In India, a schoolboy developed the “Slope Sentinel AI” system to block roads during landslides

Akshit Thakur, a class 10 student at SD Public School Duggha in Hamirpur district of Himachal Pradesh, has created a safety system called Slope Sentinel AI, designed to protect mountain roads from landslides. The device automatically detects the threat of a landslide, sounds an alarm, and activates barriers on both sides of the dangerous stretch of road to stop traffic.

For monitoring, the student used an Arduino microcontroller and three types of sensors: a soil sensor with a light alarm, a rain sensor to measure the intensity of the downpour, and a tilt sensor to track surface displacement. According to the author, the development and assembly of the model took 15 to 20 days, and the cost of components was approximately 6-7 thousand rupees.

District Science Inspector Rajesh Gautam noted that Akshit Thakur's development was among the top three projects at the district children's science conference after passing the block stage. Before practical application on real mountain tracks, the system will need testing for the accuracy of the sensors and the reliability of the barrier mechanisms in different weather conditions.