Students admire a MiG-21 aircraft at the Regional Science Centre. File picture

April 11: Innovation is the new buzzword at the Regional Science Centre here.

The Regional Science Centre has been selected as one of the five science centres in the country to house Innovation Space (Khoj Kendra) — a facility to promote creativity and new ideas.

This will be the only science centre in the Northeast to house Innovation Space.

“Its concept is to provide a platform for young students to convert their ideas into tangible forms which can be applied in day-to-day life. The science centre shall act as a nursery for the newly born ideas. All-out efforts are being made to help young students in moulding their innate, raw ideas into finely cut and polished gems,” V.S. Sharma, project co-ordinator the centre, told The Telegraph.

Sharma said the major part of the annual action plan this year for the science centre shall be focused towards creation of various facilities under Khoj Kendra. “This is part of an ambitious plan of the National Council of Science Museums, Calcutta, and National Innovation Council, Government of India, to have one innovation centre in each district with the target group being school, college and engineering students.

He said the science centre will rope in experts in different fields from institutions of higher education in and around the city. “These experts shall act as mentors to the students of the innovation centre,” he said.

He said that as part of the plan, the Centre shall come up with innovation resource centre, idea laboratory and innovation kiosks.

He said the innovation resource centre should include a library for referencing textbooks related to different topics in science and technology. “Facility for audio-visual presentations, film shows shall also be made available. Computers and Internet facilities shall be provided for sourcing and sharing information related to scientific and technological innovation,” the official said.

The Idea laboratory shall provide basic facilities to pursue creative and innovative activities that involve designing and prototyping of appropriate technology. Robotics, biotechnology, electronics and artificial intelligence-based activity shall be the primary thrust areas behind creation of innovation activity laboratory.

The innovation kiosk shall showcase innovative ideas, products that transformed the world or made significant impact on the way we conduct our lives. “Besides showcasing the collections of innovative products, implements, samples of appropriate technology and traditional knowledge systems of respective regions shall also be exhibited,” he added.