Thrissur teen develops AI-powered system for smarter dam management and flood control

Thrissur, Kerala: A 17-year-old from Thrissur, whose experience of the devastating 2018 floods sparked an interest in dam management, has developed an AI-powered prototype designed to help reduce flood risks and improve the efficiency of water release.

Novain Shibu's AcoustiNode Systems has been named among the Top 40 candidates for Samsung Solve for Tomorrow, a CSR initiative aimed at encouraging young innovators, Samsung said in a statement on Thursday.

The teenager is developing an AI-powered edge network that uses resilient VHF radio communication to support dam management even in difficult operating conditions, according to the company.

The proposed system analyses upstream water surges and tidal reverse-flows to assess when water should be released ahead of time to minimise flooding and when unnecessary discharge can be avoided to conserve water.

Novain said his interest in finding a solution to dam-related challenges grew after he witnessed the impact of the 2018 floods around Chalakudy, near his home, and followed reports about flooding and dam operations.

"I thought I can make a solution that can solve the issues related to large-scale dam management," he said.

Developing the prototype involved several failed models and repeated experiments, but Novain said the possibility of helping people affected by disasters kept him going.

"I want to build real models that are workable and efficient," he said.

Beyond flood management, the proposed technology could potentially strengthen irrigation security, support hydroelectric power generation and improve the protection of downstream communities and ecosystems, Samsung said.

The project, Samsung said, also demonstrates how solutions to complex challenges can emerge from smaller towns, where young innovators often draw on experiences and problems they have encountered in their own communities. PTI