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A feedback mechanism for appropriate technology development and dissemination: Case study approach
Technology in Society 57 (2019) 104–114
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Technology in Society journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/techsoc
A feedback mechanism for appropriate technology development and dissemination: Case study approach
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Bibhuti Ranjan Bhattacharjya∗, Sashindra Kumar Kakoty, Siddhartha Singha Centre for Rural Technology, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, Assam, 781039, India
ARTICLE INFO
ABSTRACT
Keywords: Technology transfer Appropriate technology Developing countries Pirn winding machine
The delivery of appropriate technology to rural communities poses multi-dimensional challenges, such as the lack of acceptance, complexities in implementation, and sustainability. The solution to this problem requires a structured approach and institutionalised intervention. In recent years, the top-down approach of rural development practiced creation/enablement of Micro Small and Medium Enterprises through technological interventions. But there has been no technology transfer framework available for rural organisations, especially in the context of developing nations. Thus, the aim of this article is to propose a holistic technology transfer mechanism with necessary understanding of the problems and mitigation of relevant hurdles. A case of a collaborative technology development mechanism called the Rural Technology Action Group (RuTAG), has been discussed using a qualitative case study approach. This new rural technology transfer mechanism was found to be effective for upgrading traditional tools/technologies in practice among rural artisans, weavers, and farmers. To showcase the participatory technology development and dissemination strategy, a case of redesigning a Pirn winding machine is presented. The new Pirn winding machine can produce 12 Pirns at a time instead of 1 Pirn, as in the traditional process. This paper highlights some of the key aspects of technology development, assessment, transfer, and hand-holding, which is befitting for resource-constrained areas.
1. Introduction Globalisation of the economy, rapid changes in the role of new technologies, and intense competitive pressure have brought many challenges to the rural craft and cottage industries. They contribute to factors influencing the migration of rural youth from their native land to urban areas in search of better economic avenues. To combat such forced migration, acquisition and adaptation of technology in traditional village-based craft and cottage enterprises is an essential prerequisite. This will enhance the quality of the product, improve productivity, minimise the cost of production, and optimise the energy needs for improving competitiveness at both the local level and in the international market [1–3]. The village-based traditional cottage industry plays a crucial role in fostering the rural economy of India [2,3]. But, as the profit margins of these industries are low, and most of the artisans are unskilled [2], research and development (R&D) intervention in this sector is very limited [3,4]. India's policy planners fail to create necessary policy reforms for rural traditional cottage industries, such as handloom and handicrafts, silk rearing, pottery, blacksmith, wood carving, and the bell metal industry, and, hence, fail to connect with the country's R&D ∗
agenda. Surprisingly, very little importance has been attached to the traditional cottage industry in the Science Technology and Innovation Policy (STI). Approximately 96% of the country's Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) are unregistered [2]. Yet, the informal sector is not covered under Indian Science & Technology Policy [4,43]. This results in either low or almost non-existent technology diffusion in this sector. In this situation, most of the artisans work using traditional age-old tools that are labour intensive and time-consuming. In the first phase of a traditional top-down technology transfer approach, the technology is developed at the laboratory level and then introduced to people for whom it is being developed. Collaboration between academia and non-Government organisations (NGOs)/voluntary organisations in such programmes is very limited. Also, the necessary collaboration among various Government departments is not seen. Due to the absence of necessary mutual interaction between technology developers and technology users, neither needs nor constraints are identified properly [5]. Most of such initiatives fail due to technological inappropriateness [6], issues related to operation and maintenance, and lack of necessary socio-cultural entrancement in transferred technology [7]. A huge amount of taxpayers money is spent on such technology programmes, but, ultimately, technology is kept
Corresponding author. E-mail addresses: [email protected] (B.R. Bhattacharjya), [email protected] (S.K. Kakoty), [email protected] (S. Singha).
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techsoc.2018.12.008 Received 15 May 2017; Received in revised form 26 November 2018; Accepted 17 December 2018 Available online 24 December 2018 0160-791X/ © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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idle without being used by people. There is a great paucity of available literature on technological innovation in MSME [1,8–10]. Even though researchers’ interest in adopting the perspectives of local entrepreneurs working on household rural industry (micro, small and medium enterprises) has grown in recent years [11–13], such studies are not enough to get a clear perspective about the necessary technology transfer framework for rural micro and small entrepreneurial activities in developing nations. The technology adaptation and sustenance rates in rural areas are highly dependent on the appropriateness of the technology and the technology transfer framework followed. Hence, more and more case-based studies on technology transfer initiatives are necessary to get a clear perspective about the problems associated with technology transfer projects in such environments. In India, the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India has initiated a new rural technology design and delivery mission, called the Rural Technology Action Group (RuTAG) [14]. Such an initiative is significant, as they are trying to draw a bottom-up technology mission for rural India where mutual interaction between community and academia is appreciated in the process of technology development and delivery. This paper attempts to analyse the issues associated with the failure of technology transfer programmes in rural areas in the developing countries, with special emphasis on rural Assam, a state of the Northeastern part of India. This communication also studies the collaborative approach of technology intervention, and a case of a collaborative technology development mechanism initiated by RuTAG in India is presented. As a successful case of the RuTAG model of technology development and dissemination, the approach followed during the design, development, and transfer of the Pirn Winding machine is discussed.
long-term and short-term [21] impacts of new technologies in societal, economic, industrial, and political contexts [18]. Such study reduces the unforeseen social costs of various technological achievements, and it helps in crafting socially feasible policy and making technological trajectories for the betterment of the society. The main thrust of such a process is to develop a framework so that the needs of either the recipients or the targeted community can be identified effectively, and technology development and transfer decisions can be made. Such a framework is called technology road mapping [20,22], which is highly flexible and is readily adaptable to suit a wide range of goals in specific contexts. Such a framework will be helpful in answering some of the basic questions that are discussed below: a) Technology awareness: Detailed plans to convey information such as technology availability and its importance in day to day life should be sorted out. NGO interactions, personal interactions and meeting between academia and users of the technology are some of the ways to disseminate technical knowledge. b) Sourcing of technology: Detailed plans for the selection of manufacturer and development of the customised products as per need, etc., should be mentioned in the roadmap. c) Funding: Necessary funding for purchase and maintenance of technology may come from self, bank loan, or Government schemes. This should be reflected in the framework. d) Skill: In most of the cases of rural technology transfer projects, not only the recipients but also the technology developers need appropriate training to improve their skills. Hence, it is important to identify the suitable training mechanism in the framework. e) Handholding: Once a technology is installed at the user's place, a long-term maintenance plan is necessary. Some kinds of maintenance-related problem can be solved by users if the necessary training is provided beforehand. Otherwise, the technology manufacturing unit can be contacted for problems that cannot be solved at user's place.
