Mysuru: Govt CPC Polytechnic has been selected under the Innovation Labs Scheme of the Karnataka Startup Cell, department of electronics, IT & BT, with a grant of Rs 1.2 crore sanctioned for five years to establish a Biotechnology Innovation Lab. The lab will focus on biophotonics-based sensor design and development for medical applications. Of the sanctioned amount, around Rs 54 lakh has already been released for setting up the lab.Established in 1954, the institution is among the state’s premier technical polytechnics and also functions as a nodal centre for 22 neighbouring polytechnics. The proposed Biophotonics Innovation and Research Platform aims to bridge gaps in interdisciplinary infrastructure and strengthen collaboration among academia, healthcare institutions, startups and industry.The lab will integrate biophotonics research, advanced photonic instrumentation and rapid prototyping facilities. It will work on developing affordable diagnostic and monitoring solutions, with a focus on rural and underserved healthcare settings.The initiative will be implemented in three phases — infrastructure and facility setup, research activation and capacity building, and innovation, translation and sustainability. During the first three years, the lab is expected to benefit 80 to 120 innovators, including students, faculty researchers and startups, by enabling prototype development and translational research.A key component of the programme is a research project on optical sensors for biomedical applications led by Ranjith B Gowda, selection grade lecturer in electronics and communication engineering. The project focuses on developing advanced optical sensor systems, particularly fibre Bragg grating (FBG) technology, to measure vital parameters such as heart rate and subtle biological signals with high precision. These sensors can detect micro-level forces that conventional devices cannot measure.Ranjith said the lab would benefit “students, faculty, research scholars and those pursuing PhD work”. He added, “Our plan is to enable them to develop prototypes within the lab itself and convert real-world healthcare challenges into practical solutions.”Principal SV Doddaiah said the initiative would “significantly enhance research culture and innovation-driven learning among students and faculty”.
