Engineer From Chennai Selected For James Dyson Award, India 2023

Engineer Pravin Kumar, based in Chennai, has been honoured as the national winner for India in the 2023 James Dyson Award. Kumar's remarkable innovation, known as Mouseware, has earned him this distinction. 

Mouseware is a technology tailored for individuals with upper limb disabilities, allowing them to control smart devices effortlessly by harnessing the power of head movements.

As the national winner, Pravin Kumar will receive a prize of approximately Rs 5 Lakhs (£5,000) and will also have the privilege of representing India in the International round, where the final winners will be personally selected by Sir James Dyson.

The project Mouseware is a part of Pravin's tech startup, Dextroware Devices, based in the IIT-Madras Research Park. It is making steady progress toward commercialisation. Pravin embarked on this journey right after graduating, with a mission to leverage technology for the greater good of society. Through Mouseware, his goal is to develop assistive technologies that empower individuals with disabilities, providing them with enhanced digital accessibility.

With the prize money at his disposal, the national winner intends to adapt his patented technology for various applications that rely on gesture-based interaction. 

His plan is to extend this invention to NGOs, special schools, hospitals and rehabilitation centres dedicated to uplifting individuals with disabilities.

The James Dyson Award serves as a catalyst for students in 28 countries to conceive solutions to pressing problems using ingenious yet straightforward engineering principles. The shortlist of the top 20 international entries for the James Dyson Award will be unveiled on October 18, with the international winners announced on November 15.