A physicist based in Kerala’s Kayamkulam has brought to life the age-old adage ‘Necessity is the Mother of Invention’. Rest and recuperation are two words which are alien to Dr M G Gireeshan, a PhD in electronics who works as the vice-principal of Perumbavoor’s Jai Bharat College. There are more than 200 technology driven innovations and inventions, many with patents, to his credit. Some of his inventions include the technology to prevent video piracy and the automatic system to guard un-manned level crossings at railway tracks.
Though the national lockdown due to coronavirus pandemic forced Gireeshan to stay at home, 200 km away from his workplace, he did not sit idle. In addition to extending help to his father P M Gopala Menon, a well known tantric scholar in the State, during his pujas, Dr.Gireeshan immersed himself in finding out a technology to beat the coronavirus using the medium of electronics. The end result is a pathbreaking instrument, which may send chill down the spine of law breakers.
There were many instances of persons ordered to undergo quarantine and isolation escaping from the isolation wards hoodwinking the health staff as well as police men guarding them. Many who were sent home for quarantining too made use of the first available opportunity to come out of the isolation rooms much to the horror of the health officials and the local population.
This may soon come to an end if the technology developed by Gireeshan is put into use. Gireeshan used a a combination metalcraft and electronics to develop a fool-proof Safety Handcuff in the form of a bracelet which could be worn by the person who has been asked to undergo quarantine or isolation.
If the person tries to unlock or remove the bracelet in his bid to escape from the quarantine room, an alarm bell will ring in the neighbouring houses. “This has been done taking into account the habit of Keralaites everywhere. Our best security guards are our neighbours who keep watchful eyes and ears to monitor any movements in our house. The small alarm system, as simple as a calling bell, could be installed in the neighbouring houses and once the alarm is sounded the neighbours can alert the relations of the patient as well as the local police station. It is a wireless system,” Gireeshan told The Pioneer.
Please don’t be under the impression that the uniqueness of the invention is over. “It is possible for the policemen in the control room to detect any attempts by the quarantined person to remove the bracelet or to escape from the quarantine room.
The TV screen installed in the control room or the mobile phone number attached to the control room would alert the policemen on duty about the intention of the person,” said Giresshan.
He said that he incurred an expense of Rs 4,000 to develop the Safety Handcuff. Since medical experts, especially community medicine doctors are of the view that the Covid-19 pandemic would be around for some more time, mass scale production of Safety Handcuffs is sure to being down the prices. Any takers for Safety Handcuffs?