2. Theoretical background 2.1. Appropriate technology transfer for a resource-crunched society Previously, technology transfer initiatives in a resource-crunched locality were seen as a unidirectional linear process [5] of delivering goods from global western to developing nations [5,12]. Users’ participation was very limited and their choices were not considered to be of much importance in deciding what type of technology they actually needed for their specific work. Due to the poor understanding of community needs and embedded socio-economic and geographical constraints of the technology recipients [6], the appropriateness of such a technology transfer model has been questioned in recent years [5]. In reality, technology transfer entails much more [15], including, but not limited to, understanding both tangible and intangible factors pertaining to society and developing local capability through need-based training to improve the absorptive power of the community [5,7,13]. The traditional top-down approach of technology transfer does not succeed in such conditions. Instead, an integrated approach is necessary with the participation of all the stakeholders, viz., academia, community people, and both Government and non-Government organisations. Unlike the traditional technology development process, two-way knowledge sharing between communities and technology developers, starting from the conceptual design of a technology to its implementation, can improve the success rate of the technology [5]. The present exponential rise of technological innovations complicates overall technology management and planning [16,17]. This increases concern among the technology planners about technological assessment [18] before deciding which technology suites which society. Technology assessment appraises the nature of technology, its status, and its potential short-term and long-term impacts on society [19]. In the case of choosing a single technology to pursue out of multiple technologies, it helps to identify which alternative to pursue, how quickly the technology is needed, or when there is a need to coordinate the development of multiple technologies [20]. It helps to anticipate the
Based on an investigation of literature — Pearce et al. [23]; Sianipar et al. [24]; Sianipar et al. [6]; Bendul et al. [7]; Pachouri and Sharma [2]; and Lavoie et al. [25]- a generalised technology transfer framework is constructed and presented in Fig. 1. 2.2. Indian science technology policy The basic pillar of the Indian science technology policy is attaining self-reliance to improve the technological capabilities of the nation and hence improve the overall quality of life of the Indian population [26]. To achieve its desired goal, several policy measures were taken by Governments after independence [26–28]. However, earlier technology policies were mostly western-centric, where rapid industrialisation with the application of capital-intensive technology received more importance [29,30]. Such imported technologies are often unfit for Indian society, as the socio-economic condition of India does not match western countries. In the early 1970s, the Government of India realised the importance of an alternate path for the country's technology agenda, where the development of indigenous low-cost technology received significant attention in the S&T policy of India to mitigate the problems of rural India [27,31]. Policy measures were initiated to link-up social priorities with S&T initiatives. Public spending in rural infrastructure, including irrigation and agriculture research, were enhanced. This paved the way for the successful accomplishment of the green revolution in India [32]. However, such success were limited to being sector-specific and regionspecific. One of the major hurdles in most of the techno-societal efforts in the country is the absence of an academia–community knowledgesharing mechanism. The country has a huge number of quality academic and research institutions. Due to feeble delivery mechanisms [31] and absence of the necessary interaction among stakeholders, they 105
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Fig. 1. Technology transfer framework for a resource-crunched society.
have failed to uplift the socio-economic conditions of rural India. Despite drawbacks, Indian technology policy was able to play important role in bringing positive changes in the quality of life of villagers; examples are the clean energy initiative [33–35] and the penetration of ICT in remote villages [36,37]. In the last decade, we have seen a paradigm shift in the socio-political landscape of India, including the STI policies. Among others, two major policy level changes have received significant attention; i) science, technology, and innovation for the poor and most vulnerable ii) promoting university, industry, and government linkages (Triple Helix) [4]. The emergence of the RuTAG program can be seen as the fruitful impact of such policy changes. Remote villages hardly get the chance to reap the advantages of technological innovations because of the lack of both infrastructure and financing power. That is why the country needs policy measures to foster the infusion of demand-driven, affordable, and user-friendly technologies in both farm and non-farm sectors. Location-specific and user-friendly technologies for rural cottage industry, value addition to reduce post-harvest wastage, and basic infrastructure in the villages can revamp the rural economy of India [32]. In such programmes, although the selection of appropriate technology is one of the critical issues, another more influential factor is a mechanism for an appropriate technology transfer model suitable for rural India. Hence, synergy is necessary between the strategic R&D sector, the academic R&D sector, and voluntary organisations/NGOs to share their knowledge and infrastructure to make S&T intervention in rural areas successful.
RuTAG staff, faculty members from academic institutions, manufacturers, and weavers. All the participants in this study are either directly or indirectly associated with the RuTAG initiative. For the proposed study, they were contacted both physically and by telephone. Information was gathered from all the participants. In addition, the Pirn Winding Machine was initially field-tested at the Technology Development and Production Centre, Guwahati and Sualkuchi Muga cluster. Data collected during the field trial over six months are used here for the case study analysis. 3.1. Emerging the concept of RuTAG RuTAG is an initiative of the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India. The basic objective of the programme is to rejuvenate the rural economy of our country through demand-driven technology intervention for rural India in order to improve the productivity of and reduce drudgery in the traditional methods of production. The modus operandi of RuTAG is to create small-scale appropriate technological solutions for the rural community. Premier technical institutions and laboratories typically lack action groups for the dissemination of technologies suitable for the rural community [41]. To bridge the gap, the RuTAG mission is enacted to create a technical pool in premiere technical institutions of the country for the development and dissemination of need-based technological intervention along with the participation of the local people. The basic concept of RuTAG and the mission's programme structure are presented in Fig. 2, Fig. 3, and Fig. 4, respectively. As shown in Fig. 2, RuTAG is acting as an interface between academia (technical institutes), Government, and NGOs. The roles played by different actors of the system are as follows: NGOs for problem identification and technology transfer; academia (technical institutes) for design and development of technology; and Government for necessary funding arrangements, etc. RuTAG is trying to empower the
3. Methodology Product transfer activities are very complex in nature [16]. Hence, case study analysis is preferred for in-depth analysis of a particular activity and its context [38,39]. In this study, a single case is considered for analysis. The approach we have followed is the qualitative approach of Eisenhardt [40]. A group was formed consisting of people from diversified backgrounds, including people from Government officials, 106
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Fig. 2. Feedback mechanism for appropriate technology development and dissemination.
