SafeShade, an IoT-based personal safety device developed by KIIT students Dibyendu Ganguly and Bhoomika Sarkar, under the mentorship of Prof. B. N. Rao, has secured First Prize (₹10,000) at the IoT & Robotics Innovation Sprint 2026 organised by KIIT-TBI on 13 February 2026. SafeShade is a compact clip-on safety companion designed to protect vulnerable users such as the elderly, women and children. The device combines on-board sensing, intelligent firmware and a mobile application to detect high-risk events and proactively alert guardians, while also enhancing the wearer’s visibility in low-light conditions. The core design, embedded algorithms and system architecture have already been submitted for intellectual property protection and are currently under patent consideration (patent pending). The team demonstrated a fully working prototype, with custom PCB, firmware and an Android guardian app, meeting the competition’s emphasis on real-world deployable systems. Judges highlighted the project for its clear societal impact, robust engineering, and readiness for productisation, positioning SafeShade as a promising candidate for future incubation and commercialization from KIIT University.
