Guwahati: In the heart of Assam, Guwahati, a unique event bubbled over with ideas as bright and flavorful as the region’s famed tea. The Tea Research Association (TRA) hosted the Tech Brew National Hackathon, a competition designed to ignite young minds and find innovative solutions to the pressing issues plaguing the Indian tea industry.
Christened to coincide with International Tea Day (May 21), Tech Brew brought together some of India’s most promising tech talents. These young innovators were tasked with developing cutting-edge solutions to ensure the sustainability and growth of the country’s tea sector.
The hackathon revolved around five carefully crafted problem statements, each targeting critical areas where a technological leap could significantly benefit the industry. Participants had to choose one problem statement to address during the hackathon.
The first round of Tech Brew National Hackathon started on 21st May and concluded on 22nd May after which 5 teams were shortlisted for the final round. In the final round participants were told to make a 5 minute video of their working prototype. The jury members shortlisted 3 winners.
Problem Statement 1
Sustainable Cultivation Techniques: The tea industry faces significant challenges due to climate change, including water scarcity, temperature fluctuations, and soil degradation. Develop a technology-driven solution to help tea farmers adapt to changing climatic conditions, optimize water usage, and maintain soil health to ensure sustainable tea cultivation.
Problem Statement 2
How to promote Tea as a beverage: Tea is the second most consumed beverage in the world, after water. However, there is intense competition for tea as a beverage from other products. Some of the products that are sold as tea are not from the plant Camellia Sinensis. Develop technology-based solutions to promote tea amongst people from age 10 to 35 years highlighting its many health benefits which should be innovative and scalable to make tea the most sought drink. One may add non-technology-based suggestions to justify their technologies.
Problem Statement 3
Non-chemical Approach to Pest Management: With climate change and weather patterns changing, the incidence of pest management has increased manifold with certain pests such as Tea Mosquito Bug, Looper Caterpillar, and Green Thrips causing havoc in tea plantations. Develop technologies based on airwaves, soundwaves or biocontrol to control the outbreak of Tea Mosquito Bugs, Looper Caterpillar, and Green Thrips to showcase how they work in tea plantations.
Problem Statement 4
Use of Tea for Various Diversified Products: The tea plant from Camellia Sinensis is a wonder plant. Tea leaves are harvested for making various types of tea. The tea plant also gives tea seeds and flowers. Tea is high in various properties such as antioxidants, flavonoids and others. Propose methods and technologies to convert tea for use into various diversified products using tea leaves, and tea waste using innovative technology.
Problem Statement 5
Pest & Disease Prediction: Tea crops are vulnerable to a variety of pests and diseases which can devastate tea crops within a short time. Develop a predictive model using data analytics and machine learning to forecast outbreaks of pests and diseases, enabling pre-emptive action to protect crops and reduce the reliance on chemical pesticides.
Team Orthodox from Jorhat Institute of Science & Technology under Assam Science and Technology University consisting of team members Pragyan Sen Deka and Pranjit Barman were the winners as they impressed the judges with their autonomous drone, which is equipped with hyperspectral cameras and sensors. This drone autonomously traverses tea gardens to detect pest infestations and crop stress through spectral data and machine learning. Additionally, it features a built-in smoke generator that uses local plants and weeds to create and apply pest-deterring smoke, revolutionizing sustainable pest control.
In second place was Team Neurolingua from PSG Institute of Science and Applied Research, Coimbatore, consisting of Tiruvikraman V, Roshaun Infant R, and Sharvesh K, who showcased exceptional creativity and technical prowess to secure the second place. Their innovative solution combines AI and IoT with a kit that includes various sensors, a camera module, and a water motor connected to a Node MCU. This system detects and repels pests using ultrasonic waves and a mixture of neem oil and garlic water. Additionally, UV lights attract and trap pests, while environmental data from sensors predict pest outbreaks. Their web app displays real-time data and provides pest identification and solutions through a trained ML model.
In third place was Team Doodle from PSG Institute of Science and Applied Research, Coimbatore, comprising Koushik Balaji P, Shree Pranav S, and Joel Ebenezer P, who showcased a specialized Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) model for tea pest detection, designed to minimize computational resources while delivering precise, domain-specific results. The model utilizes Phi2 with 2 million parameters and an image classification model (ResNet), leveraging research papers and articles gathered via Jina AI. Additionally, their system includes minimal hardware to collect environmental data, such as temperature and moisture, to prevent pest outbreaks and ensure accurate, timely detection.
Secretary, TRA Mr Joydeep Phukan said the hackathon is a testament to the potential of young innovators in solving real-world problems faced by the tea sector. “The ideas and solutions presented here have the potential to transform the tea industry, ensuring sustainability and growth,” he said.
“We are thrilled with the enthusiastic participation and the high calibre of projects presented. The Tech Brew Hackathon has set a new benchmark for collaborative problem-solving in the tea industry,” said the Chairperson of the Tea Research Association, Nayantara Palchoudhuri.
Joydeep Phukan said the Tech Brew National Hackathon organised by TRA Tocklai has not only provided a platform for young innovators to showcase their talents but also reinforced the importance of integrating technology with traditional industries. “The TRA looks forward to continuing this initiative in the coming years, fostering innovation and ensuring the prosperity of the Indian tea industry” he added.