Cohort 1

SAFAR: Safe and Accessible Future Using AI on Roads

SAFAR addresses the critical issue of road safety in India through a comprehensive solution employing AI and big data analytics. It uses digitised road accident data, conducts causal analysis, and provides insights at a hyperlocal level to make our roads safer. Safar allows policymakers and planners to simulate planned safety interventions, gauging their potential impact before taking suitable action. Following a successful pilot study and backed by significant funding, SAFAR collaborates with local authorities and urban planners to enhance road safety and reduce the high fatality-to-injury ratio. This project represents a major step forward in creating a safer, more accessible future on Indian roads, contributing to the well-being and security of all road users.

Project Team:

Aishwarya Raman, Executive Director, OMI Foundation Trust
Project Role: Project Lead, mobility expertise, stakeholder engagement, human resource recruitment
Email: aishwarya.raman@omifoundation.org

Adway Mitra, Assistant Professor, Center of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur
Project Role: Project Member, system design and planning
Email: adway.cse@gmail.com

Arkopal Goswami, Professor and Chairperson, Ranbir and Chitra Gupta School of Infrastructure Design and Management, IIT Kharagpur 
Project Role: External Technical Advisor, human resource recruitment

Akhilesh Srivastava, Road Safety Ambassador, International Road Federation; Former Board Member National Highways Authority of India, Government of India
Project Role: External Advisor, stakeholder engagement 

For more information, please email Aishwarya Raman 

Additional Resources:
www.safarlabs.org
SAFAR_Presentation
SAFAR Case Study - Road Safety in Purba Bardhaman Part 1 _ August 2022
SAFAR Feasibility Report_August 2023

Next Sensory Augmented Hearing Aid (NSAHA)

The NSAHA project aims to assist individuals with hearing disabilities by leveraging advanced technology to facilitate better communication. The project combines "Ontenna," which converts sound into vibrations and light, and "Lip-Re," an application that traces and magnifies lip movements, to create an artificial intelligence-enabled hardware device. The team seeks to introduce these tools to schools for the deaf in India, currently used in Japan, to enhance communication and foster cultural and language connections between the youth of Japan and India.

The project has already been piloted with one Japanese and one Indian school, allowing for user feedback and technology adaptability. Expected outcomes include improved communication for those with hearing disabilities, increased cultural exchange, and technology development for integration into wearable devices. The project aims to promote good health and well-being while strengthening international collaboration and understanding.

Project Team:

Nikhil Agarwal, CEO, Foundation for Innovation and Research in Science and Technology (FIRST), IIT-Kanpur  
Project Role: Business development and networking with organizations in India
Email: nikhil.agarwal@cgpworldwide.com 

Tatsuya Honda, Ontenna Project Leader, Fujitsu Limited  
Project Role: Product development and networking with organizations in Japan
Email: honda-tatsuya@fujitsu.com

For more information, please email Nikhil Agarwal

Additional Resources:
Feel the Rhythm
Introducing the Next Sensory Augmented Hearing Aid (NSAHA) Project
How it all started
Project Accelerator _ Presentation

Suno Sunao: Empowering Urban Women through Accessible Digital Solutions

"Suno Sunao: Empowering Urban Women through Accessible Digital Solutions" addresses the growing digital divide affecting urban women in India by providing an innovative AI-enabled application that delivers video content in local languages. This project aims to bridge the gap in access to crucial information on finance, healthcare, and education, thereby enhancing women's financial independence and access to public services. Suno Sunao, a Hindi phrase that means "hear and be heard", focuses on empowering underserved urban women and girls, ensuring they can navigate the digital landscape and improve their overall quality of life in India's rapidly changing urban environment. By fostering individual growth and creating a supportive community through technology-driven solutions, the project seeks to promote social and financial mobility and informed decision-making among its target audience. The anticipated outcomes include improved digital engagement, increased access to essential services, and the creation of a supportive network that transforms the lives of underserved urban women.

Project Team:

Aparna Singh, Manager, National Language Mission (Bhashini), Government of India
Project Role: Product innovation, project management and overall execution, partnerships, community engagement
Email: singh.aparna24@gmail.com 

Aishwarya Panicker, Technical Specialist (Nutrition Programs)- Asia, Vitamin Angels
Project Role: Project management, research towards knowledge
Email: aishwarya.panicker@gmail.com 

Aishwarya Raman, Executive Director, OMI Foundation Trust
Project Role: Product and content development, measuring impact, partnerships, and fundraising
Email: aishwarya.raman@omifoundation.org

Mohit Challa, Manager, Data Science, SBI Securities Co., Ltd.
Project Role: Fundraising, partnerships, product innovation
Email: mohit.challa@sunandsands.com

For more information, please email Aishwarya Panicker

Additional Resources:
Suno Sunao _ Presentation
https://sunosunao.org/
Building a bot on WhatsApp with Suno Sunao
Suno Sunao on YouTube 

Enabling Magome: An Empathic Design Strategy for Community Revitalization

"Enabling Magome" seeks to revitalize the historic post-town of Magome in central Japan by addressing its intergenerational communication and economic challenges. With a focus on integrating empathic design and smart city technology, the project aims to foster an inclusive, self-governed, and economically prosperous environment. The initiative involves developing a user-centered smart city platform, conducting empathic design workshops to identify community needs, and co-developing AI technology-based solutions such as a 5G network, digitized services, and sustainable tourism practices. The project will enhance communication channels, create job opportunities, and promote sustainable development, ultimately empowering Magome's aging population and reconnecting it with the younger generation. Continuous monitoring and community engagement will ensure the solutions remain effective and adaptive over time.

Project Team:

Naomi Hanakata, Assistant Professor, College for Design and Engineering, National University of Singapore 
Project Role: Architecture, Urban Planning, Urban Geography
Email: zuna.mi.hanakata@gmail.com 

Aveek De, Head of Technology Practice, Catalyst Management Services 
Project Role: Scale Solutioning, Project Management  
Email: aveekde@gmail.com 

Noyuri Mima, Professor, School of Systems Information Science, Future University Hakodate 
Project Role: Computer Science, Cognitive Psychology
Email: noyuri@fun.ac.jp

Antoine Pasquali, Chief Technology Officer, Cross Compass Ltd.; Research Advisor, Cross Labs
Project Role: Cognitive Neuroscience, Artificial Intelligence
Email: antoine@cross-compass.com 

Olaf Witkowski, Director of Research, Cross Labs  
Project Role: Machine Learning, Artificial Life
Email: olaf.witkowski@gmail.com

For more information, please email Naomi Hanakata

Additional Resources:
Enabling Magome