The Yogin's aim in the practical sciences, whether mental and physical or occult and psychic, should to be enter into the ways of the Divine and his process, to know the materials and means for the work given to us so that we may use that knowledge for a conscious and faultless expression of the spirit's mastery, joy and self-fulfilment.
- Sri Aurobindo

THE INSTITUTE - ITS NEED AND PURPOSE

In our efforts at an all round progress - we must develop scientifically and technologically also and at the same time lay stress on the deeper psychological values.

This scientific development too has to be of several kinds. While it is important to reach and work at the frontiers of science, it is equally important to develop a technology which will be appropriate for rural and semi-urban India and other developing countries. The need is for a technology which will have the least side effects and touch immediately a large number of people directly in their lives. It will help them to do their work more efficiently, faster, with less health hazards and at a lower cost.

The Sri Aurobindo Institute of Applied Scientific Research (SAIASR) is a Trust created by Sri Aurobindo Society to realise these objectives.

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PROJECTS & ACTIVITIES

At present the main thrust of the research activities of SAIASR is in the fields of alternative energy sources and appropriate technology.

• A New Wind Turbine
  The Institute's main project in alternative energy resources is the Niharika-Ishan Wind Turbine (NIWT). The NIWT is a new type of wind turbine which is spherical in shape and has certain unique characteristics.
  
  Unlike the existing wind-turbines which have either a horizontal or a vertical axis, the NIWT has a universal axis, that is it can be mounted vertically, horizontally or at any angle. It is also omni directional and can face the wind in any direction. These properties make NIWT perfectly workable even in hilly areas and marine applications.
  
  Initial research has shown that its efficiency quotient for converting wind energy into mechanical energy is comparatively higher than the existing wind turbines. This is due to its "diverse flow aerodynamics" which suggests that the Betz limit of 59.3% may not apply to NIWT, making it a breakthrough in wind energy turbines.
  
  The third important property of NIWT is that it is self-starting and can convert energy at even very low wind-speeds.
  
  The NIWT has been patented and some related patients have been applied for. Further research and large scale applications are being worked upon.
  
  
• Appropriate Technology
  
  All research projects of the Institute's Appropriate Technology Programme address worker-identified problems by designing tools for wide-spread immediate application assuring more efficient, more productive and safer work with low cost and user available materials and skills for their manufacture and maintenance.
  
  
  
  Initial work on 14 research projects, detailed below, has assured the feasibility and workability of the technology proposed in terms of the characteristics.
  The 14 projects are :
  
  
• Transportation
  
  1. Various capacity small detachable trailers (up to 200 kilogram load), with silent rubber block axle-mounted shock absorption, which can be attached to two-wheeled vehicles for the transportation of crops and various other goods on roads of various quality.
  
  2."Sun and Planet" Gearing to permit cycle rickshaw operators to start and to surmount inclines without needing to dismount or incur risk of herniation.
  
  3.Improved braking systems for cycle rickshaws.
  
  4.Slip clutch differential mechanism to prevent one wheel moving faster on cornering and eliminate the use of two of the four ball bearings normally required.
  
  5.Double cycle rickshaws for loads up to 400 kilograms.
  
  6.An air press tyre remover which does not damage the beading or inner ply as do currently popular techniques.
  
  7.LPG fuelled two-stroke engine with a vacuum activated mechanism to control the automatic advance and delay the firing.
  
  
  
• Carpentry and Mechanics
  
  8. Horizontal fixed position grinders to permit the uniform smoothing of sawmill timber.
  
  9. Dust particle removers, using the air flows of the cutting/ grinding machines themselves, to promote health of wood and metal workers.
  
  10. Improved reciprocal saws to permit faster shaping of wood.
  
  11. Improved fret saws for cutting wood, metal and plastic.
  
  
  
• Agriculture Programme
  
  12. Organic pesticide smoke-spreader, initially for cotton plants.
  
  13. Honey extractor centrifuge capable of accomodating combs of various sizes without damaging them.
  
  14. Recovery (including underwater recovery) equipment for "lost" submersible pumps and PVC pipe in borewell construction to save such material and to preclude multiple borings caused by such irrecoverable materials.

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