Rourkela: A team of students from the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Rourkela has won a Rs 1.5 lakh prize for developing a 5G-enabled smart safety helmet designed to improve industrial worker safety, securing the first runner-up position at the 5G Innovation Hackathon held during the 10th India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2026.
The award was presented on October 9 at Yashobhoomi in New Delhi by Union Minister of Communications Jyotiraditya Scindia and Minister of State for Communications Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani.
Organised by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and Telecommunications Consultants India Limited (TCIL), the hackathon was conducted under the 100 5G Use Case Labs Initiative. It received 1,450 proposals, of which 50 teams were selected for prototype development, with each receiving Rs 1 lakh in funding.
The student team from NIT Rourkela’s Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering developed the smart helmet, named GuardNET, under the mentorship of Prof. S. M. Hiremath.
The team comprises Alluri Jyothi Sri Shankar, K. Bhavajeet, Om Swarup and SatyaLakshmi. It also demonstrated the prototype at a dedicated booth during IMC 2026, held from October 7 to 10.
GuardNET integrates multiple sensors with an open-source 5G Radio Access Network (RAN) implemented using Software-Defined Radio (SDR) technology. The helmet monitors workers’ vital physiological parameters, movements and orientation, transmitting the data to a central dashboard for real-time monitoring.
The system generates alerts when it detects abnormal readings or potentially hazardous conditions, enabling timely intervention. It could be used in mines, construction sites and industrial facilities, where monitoring workers’ health and safety is critical.
The prototype also demonstrates the potential of indigenous technology development and open-source 5G infrastructure to create flexible and cost-effective platforms for industrial safety research and applications.
In another achievement at IMC 2026, NIT Rourkela’s 5G Use Case Laboratory was recognised as one of the top 10 laboratories among 100 participating labs.
The laboratory showcased several research-based applications, including air- and water-quality monitoring systems, a secure semantic digital twin for water-quality systems, adaptive multimodal artificial intelligence for wildlife detection, and 5G-enabled disaster management systems.
The initiatives were developed under the guidance of Prof. Poonam Singh and with the mentorship of Prof. S. M. Hiremath. Prof. Situ Rani and Prof. Susmita Das also participated in the laboratory’s exhibition and presented their innovations.
The projects reflect the institute’s efforts to translate 5G research into practical applications in environmental monitoring, wildlife protection, disaster management and industrial safety.
The recognition of GuardNET and the 5G Use Case Laboratory highlights NIT Rourkela’s focus on indigenous technology development, interdisciplinary research and innovation aimed at addressing industrial and societal challenges.
