SIH 2026

← Back to hardware Themes

Heritage And Culture

4 Problem Statements

#26049

Modifications to improve the reliability, efficiency,and lifespan of electrical and electronic equipment and systems in the ambient condition of subzero temperature and low pressure of High Altitude Areas(HAA) and Super High Altitude Areas (SHAA) of Ladakh region.

Background

High Altitude Areas (HAA) and Super High Altitude Areas (SHAA) of Ladakh region presents one of the harshest operating environments for electronic equipment and systems because of its extreme cold, low atmospheric pressure, intense solar/UV radiation and large temperature variations between day and night. These environmental conditions strongly affect the reliability, efficiency, and lifespan of electrical and electronic systems.

Description

Ladakh is a cold desert located at elevations of approximately 3000 to 6000m above sea level. There are several environmental challenges viz. very low temperatures (-35°C to 40°C in winters), low atmospheric pressure, lower partial pressure of oxygen, low humidity, snow, ice and occasional moisture condensation. These conditions pose serious operational and storage issues of electrical and electronic equipment and systems and following effects on same is observed:

1.Reduced Cooling Efficiency At high altitude, air density decreases significantly. Thin air removes heat less effectively (degradation of convective cooling), so electronic components run hotter even when ambient temperature is cold. This means overheating of processors, reduced efficiency of cooling fans and heat sinks, thermal stress on semiconductors and premature component failure. Systems being affected are computers and servers, telecom base stations, radar system, power electronics, military communication systems.
2.Insulation Breakdown and Electrical Arcing Low atmospheric pressure reduces the dielectric strength of air. Air becomes a weaker insulator, increasing the risk of sparking and arcing between conductors.
3.Battery Performance Degradation Cold temperatures severely affect battery chemistry. Lithium-ion and lead-acid batteries lose capacity and discharge faster in freezing conditions. Owing to this there is reduced backup time, slow charging and voltage instability.
4.Thermal Cycling Damage Ladakh experiences large temperature variation between day and night. Repeated expansion and contraction develop mechanical stresses in the components. This result in cracking of solder joints, PCB warping etc.
5.Increased Radiation Exposure Higher altitude means thinner atmospheric shielding, so electrical and electronic components receive more UV radiation and cosmic rays. This means semiconductor degradation, memory bit error and failure of sensitive sensors.
6.Effects on Communication Systems High Mountains and severe weather affect signal propagation. There are problems like signal attenuation and reflection, antenna icing. Because of these cellular networks, satellite communication and military radio system get affected.
7.Real-World HEADING Impact The Drone Challenge The Indian Army’s extensive use of drones along the LAC highlights these exact issues. In the thin air of Ladakh, drone rotors generate less lift, forcing the electronic motors to work much harder and draw more current. Combined with cold-induced battery drain, drones that fly for an hour at sea level might only manage 20-25 minutes of flight time in Ladakh

Expected Solution

The environment of Ladakh significantly affects electrical and electronic equipment due to low atmospheric pressure, extreme cold, high UV/cosmic radiation, dust and dryness, and large thermal variations. These conditions can cause overheating, insulation failure, battery degradation, display malfunction, communication instability, and reduced reliability. Therefore, electrical and electronic equipment and systems used in Ladakh require specialized design modifications to improve the reliability, efficiency, and lifespan.

Department
Department of Defence Production /IDEX
PS Number
SIH26049

Start Your Research

Google Scholar 📚GitHub Repos 💻Web Search 🔍
#26096

Digital Heritage Archive for Memorials, Manuscripts & Ambedkar: AI-Powered Institutional Archive and Audio-Visual Knowledge Platform

Background

Dr.

B.

R.

Ambedkar’s writings, speeches, constitutional debates, manuscripts,and historical contributions are spread across libraries, memorials, archives, and fragmented digital sources, making them difficult to access and preserve.

Existing archival systems lack intelligent search, multilingual accessibility, and interactive learning features required for students, researchers, and visitors.Institutions such as Dr.

Ambedkar International Centre require a modern digital platform through which visitors can explore Ambedkar’s works, speeches, rare manuscripts, and historical records through interactive screens and audio-visual systems.

Description

The proposed system aims to develop an AI-enabled Digital Heritage Archive and Institutional Knowledge Platform dedicated to Dr.

B.

R.

Ambedkar.

The platform will combine hardware and software components such as interactive touch-screen kiosks, smart displays, centralized archival servers, and AI-powered search systems.Visitors should be able to access speeches, books, constitutional debates, rare manuscripts,photographs, documentaries, and archival records through an easy-to-use digital interface.

The system should support AI-powered semantic search and intelligent knowledge mapping.

Full-Text and summarized access to writings and speeches.

OCR-based digitization of old documents and manuscripts.

Multilingual translation and audio narration features.

Audio-video archival system for lectures, documentaries, and interviews.

Interactive timeline and memorial story telling modules.

AI Research Assistant for answering queries related to Dr.

Ambedkar's works and constitutional ideas.

The platform should also support secure digital preservation, metadata tagging, and institutional archival management.

Expected Solution

A centralized hardware-software integrated digital archive system should be developed for institutions such as Dr.

•Ambedkar International Centre.
•The solution should include interactive kiosks and smart displays enabling visitors to search, study, listen to, and compile Dr.
•Ambedkar’s writings, speeches, and historical records.The system should promote digital preservation, constitutional awareness, accessible learning, and immersive heritage experiences for researchers, students, and the general public.
Department
Department of Social Justice and Empowerment
PS Number
SIH26096

Start Your Research

Google Scholar 📚GitHub Repos 💻Web Search 🔍
#26212

Student Innovation

Ideas that showcase the rich cultural heritage and traditions of India.

Department
AICTE, MIC-Student Innovation
PS Number
SIH26212

Start Your Research

Google Scholar 📚GitHub Repos 💻Web Search 🔍
#26225

Student Innovation

Challenge your creative mind to conceptualize and develop unique toys and games based on our civilization, history, and culture etc.

Department
AICTE, MIC-Student Innovation
PS Number
SIH26225

Start Your Research

Google Scholar 📚GitHub Repos 💻Web Search 🔍