Mysuru:  ‘Automatic Sanitary Pad Vending Machine,’ a project developed by the students of final year BE in Electronics & Instrumentation Engineering, JSS Science and Technology University (formerly SJCE) bagged ‘SJCE Alumni Association Best Be Project for the year 2018.’

The project work was carried out by four girl students U.H. Arpitha, M. Akshatha Sulake, B.S. Soundarya and C.G. Anusha under the guidance of Dr. M.S. Mallikarjunaswamy, Assistant Professor in Department of Instrumentation Technology, JSSSTU.

Dr. T.N. Nagabhushan, Principal, SJCE, appreciated the work of students and distributed the Cash Prize and Certificate of Appreciation on behalf of SJCE Alumni Association.

SJCE Alumni Association initiated this award to kindle the young minds towards implementing there Novel Ideas for societal needs.

Dr. B.G. Sangameshwara, Vice-Chancellor, Dr. K.S. Lokesh, Registrar of JSS Science and Technology University, congratulated the students on the occasion and Dr. V. Udyashankara, Professor and Head of IT Department, was present. Dr. B.S. Harish, Coordinator of SJCE Alumni Association, organised the event.

About the Project: Indian rural female population especially girls have lack of awareness about Menstrual Hygiene management practices. This increases woman’s exposure to urogenital infections, such as Bacterial Vaginitis (BV), Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) and also increases a woman’s susceptibility to Reproductive Tract Infections (RTI).

Urinary tract infections are believed to be among the most common form of infection in girls and women of menstruating age and this is held to be due to unhygienic practices. Therefore to increase awareness among adolescent girls on Menstrual Hygiene and to increase access to and use of high quality sanitary napkins to adolescent girls in rural areas these final year students developed “Automatic Sanitary Pad Vending Machine.”

The developed machine ensures safe disposal of Sanitary Napkins in an environmentally friendly manner. This machine provides the alternative source to sanitary pad availability and it is a great boon for women on-the-go.

Convenient to buy the product independently as it is self-dispensing by dropping of coin and no embarrassment and shyness in girls to ask for pads. These machines are aimed at ensuring round-the-clock availability of the sanitary pads at the right time and right place. Installing the sanitary pad vending machine in schools, ladies rest rooms in public places is a step in the right direction for health and hygiene for women.