designed and developed by other institutions. Capacity-building exercises, such as exposure visits for artisans and training in selected institution/organisations, are also organised from time to time. 3.2. A case study: redesigning the Pirn winding machine 3.2.1. Problem statement Handloom weaving plays an important role in the economy of India [1]. Assam contributes approximately 44.30% of handloom household in India [1,42]. Although the sector has enormous potential to create enough employment opportunities through need-based technology intervention [1], the industry is mostly unorganised and is often seen as using low-productive and hazardous traditional techniques. To rejuvenate the under-performing handloom sector of the North-eastern part of India, RuTAG-NE convened a weaver–scientist brainstorming session at Guwahati on 16th March 2011. One of the needs identified from the session was to develop a Pirn Winding machine. The detailed process of technology development is discussed in the following sections.
Fig. 3. RuTAG stimulating technology transfer through support of NGO(s).
3.2.2. Product study The traditional Pirn winding process (as shown in Fig. 5.), known as ‘Mahura weft’, is a pre-processing step in weaving. It essentially produces the weft yarn to interlace with the warp yarn to produce the fabric. Tools used in the process are a spinning wheel, consisting of a wooden structure with a mild steel wheel, known locally as ‘Jatar’; a wooden cylindrical tool known locally as ‘Chereki’; and a Pirn made of wood. The main activity involved in the process is the transfer of yarn from ‘Chereki’ to the Pirn. Artisans generally rotate the wheel of the ‘Jatar’ manually, which helps in rotating the Pirn shaft in its own axis, as the wheel is connected to the Pirn holding shaft through a thread. The rotary motion in the wheel is provided manually; for this purpose, the woman weaver sits on the floor with her legs folded. One end of the yarn, folded in the 'Chereki', is connected to the Pirn and the yarn winds up on the Pirn's surface due to continuous rotation of the wheel.
community through strengthening village-based institutions. As shown in Fig. 4, RuTAG has elaborate consultations with NGO officials, community members, and other officials before taking up a particular problem of technology intervention. Community meetings are organised in different parts of the country where the needs and constraints are identified. In addition, an NGO official can communicate directly with the RuTAG team for technological needs of the individuals or communities. RuTAG officials visit villages, identify problems, and verify the villages’ needs and constraints. Again, for the design and development of technology, RuTAG collaborates with technical institutions. Since all the RuTAG centres are working under administrative control of an Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), RuTAG can avail of the excellence in such institutions. Once the technology is ready for dissemination, it is the responsibility of the NGO to take the technology to the community through its available resources. In such cases, RuTAG encourages the NGO to collaborate with different funding agencies. RuTAG also facilitates in the transfer of technology that is
3.2.3. Design consideration Based on a literature survey and direct consultation with resource
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Fig. 4. Role to be played by different actors of RuTAG.
• The cost must be kept within a limit of affordability by a rural
persons, and with considerations of a weaver's capacity, the following designing criteria have been finalised for designing a Pirn winding machine that is suitable for the north-eastern part of India:
weaver.
3.3. Operational details of the new machine
• The machine should be portable and easy to transport, as road • • •
connectivity in most of the parts of the region is poor and inconvenient. The machine should be easy to operate and low-maintenance; i.e.; suitable for unskilled manpower. Due to the inadequate electricity supply in villages, an alternative arrangement to use manual power whenever necessary should be introduced. A simple design is required, such that the machine can be fabricated and maintained in local workshops with minimum facilities.
The whole process may be explained on the basis of three primary mechanisms: a) Rotating Pirns to load yarn, b) a drawing mechanism that guides the loading of the yarn in particular ways so that yarn leaving the Pirn while in operation does not either become entangled or encounter any obstructions, and c) oscillating mechanisms for distributing the yarn on the Pirn in a uniform pattern. 3.3.1. Pirn loading The main source of power in the machine is a 0.5 HP electric motor
Fig. 5. Weaver working in Pirn Winding machine; (a) traditional tool, (b) new Pirn winding machine. 108
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of 1440 rpm spindle speed. A simple V-belt drive is used to transmit power from the motor spindle to the primary shaft with a speed reduction arrangement. A 2-inch diameter pulley on the motor shaft is connected to the 3-inch diameter pulley by a v belt drive. Hence, the d speed of the primary shaft, n2 = n1 × d1 = 1440 = 960 rpm. The 2 other pulley on the primary shaft carries a round belt that passes through every Pirn holder pulley, with a few idlers in between, to maintain proper contact on the holder pulleys, which ultimately drives the 6 Pirn holders. The speed of each Pirn holder is d 4 n3 = n2 × d3 = 960 × 3 = 640 rpm, where d3 = 4 inch and d4 = 3 4 inch. Just opposite each Pirn holder, spring loaded plungers are used to hold the other end of the Pirn. These holders are free to rotate about their axis. The pockets at the end of the Pirn help keeping it in place and also produce the necessary driving force for frictional contact.
technology transfer projects in developing nations. If the technology availed of comes from outside the local community, the overall cost increases considerably because of the expenditure on transportation. To overcome such issues RuTAG, has trained local manufacturers so that technology can be manufactured in village-based workshops. In addition, necessary consideration is given during the design phase of technology so that locally available material can be utilised for manufacturing products. RuTAG has recently collaborated with the Ministry of Development of North East so that the initial funding needed can be generated from different Government sources. Such collaboration with Government will either directly or indirectly boost the collaboration between different banks and micro-funding sources, which is crucial for the sustainability of the technology transfer projects. c) In the case of the Pirn winding machine, to make the technology effective in rural areas, provisions to run the machine using manual power are kept. In addition, artisans are provided with training to impart the technological know-how required. Initial design and prototyping have been done at the IIT Guwahati. The model has been extensively field-tested, under the conditions pertaining to different weavers, for its performance, convenience, and comfort. The final design is approved only when the redesigned prototype satisfies all the requirements of the users' group. Requirements of the user groups are collected through feedback based on demonstration and field trials. d) Most of the rural artisans and owners of village-based manufacturing units are uneducated and have very limited knowledge about intellectual property–related issues. To overcome such difficulties, RuTAG has made a simple arrangement for a technology transfer agreement. In this particular case of the Pirn winding machine, RuTAG has signed a simple and easily understandable memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the manufacturer of the machine, M/S Labanya Steel Udyog, so that complications arising due to provisions of the Intellectual Property Right Act can be avoided. Moreover, RuTAG's technologies are open source technology, which makes the process of technology transfer easier. e) For maintenance-related issues, weavers can contact RuTAG officials directly. And manufacturers are also trained to solve maintenance-related issues locally. Weavers can easily contact a villagebased workshop selected as a manufacturing unit. The MoU also makes the manufacturer responsible for sorting out maintenancerelated issues.
