Requests

Bengaluru has thousands of aging petrol autorickshaws. We need an open-source EV conversion kit — BLDC hub motor, battery management system, motor controller, and wiring harness — with full assembly documentation. Target cost under ₹60,000 for the complete kit. Must handle Bengaluru's hills and traffic. Open hardware designs so local workshops can fabricate and install.

Bengaluru traffic is legendary for a reason — fixed-timer signals can't handle dynamic flow. Need an open-source adaptive traffic signal controller that uses camera-based vehicle counting (running on Raspberry Pi or Jetson Nano) to dynamically adjust signal timing. Simulation-ready with SUMO integration, open firmware, and a dashboard showing real-time intersection throughput. For civic tech advocacy and pilot proposals to BBMP.

Bengaluru's air quality has been deteriorating rapidly — we need a citizen-science network of affordable, open-source PM2.5/PM10/AQI monitors deployed across the city. Each node should cost under ₹3,000, run on ESP32 with a PMS5003 sensor, solar-powered with LoRa backhaul to a public dashboard. Open PCB designs, 3D-printed weatherproof enclosures, and a self-hostable map frontend.

Bengaluru's borewell and lake water quality is a growing concern. Need an affordable, open-source water testing kit that measures TDS, pH, turbidity, dissolved oxygen, and detects common contaminants like nitrates and heavy metals. Should use off-the-shelf sensor probes with an Arduino/ESP32 data logger, mobile app for results, and a public water quality map. Full BOM under ₹5,000.

Connect Bengaluru's scattered maker spaces, hackerspaces, and community labs via a city-wide LoRa mesh network. Meshtastic-compatible nodes on rooftops for inter-space messaging, sensor data sharing, and event notifications without depending on ISPs. Need open KiCad PCB designs for a solar-powered gateway node, weatherproof enclosure files, and a simple web dashboard for the mesh.

Free, solar-powered phone charging stations for Bengaluru bus stops, parks, and public spaces. Needs to charge 6-8 phones simultaneously via USB-C/A, have tamper-resistant enclosure, battery backup for cloudy days, and usage counter. Full open hardware design so NGOs and ward committees can deploy them. Target BOM cost under ₹15,000 per station.

Getting PCBs prototyped in India is either expensive or slow. We need either: (a) an open-source desktop PCB mill design optimized for Indian-available components and stepper motors, or (b) a community-run PCB pooling service that batches orders from Indian makers to get sub-₹200/board pricing. KiCad integration is a must. Design files, firmware, and the pooling platform should all be open-source.

Space-constrained Bengaluru apartments need compact, modular vertical farming units. Design an open-source system that fits on a balcony or window — stackable grow modules with automated drip irrigation, grow lights on a timer, and nutrient dosing. ESP32-based controller with a mobile app. Should grow leafy greens, herbs, and microgreens. Full BOM sourced from Indian suppliers, target cost under ₹8,000 for a 4-tier unit.

A complete, open-source toolkit and guide for running electronics repair cafes in Bengaluru neighbourhoods. Includes: recommended tool list with Indian supplier links (all under ₹25,000 total), repair guides for common appliances (mixers, fans, phone chargers, UPS units), a booking/inventory web app, liability waiver templates, and a train-the-trainer curriculum. Everything needed to start a repair cafe from scratch.

Bengaluru is home to people from all over India and the world — many want to learn Kannada but lack immersive tools. Need an open-source hardware kit: a tactile board with capacitive touch pads for Kannada script (vowels, consonants, conjuncts), audio playback of pronunciation via I2S speaker, LED feedback, and a companion app with spaced-repetition exercises. Designed for adults and children alike. Arduino-based, full PCB and enclosure files open-sourced.