing Affordable Portable Emergency Ventilator that can be used in the care of patients with COVID-19. The ventilator will provide control over respiratory rate, pressure, tidal (breath) volume, inspiratory time, expiratory time and ventilator modes. The compact ventilator will be developed to cater to the breathing requirements of two patients simultaneously, each with independent control. IIT Palakkad will provide the design and support in developing the prototype whereas KIF will develop the prototype, demonstrate it’s working and explore the manufacturing feasibility. The prototype development has commenced. The project is led by Dr. Afzaal Ahmed (Assistant Professor, Mechanical Engineering) and Dr. Sreenath V. (Assistant Professor, Electrical Engineering) and supported by the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Fund of Federal Bank, Kerala.

Research Collaboration with ARM Inc

Indian Institute of Technology, Palakkad and Arm University Program, India signed a Letter of Agreement on fostering Research and Teaching in the areas of Embedded Systems and System-on-Chip. Ms. Apurva Varma, Regional Manager, Arm University Program, India and Prof. Vinod A Prasad Dean ICSR signed the letter in the presence of Prof. P B Sunil Kumar, Director IIT Palakkad. Through this agreement Arm donated IIT Palakkad 100 floating licenses of Arm Keil Pro Software Tool.

Research Collaboration with Institute for Communicative and Cognitive Neurosciences (ICCONS)

IIT Palakkad and Institute for Communicative and Cognitive Neurosciences (ICCONS), Shoranur, Kerala, have signed a research collaboration agreement on 25 September 2019 to carry out R&D programme on Assistive and Rehabilitation Technology. ICCONS is an autonomous neuro-specialty hospital & research institute established under Government of Kerala in 2000 – It is the first of its kind in Asia for comprehensive multidisciplinary management, research and rehabilitation of cognitive and communicative disorders such as Autism, Learning disability, Developmental language disorders, Mental retardation, Cerebral palsy, Hearing impairment, Stroke, Parkinson’s disease, Dementia, Aphasia, etc.

Memorandum of Understanding with Aditri Neuroscience Pvt. Ltd., Mumbai

An MoU was signed on July 24, 2019 with Aditri Neuroscience Pvt. Ltd. (Neuroleap), Mumbai, India’s leading applied neuroscience company, to promote research in Brain Computer Interface (BCI) technology for neuroenhancement and neurorehabilitation. Neuroleap will collaborate with IIT Palakkad on relevant project proposals submitted by IIT Palakkad for research grants from government funding agencies.

Research Collaboration with National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bangalore

An agreement has been signed on 16 May 2019 with National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bangalore, to carry out a collaborative research project titled “Motor Imagery based Brain Computer Interface for Neurorehabilitation of Stroke patients”. The project aims to develop an Electroencephalography (EEG) based Brain Computer Interface (BCI) system that can decode the imagined hand movement kinematics from non-invasive EEG signals of stroke patients, who suffer from hand disability, for post-stroke rehabilitation. The long-term objective of the project is to develop an intention-driven BCI device that works as a tool for the neurorehabilitation of stroke patients.