3.3.2. Drawing mechanism A worm meshed with a spur gear (spindle speed n2 = 960 rpm; hence, the speed of the worm with single start = 960 rpm) is fitted with the primary shaft. The spur gear is mounted on another shaft that carries two star cams. Hence, the speed of the spur gear, n4 = n2 × z1/ z2 = 960 × 1/30 = 32 rpm. The cams on rotation move roller followers vertically to provide an oscillation that results in the rotation of the ratchet through a link mechanism. For every motion of the follower, the screw connected to the ratchet pawl mechanism turns an angle of 77.140, thereby driving a split nut. Hence, for 32 revolutions of the camshaft, the screw rotates 6.85 revolutions per minute. The dimension of the split nut on the clamp is designed to mesh with the screw. The forward motion is calculated by the lead of the helix of the screw. A lever is attached along with the secondary shaft, which, on rotation, opens the split nut and disengages the slip nut from the screw. Then, the whole mechanism can be pushed back and engaged again, and vice versa. To maintain proper tension, yarn from the bobbins in the bobbin rack are let through a frame above the drawing bar. The frame contains weights on each spindle to provide the required tension. The Pitch of the lead screw, Pitch (p) = 1/(no of threads per unit inch on screw) = 1/5 = 5.08 mm; hence, the Lead of the screw, Lead (L) = no. of starts (n) x pitch (p) = 5.08 mm. Thus, for 32 revolutions of the camshaft and 960 revolutions of the primary shaft, the axial distance covered by the split nut on the screw is 5.08 × 6.85 mm per minute = 34.798 mm per minute. 3.3.3. Oscillating mechanism To accomplish uniform distribution of the yarn on the Pirn, a cam is attached to the spur gear shaft, which guides a four-bar mechanism attached to the machine. The cam guides the follower in a vertical direction which in turn moves the four-bar link mechanism. An arrangement of links results in oscillation motion to the drawing bar. Detailed specifications of the new Pirn winding machine are presented in Annexure I.
A detailed technology roadmap plan designed by the RuTAG project is presented in Fig. 6. 4.1. SWOT analysis of RuTAG At present, seven RuTAG centres, located in seven IITs, are working in different parts of the country; Uttarakhand (IIT Roorkee), Tamilnadu (IIT Madras), Assam (IIT Guwahati), West Bengal (IIT Kharagpur), Delhi (IIT Delhi), Uttar Pradesh (IIT Kanpur) and Mumbai (IIT Bombay). After being in existence for 10 years, they are able to deliver several innovative technologies to rural communities. The ‘External Review Committee’, headed by Dr. Panjab Singh, recommended further expansion of the programme, with more centres at selected non-technical universities. In this section, a brief SWOT analysis of the programme is presented, as follows (Fig. 7.).
4. Research findings and discussions In this case study, we have found that RuTAG has critically overcome some of the hurdles that are considered to be major determinants of failure of technology transfer programmes in rural areas. Some of the interventions that RuTAG has initiated to overcome such hurdles are discussed below: a) To mitigate the problems arising due to variations in cultural difference, work ethics, and societal norms, RuTAG had conducted extensive deliberations with all stakeholders. Community dialogues have been arranged both at public meetings and through one-to-one conversations. The responses were recorded to identify the technological needs of the community. b) Financial constraint is a major problem for rural people in
4.2. Technological assessment of the Pirn winding machine In this section, a brief assessment of the Pirn Winding machine is presented. Social, technical, and economic aspects of the new technology are compared to those of the traditional Pirn Winding tool. To access the different dimensions of technology assessment — product quality, productivity, adaptability, drudgery, running costs, and initial 109
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Fig. 6. Technology roadmap plan designed by RuTAG.
investment — brainstorming sessions with artisans were arranged. Based on the quantitative results of the brainstorming sessions, a radar diagram is constructed, as shown in Fig. 8. The total area enclosed by the plot indicates the fitness of the technology. In this case, the larger
area is covered by the new technology, as compared to the area covered by the traditional Pirn winding process. Fig. 8. supports that the new technology is better than the traditional tool. The qualitative results are presented in Fig. 9.
Fig. 7. SWOT analysis of the RuTAG program. 110
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Fig. 8. Comparative assessment of the new technology and the traditional tool.
4.3. Appropriate technology development and dissemination mechanism emerging under RuTAG projects
Technology development and testing: Based on the feedback gathered during the interactions with the community, engineers from RuTAG initiate the design and development of the technology. During this process, necessary technical help from faculty members of the respective IITs is sought. Most often, stress is placed on redesigning the existing tools if they are available in the process. Based on the scarcity of resources and infrastructure, a simpler design of tools/machinery that is easily adaptable by the rural community is preferred. At the next level, the technology developed is tested under different field conditions, and feedback is collected to analyse the effectiveness of the technology. Necessary modifications are done based on field testing reports if the feedback demands such modifications. Technology transfer: Once the technology is ready to transfer, village level manufacturing units are identified. Design details are explained to such entrepreneurs. Training is provided, if necessary, to
The case analysis implies that a new rural technology transfer policy is emerging under the RuTAG project (Fig. 10) and that it is effective for upgrading the traditional tools/technology available in villages. The model developed by RuTAG can be divided into four distinct groups: i) need identification, ii) technology development and testing, iii) technology transfer, and iv) hand holding. Need identification: As shown in Fig. 10, initial community-level discussions, such as NGO meetings and field visits, are arranged at the village level, where community people express their needs and constraints directly to the RuTAG officials. NGOs/Voluntary Organisations working in the particular region play an important role in this step. Such meetings help in articulating the technology design criteria.
