Prof. Prathviraj Umesh’s Mugila Kannu makes kite flying enjoyable

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, Jan 22, 2012: Prathviraj Umesh, an assistant professor of applied mechanics and hydraulics department in NIT-K Suratkal, has invented a unique device called Mugila Kannu, a camera attached to a kite and controlled by a hand-held TFT-monitored remote control, which he used at the International Kite Festival held on Panambur Beach on Jan 21 Saturday. 

The camera provides a bird’s eye view of the beach on the monitor, which is connected via wireless signal. The device, however, is not the first of its kind in the world. 

The professor was assisted by Mohan and Sanjay as well as Team Mangalore member Janardhan. The device comprises a part that receives signals and another that transmits signals and the picture is displayed on the TFT screen. 

The camera fitted to the kite has a resolution of 12 mega pixels, which gives a commanding view from the top. It has a frequency of 2.4 GHZ for picture taking and 900 MHZ for video recording. It also has a 360 degree view. 

 

 

Speaking about his device, he said that a French kite flyer called Nicolas had brought a similar device, which inspired him to create his own device. 

The professor and his team took one year to create this device. They spent around Rs. 75,000 on the device because they had to import many of the parts. He is now planning to make the device available to security agencies. Stating that the cost of the device will come down if it is mass produced, he said that he will make it available at reasonable rates as this is just a hobby, not a business.