Born out of necessity, mobile phones, have transcended the boundaries of need and utility, and comfortably settled at obsession and acute dependability.
Travelling through our pockets, purses and even the bedside table, a mobile phone is an object we keep close, literally within an arm’s reach, 24/7.
Because of this proximity, several people have raised concerns about their damaging repercussions to health.
Ayush Acharya, a Bhubaneswar-based teenager, is one among the few, who, instead of just being concerned, went ahead to find a solution which is both effective and affordable!
A prodigy of sorts, this 17-year-old who is a student of Class 12, has developed an innovative mobile cover using biodegradable products, which can save mobile users from the cancer-causing harmful radiations of the device.
Interestingly, his innovation, which is both sustainable for the environment and easy on the pocket, is made of easily available products like bael leaf and cow dung.
Speaking to The Better India, Ayush said, “I wanted to create something which had a mass impact, and that is when I realised the potential of doing something about the hazardous radiations emitted from mobile phones.”
After four years of research, almost 250 surveys and 170 observations, he finally came up with a way to mix bael leaves with cow dung to create a solution that he claims, has the power to neutralise radiation, making it safe for people to use their phones.
The idea to use bael leaves as the primary ingredient came from his mother, who is a BSc graduate in Chemistry.
“Initially, I experimented with several types of leaves, but the results were never that good. Then, my mum suggested I use bael leaves,” says Ayush.
Ayush began experimenting with various layers of the leaf, both in cold and hot lamination, with some amounts of cow dung mixed separately. The combined mixture was left to dry for a week, used as a backflip cover and then tested with an EMF detector. The results showed that it absorbed less radiation.
“In general, the level of radiation should be 0.5 Tesla in cellphones, but these days radiation in many phones range from 1.35 to 10.6 Tesla, making it extremely harmful for the brain. This can even cause cancer,” said Ayush.
After completing the product in 2019, Ayush showcased it at an all India competition, LJ Innovation Village 2019, where he competed with IIT graduates to eventually win the first prize for innovation.
His success at the national level soon pushed telecom companies to collaborate with him to launch the product on a larger scale.
“What makes my product stand out is its potential to have mass utility while being affordable. The proto-type honestly was made on a zero-budget, but the refined commercial product is also going to be considerably affordable as compared to other products in the market.”
Presently caught up in the dilemma of whether to pursue research or entrepreneurship, this young innovator is a stellar example of the potential of the youth in India.
With his invention reaching several platforms, he announces, “The product is still undergoing EMF tests in Europe and is likely to be launched in two to three months. I am excited to see how the Indian consumer market responds to it. But, on a large scale, I hope to advance this product so that it can be installed in mobile towers to reduce the radiation level at the source point itself. That way the companies will be able to extend their frequency ensuring more connectivity, without risking any hazards!”
Kudos to him!
(Edited by Gayatri Mishra)