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Fig. 9. Comparison of the new machine with the traditional process.
improve their skills so that they can manufacture the technology locally. Technology maintenance-related issues that may arise in the longrun are also explained by RuTAG members so that community people can solve maintenance-related issues locally. In addition, to solve the issues related to finance, emphasis is placed on collaboration with Government schemes, banks, and microfinance organisations. Hand-Holding mechanism: In this case, RuTAG has successfully developed a hand-holding mechanism, as shown in Fig. 6. Local manufacturers are trained to solve maintenance-related issues in the longrun. In addition, RuTAG has made necessary arrangements for technology awareness, training weavers, and acquiring financial support from the Government. Such a long-term mechanism is essential for the sustainability of a technology transfer programme.
developed a platform where policymakers, community leaders, technocrats of the country and rural artisans/weavers/farmers can interact and identify their needs to widen the scope of empowerment with sustainability. As a case study, the design and development of a Pirn Winding machine has been presented. The redesigned Pirn Winding machine outperformed the traditional one with respect to six assessment criteria: product quality, productivity, adaptability, drudgery, running costs, and initial investment. Also, RuTAG has judiciously used available resources, like unemployed youth, village-based workshops, and scrap materials, to minimise the cost of production. With consideration of ground realities, like a low-skilled labour force, inadequate electricity supply, and unavailability of all-weather roads during the design phase, the new machine is expected to create livelihood opportunities for those who are at the bottom of the pyramid. Replacement of traditional tools with better technology for rural weavers could both improve their productivity and reduce the frequency of musculoskeletal pain caused by inappropriate working posture in traditional weaving. RuTAG has created a new model of technology development and
5. Conclusion The mission of RuTAG mission is to address all three requisite conditions of sustainable development: economic empowerment, social inclusion, and environment protection. More importantly, RuTAG has
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Fig. 10. Technology transfer mechanism emerging under RuTAG projects.
delivery through collaboration with multiple actors to increase acceptance and survival of the technologies in resource-constrained societies. Such interventions are very necessary for the rural microenterprises to make them competitive in the global market.
Acknowledgement The authors acknowledge the assistance provided by Rural Technology Action Group - North East during data collection.
Annexure I. : Specification of the different parts of the new Pirn Winding machine Pirn Loading Motor: 0.5 hp/0.375 KW, 240v, spindle speed: 1440 rpm, single phase, capacitor start Motor Pulley (P1): Diameter: 2 inch, Material: Mild steel, 1 number Primary shaft (S1): Diameter: 0.5 inch; Material: Mild steel, 1 number Primary shaft pulley (P2):Diameter: 3 inch; Material: Mild steel, 1 number Primary shaft pulley (P3): Diameter: 4 inch; Material: Mild steel, 1 number Pirn holder pulley (P4): Diameter: 0.175 inch; Material: Mild steel, 6 number Ve belt connecting P1 and P2: Width: 0.21 inch, thickness: 0.175 inch, Material: leather, 1 number Pirn holder round belt: Diameter: 0.18 inch, Material: Composite polymer Idler pulley: Diameter: 0.625 inch, Material: Steel
Drawing mechanism Worm gear: Diameter: 1.725 inch, Length: 1.15 inch, TPI: 3, Number of starts: 1, Material: Cast iron, 1 number Spur gear: Module: 2.5, Number of teeth: 30, Thickness: 0.75 inch, Material: Cast iron, 1 number Cam shaft: Diameter: 0.5 inch, Material: Mild steel, 1 number Cam profile: 3 nose, Base circle radius: 2 inch, Offset: zero, Material: Cast iron, 1 number Cam follower: Type: Roller, Diameter: 0.625, Material: Mild steel, 1 number Connecting rod: Length: 1.5 inch, Material: Cast iron, 1 number Rocker arm: Length: 6.5 inch, Material: Cast iron, 1 number
Oscillation to drawing mechanism Cam: Profile: 3 nose, Base circle radius: 2 inch, Offset: zero, Material: Cast iron, 1 number Cam follower: Type: Roller, Diameter: 0.625, Material: Mild steel, 1 number 4- bar link: Link1: 6 inch, Link2: 14 inch, Link 3: 6.5 inch, Link4: 4.5 inch, Link5: 7 inch, Link6: 5.25 inch, Link7: 9 inch
Ratchet: Diameter: 2.475 inch, Material: Cast iron, 1 number Screw: Diameter: 0.4 inch, Length: 3 inch, TPI: 5, Material: Cast iron, 1 number
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Technology in Society journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/techsoc
A feedback mechanism for appropriate technology development and dissemination: Case study approach
T
Bibhuti Ranjan Bhattacharjya∗, Sashindra Kumar Kakoty, Siddhartha Singha Centre for Rural Technology, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, Assam, 781039, India
ARTICLE INFO
ABSTRACT
Keywords: Technology transfer Appropriate technology Developing countries Pirn winding machine
The delivery of appropriate technology to rural communities poses multi-dimensional challenges, such as the lack of acceptance, complexities in implementation, and sustainability. The solution to this problem requires a structured approach and institutionalised intervention. In recent years, the top-down approach of rural development practiced creation/enablement of Micro Small and Medium Enterprises through technological interventions. But there has been no technology transfer framework available for rural organisations, especially in the context of developing nations. Thus, the aim of this article is to propose a holistic technology transfer mechanism with necessary understanding of the problems and mitigation of relevant hurdles. A case of a collaborative technology development mechanism called the Rural Technology Action Group (RuTAG), has been discussed using a qualitative case study approach. This new rural technology transfer mechanism was found to be effective for upgrading traditional tools/technologies in practice among rural artisans, weavers, and farmers. To showcase the participatory technology development and dissemination strategy, a case of redesigning a Pirn winding machine is presented. The new Pirn winding machine can produce 12 Pirns at a time instead of 1 Pirn, as in the traditional process. This paper highlights some of the key aspects of technology development, assessment, transfer, and hand-holding, which is befitting for resource-constrained areas.
