The amputation of his father’s foot inspired Goa-based engineer Gurvinder Singh to design the Phoenix Foot, an advanced prosthetic offering ankle mobility to amputees. Developed in collaboration with the Indian Army’s Pune-based Artificial Limb Centre (ALC), the Phoenix Foot is designed to support high-activity levels. Following successful trials at ALC, it is now ready for rollout.

Unveiled at Inno-Yoddha 2024-25, an Idea and Innovation Seminar by the Indian Army’s Design Bureau, the Phoenix Foot brings hope to amputees by enabling activities previously restricted by traditional prosthetics. Singh shared his journey, saying, “After my father’s foot was amputated due to an infection, he struggled with mobility. This inspired me to design Phoenix with the ALC team. Today, he walks 8,000–10,000 steps daily with ease.”

Advertisement

The project, spearheaded by Singh with Lt Col Paramesar Reddy and Sub Yogesh Kumar from ALC, addresses the lack of affordable, high-quality prosthetics in India. Costing approximately ₹20,000, the Phoenix Foot is an affordable, customisable solution designed to rival international standards. The team noted, “Foot prosthetics are niche products dominated by limited private players, resulting in high costs. Phoenix changes that equation.”

Captain Rashika from the Corps of Electronics and Mechanical Engineers showcased an indigenously designed drone, successfully tested at an altitude of 14,000 feet. This low-maintenance quadcopter offers live data transmission, precise maneuverability, automated payload deployment, and fire support for ground troops. Rashika described it as a cost-effective solution for surveillance, operational training, and augmenting soldier capabilities.

In response to the devastating Sikkim floods of 2023, Lt Col Vinayak Rawool and Hav Suresh PK from the Corps of Engineers developed a solar-powered flood warning system. The device, featuring a microcontroller, GSM module, and UV sensor, uses SONAR principles to detect rising water levels. It sends SMS alerts to enable swift disaster response. “The system is eco-friendly and offers early warnings that can save lives and property,” explained Lt Col Rawool.

Major RS Bhatia, Major Jai Upadhyaya, and Naib Subedar VK Swamy presented Pratilekh, an AI-powered offline transcription tool for military meetings. Designed for data security, it offers real-time transcription with customisable outputs tailored for military-specific conversations.

Also showcased at the event was the Baaz Attack Drone, an advanced multi-weapon platform developed by Colonel Vikas Chaturvedi, currently stationed in the western sector. Highlighting its capabilities, Col Chaturvedi described the Baaz as a versatile attack drone capable of deploying rocket launchers, small arms, automatic grenade launchers, and dropping mortar bombs or explosives on designated targets.

“The drone features a unique ‘H’ configuration, allowing it to fire rocket launchers without the adverse effects of backblast,” he explained. It can operate both autonomously and manually, controlled via a handheld device. The Baaz boasts a range of 10 kilometres, extendable to 20 kilometres, with a top speed of 12 metres per second and an endurance of 40 minutes. Additionally, it can carry payloads of up to 80 kilogrammes, making it a powerful and adaptable solution for modern warfare.