1. Introduction Globalisation of the economy, rapid changes in the role of new technologies, and intense competitive pressure have brought many challenges to the rural craft and cottage industries. They contribute to factors influencing the migration of rural youth from their native land to urban areas in search of better economic avenues. To combat such forced migration, acquisition and adaptation of technology in traditional village-based craft and cottage enterprises is an essential prerequisite. This will enhance the quality of the product, improve productivity, minimise the cost of production, and optimise the energy needs for improving competitiveness at both the local level and in the international market [1–3]. The village-based traditional cottage industry plays a crucial role in fostering the rural economy of India [2,3]. But, as the profit margins of these industries are low, and most of the artisans are unskilled [2], research and development (R&D) intervention in this sector is very limited [3,4]. India's policy planners fail to create necessary policy reforms for rural traditional cottage industries, such as handloom and handicrafts, silk rearing, pottery, blacksmith, wood carving, and the bell metal industry, and, hence, fail to connect with the country's R&D ∗
agenda. Surprisingly, very little importance has been attached to the traditional cottage industry in the Science Technology and Innovation Policy (STI). Approximately 96% of the country's Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) are unregistered [2]. Yet, the informal sector is not covered under Indian Science & Technology Policy [4,43]. This results in either low or almost non-existent technology diffusion in this sector. In this situation, most of the artisans work using traditional age-old tools that are labour intensive and time-consuming. In the first phase of a traditional top-down technology transfer approach, the technology is developed at the laboratory level and then introduced to people for whom it is being developed. Collaboration between academia and non-Government organisations (NGOs)/voluntary organisations in such programmes is very limited. Also, the necessary collaboration among various Government departments is not seen. Due to the absence of necessary mutual interaction between technology developers and technology users, neither needs nor constraints are identified properly [5]. Most of such initiatives fail due to technological inappropriateness [6], issues related to operation and maintenance, and lack of necessary socio-cultural entrancement in transferred technology [7]. A huge amount of taxpayers money is spent on such technology programmes, but, ultimately, technology is kept
Corresponding author. E-mail addresses: [email protected] (B.R. Bhattacharjya), [email protected] (S.K. Kakoty), [email protected] (S. Singha).
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techsoc.2018.12.008 Received 15 May 2017; Received in revised form 26 November 2018; Accepted 17 December 2018 Available online 24 December 2018 0160-791X/ © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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idle without being used by people. There is a great paucity of available literature on technological innovation in MSME [1,8–10]. Even though researchers’ interest in adopting the perspectives of local entrepreneurs working on household rural industry (micro, small and medium enterprises) has grown in recent years [11–13], such studies are not enough to get a clear perspective about the necessary technology transfer framework for rural micro and small entrepreneurial activities in developing nations. The technology adaptation and sustenance rates in rural areas are highly dependent on the appropriateness of the technology and the technology transfer framework followed. Hence, more and more case-based studies on technology transfer initiatives are necessary to get a clear perspective about the problems associated with technology transfer projects in such environments. In India, the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India has initiated a new rural technology design and delivery mission, called the Rural Technology Action Group (RuTAG) [14]. Such an initiative is significant, as they are trying to draw a bottom-up technology mission for rural India where mutual interaction between community and academia is appreciated in the process of technology development and delivery. This paper attempts to analyse the issues associated with the failure of technology transfer programmes in rural areas in the developing countries, with special emphasis on rural Assam, a state of the Northeastern part of India. This communication also studies the collaborative approach of technology intervention, and a case of a collaborative technology development mechanism initiated by RuTAG in India is presented. As a successful case of the RuTAG model of technology development and dissemination, the approach followed during the design, development, and transfer of the Pirn Winding machine is discussed.
long-term and short-term [21] impacts of new technologies in societal, economic, industrial, and political contexts [18]. Such study reduces the unforeseen social costs of various technological achievements, and it helps in crafting socially feasible policy and making technological trajectories for the betterment of the society. The main thrust of such a process is to develop a framework so that the needs of either the recipients or the targeted community can be identified effectively, and technology development and transfer decisions can be made. Such a framework is called technology road mapping [20,22], which is highly flexible and is readily adaptable to suit a wide range of goals in specific contexts. Such a framework will be helpful in answering some of the basic questions that are discussed below: a) Technology awareness: Detailed plans to convey information such as technology availability and its importance in day to day life should be sorted out. NGO interactions, personal interactions and meeting between academia and users of the technology are some of the ways to disseminate technical knowledge. b) Sourcing of technology: Detailed plans for the selection of manufacturer and development of the customised products as per need, etc., should be mentioned in the roadmap. c) Funding: Necessary funding for purchase and maintenance of technology may come from self, bank loan, or Government schemes. This should be reflected in the framework. d) Skill: In most of the cases of rural technology transfer projects, not only the recipients but also the technology developers need appropriate training to improve their skills. Hence, it is important to identify the suitable training mechanism in the framework. e) Handholding: Once a technology is installed at the user's place, a long-term maintenance plan is necessary. Some kinds of maintenance-related problem can be solved by users if the necessary training is provided beforehand. Otherwise, the technology manufacturing unit can be contacted for problems that cannot be solved at user's place.
2. Theoretical background 2.1. Appropriate technology transfer for a resource-crunched society Previously, technology transfer initiatives in a resource-crunched locality were seen as a unidirectional linear process [5] of delivering goods from global western to developing nations [5,12]. Users’ participation was very limited and their choices were not considered to be of much importance in deciding what type of technology they actually needed for their specific work. Due to the poor understanding of community needs and embedded socio-economic and geographical constraints of the technology recipients [6], the appropriateness of such a technology transfer model has been questioned in recent years [5]. In reality, technology transfer entails much more [15], including, but not limited to, understanding both tangible and intangible factors pertaining to society and developing local capability through need-based training to improve the absorptive power of the community [5,7,13]. The traditional top-down approach of technology transfer does not succeed in such conditions. Instead, an integrated approach is necessary with the participation of all the stakeholders, viz., academia, community people, and both Government and non-Government organisations. Unlike the traditional technology development process, two-way knowledge sharing between communities and technology developers, starting from the conceptual design of a technology to its implementation, can improve the success rate of the technology [5]. The present exponential rise of technological innovations complicates overall technology management and planning [16,17]. This increases concern among the technology planners about technological assessment [18] before deciding which technology suites which society. Technology assessment appraises the nature of technology, its status, and its potential short-term and long-term impacts on society [19]. In the case of choosing a single technology to pursue out of multiple technologies, it helps to identify which alternative to pursue, how quickly the technology is needed, or when there is a need to coordinate the development of multiple technologies [20]. It helps to anticipate the
Based on an investigation of literature — Pearce et al. [23]; Sianipar et al. [24]; Sianipar et al. [6]; Bendul et al. [7]; Pachouri and Sharma [2]; and Lavoie et al. [25]- a generalised technology transfer framework is constructed and presented in Fig. 1. 2.2. Indian science technology policy The basic pillar of the Indian science technology policy is attaining self-reliance to improve the technological capabilities of the nation and hence improve the overall quality of life of the Indian population [26]. To achieve its desired goal, several policy measures were taken by Governments after independence [26–28]. However, earlier technology policies were mostly western-centric, where rapid industrialisation with the application of capital-intensive technology received more importance [29,30]. Such imported technologies are often unfit for Indian society, as the socio-economic condition of India does not match western countries. In the early 1970s, the Government of India realised the importance of an alternate path for the country's technology agenda, where the development of indigenous low-cost technology received significant attention in the S&T policy of India to mitigate the problems of rural India [27,31]. Policy measures were initiated to link-up social priorities with S&T initiatives. Public spending in rural infrastructure, including irrigation and agriculture research, were enhanced. This paved the way for the successful accomplishment of the green revolution in India [32]. However, such success were limited to being sector-specific and regionspecific. One of the major hurdles in most of the techno-societal efforts in the country is the absence of an academia–community knowledgesharing mechanism. The country has a huge number of quality academic and research institutions. Due to feeble delivery mechanisms [31] and absence of the necessary interaction among stakeholders, they 105
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Fig. 1. Technology transfer framework for a resource-crunched society.
have failed to uplift the socio-economic conditions of rural India. Despite drawbacks, Indian technology policy was able to play important role in bringing positive changes in the quality of life of villagers; examples are the clean energy initiative [33–35] and the penetration of ICT in remote villages [36,37]. In the last decade, we have seen a paradigm shift in the socio-political landscape of India, including the STI policies. Among others, two major policy level changes have received significant attention; i) science, technology, and innovation for the poor and most vulnerable ii) promoting university, industry, and government linkages (Triple Helix) [4]. The emergence of the RuTAG program can be seen as the fruitful impact of such policy changes. Remote villages hardly get the chance to reap the advantages of technological innovations because of the lack of both infrastructure and financing power. That is why the country needs policy measures to foster the infusion of demand-driven, affordable, and user-friendly technologies in both farm and non-farm sectors. Location-specific and user-friendly technologies for rural cottage industry, value addition to reduce post-harvest wastage, and basic infrastructure in the villages can revamp the rural economy of India [32]. In such programmes, although the selection of appropriate technology is one of the critical issues, another more influential factor is a mechanism for an appropriate technology transfer model suitable for rural India. Hence, synergy is necessary between the strategic R&D sector, the academic R&D sector, and voluntary organisations/NGOs to share their knowledge and infrastructure to make S&T intervention in rural areas successful.
RuTAG staff, faculty members from academic institutions, manufacturers, and weavers. All the participants in this study are either directly or indirectly associated with the RuTAG initiative. For the proposed study, they were contacted both physically and by telephone. Information was gathered from all the participants. In addition, the Pirn Winding Machine was initially field-tested at the Technology Development and Production Centre, Guwahati and Sualkuchi Muga cluster. Data collected during the field trial over six months are used here for the case study analysis. 3.1. Emerging the concept of RuTAG RuTAG is an initiative of the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India. The basic objective of the programme is to rejuvenate the rural economy of our country through demand-driven technology intervention for rural India in order to improve the productivity of and reduce drudgery in the traditional methods of production. The modus operandi of RuTAG is to create small-scale appropriate technological solutions for the rural community. Premier technical institutions and laboratories typically lack action groups for the dissemination of technologies suitable for the rural community [41]. To bridge the gap, the RuTAG mission is enacted to create a technical pool in premiere technical institutions of the country for the development and dissemination of need-based technological intervention along with the participation of the local people. The basic concept of RuTAG and the mission's programme structure are presented in Fig. 2, Fig. 3, and Fig. 4, respectively. As shown in Fig. 2, RuTAG is acting as an interface between academia (technical institutes), Government, and NGOs. The roles played by different actors of the system are as follows: NGOs for problem identification and technology transfer; academia (technical institutes) for design and development of technology; and Government for necessary funding arrangements, etc. RuTAG is trying to empower the
3. Methodology Product transfer activities are very complex in nature [16]. Hence, case study analysis is preferred for in-depth analysis of a particular activity and its context [38,39]. In this study, a single case is considered for analysis. The approach we have followed is the qualitative approach of Eisenhardt [40]. A group was formed consisting of people from diversified backgrounds, including people from Government officials, 106
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Fig. 2. Feedback mechanism for appropriate technology development and dissemination.
designed and developed by other institutions. Capacity-building exercises, such as exposure visits for artisans and training in selected institution/organisations, are also organised from time to time. 3.2. A case study: redesigning the Pirn winding machine 3.2.1. Problem statement Handloom weaving plays an important role in the economy of India [1]. Assam contributes approximately 44.30% of handloom household in India [1,42]. Although the sector has enormous potential to create enough employment opportunities through need-based technology intervention [1], the industry is mostly unorganised and is often seen as using low-productive and hazardous traditional techniques. To rejuvenate the under-performing handloom sector of the North-eastern part of India, RuTAG-NE convened a weaver–scientist brainstorming session at Guwahati on 16th March 2011. One of the needs identified from the session was to develop a Pirn Winding machine. The detailed process of technology development is discussed in the following sections.
Fig. 3. RuTAG stimulating technology transfer through support of NGO(s).
3.2.2. Product study The traditional Pirn winding process (as shown in Fig. 5.), known as ‘Mahura weft’, is a pre-processing step in weaving. It essentially produces the weft yarn to interlace with the warp yarn to produce the fabric. Tools used in the process are a spinning wheel, consisting of a wooden structure with a mild steel wheel, known locally as ‘Jatar’; a wooden cylindrical tool known locally as ‘Chereki’; and a Pirn made of wood. The main activity involved in the process is the transfer of yarn from ‘Chereki’ to the Pirn. Artisans generally rotate the wheel of the ‘Jatar’ manually, which helps in rotating the Pirn shaft in its own axis, as the wheel is connected to the Pirn holding shaft through a thread. The rotary motion in the wheel is provided manually; for this purpose, the woman weaver sits on the floor with her legs folded. One end of the yarn, folded in the 'Chereki', is connected to the Pirn and the yarn winds up on the Pirn's surface due to continuous rotation of the wheel.
community through strengthening village-based institutions. As shown in Fig. 4, RuTAG has elaborate consultations with NGO officials, community members, and other officials before taking up a particular problem of technology intervention. Community meetings are organised in different parts of the country where the needs and constraints are identified. In addition, an NGO official can communicate directly with the RuTAG team for technological needs of the individuals or communities. RuTAG officials visit villages, identify problems, and verify the villages’ needs and constraints. Again, for the design and development of technology, RuTAG collaborates with technical institutions. Since all the RuTAG centres are working under administrative control of an Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), RuTAG can avail of the excellence in such institutions. Once the technology is ready for dissemination, it is the responsibility of the NGO to take the technology to the community through its available resources. In such cases, RuTAG encourages the NGO to collaborate with different funding agencies. RuTAG also facilitates in the transfer of technology that is
3.2.3. Design consideration Based on a literature survey and direct consultation with resource
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Fig. 4. Role to be played by different actors of RuTAG.
• The cost must be kept within a limit of affordability by a rural
persons, and with considerations of a weaver's capacity, the following designing criteria have been finalised for designing a Pirn winding machine that is suitable for the north-eastern part of India:
weaver.
3.3. Operational details of the new machine
• The machine should be portable and easy to transport, as road • • •
connectivity in most of the parts of the region is poor and inconvenient. The machine should be easy to operate and low-maintenance; i.e.; suitable for unskilled manpower. Due to the inadequate electricity supply in villages, an alternative arrangement to use manual power whenever necessary should be introduced. A simple design is required, such that the machine can be fabricated and maintained in local workshops with minimum facilities.
The whole process may be explained on the basis of three primary mechanisms: a) Rotating Pirns to load yarn, b) a drawing mechanism that guides the loading of the yarn in particular ways so that yarn leaving the Pirn while in operation does not either become entangled or encounter any obstructions, and c) oscillating mechanisms for distributing the yarn on the Pirn in a uniform pattern. 3.3.1. Pirn loading The main source of power in the machine is a 0.5 HP electric motor
Fig. 5. Weaver working in Pirn Winding machine; (a) traditional tool, (b) new Pirn winding machine. 108
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of 1440 rpm spindle speed. A simple V-belt drive is used to transmit power from the motor spindle to the primary shaft with a speed reduction arrangement. A 2-inch diameter pulley on the motor shaft is connected to the 3-inch diameter pulley by a v belt drive. Hence, the d speed of the primary shaft, n2 = n1 × d1 = 1440 = 960 rpm. The 2 other pulley on the primary shaft carries a round belt that passes through every Pirn holder pulley, with a few idlers in between, to maintain proper contact on the holder pulleys, which ultimately drives the 6 Pirn holders. The speed of each Pirn holder is d 4 n3 = n2 × d3 = 960 × 3 = 640 rpm, where d3 = 4 inch and d4 = 3 4 inch. Just opposite each Pirn holder, spring loaded plungers are used to hold the other end of the Pirn. These holders are free to rotate about their axis. The pockets at the end of the Pirn help keeping it in place and also produce the necessary driving force for frictional contact.
technology transfer projects in developing nations. If the technology availed of comes from outside the local community, the overall cost increases considerably because of the expenditure on transportation. To overcome such issues RuTAG, has trained local manufacturers so that technology can be manufactured in village-based workshops. In addition, necessary consideration is given during the design phase of technology so that locally available material can be utilised for manufacturing products. RuTAG has recently collaborated with the Ministry of Development of North East so that the initial funding needed can be generated from different Government sources. Such collaboration with Government will either directly or indirectly boost the collaboration between different banks and micro-funding sources, which is crucial for the sustainability of the technology transfer projects. c) In the case of the Pirn winding machine, to make the technology effective in rural areas, provisions to run the machine using manual power are kept. In addition, artisans are provided with training to impart the technological know-how required. Initial design and prototyping have been done at the IIT Guwahati. The model has been extensively field-tested, under the conditions pertaining to different weavers, for its performance, convenience, and comfort. The final design is approved only when the redesigned prototype satisfies all the requirements of the users' group. Requirements of the user groups are collected through feedback based on demonstration and field trials. d) Most of the rural artisans and owners of village-based manufacturing units are uneducated and have very limited knowledge about intellectual property–related issues. To overcome such difficulties, RuTAG has made a simple arrangement for a technology transfer agreement. In this particular case of the Pirn winding machine, RuTAG has signed a simple and easily understandable memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the manufacturer of the machine, M/S Labanya Steel Udyog, so that complications arising due to provisions of the Intellectual Property Right Act can be avoided. Moreover, RuTAG's technologies are open source technology, which makes the process of technology transfer easier. e) For maintenance-related issues, weavers can contact RuTAG officials directly. And manufacturers are also trained to solve maintenance-related issues locally. Weavers can easily contact a villagebased workshop selected as a manufacturing unit. The MoU also makes the manufacturer responsible for sorting out maintenancerelated issues.
3.3.2. Drawing mechanism A worm meshed with a spur gear (spindle speed n2 = 960 rpm; hence, the speed of the worm with single start = 960 rpm) is fitted with the primary shaft. The spur gear is mounted on another shaft that carries two star cams. Hence, the speed of the spur gear, n4 = n2 × z1/ z2 = 960 × 1/30 = 32 rpm. The cams on rotation move roller followers vertically to provide an oscillation that results in the rotation of the ratchet through a link mechanism. For every motion of the follower, the screw connected to the ratchet pawl mechanism turns an angle of 77.140, thereby driving a split nut. Hence, for 32 revolutions of the camshaft, the screw rotates 6.85 revolutions per minute. The dimension of the split nut on the clamp is designed to mesh with the screw. The forward motion is calculated by the lead of the helix of the screw. A lever is attached along with the secondary shaft, which, on rotation, opens the split nut and disengages the slip nut from the screw. Then, the whole mechanism can be pushed back and engaged again, and vice versa. To maintain proper tension, yarn from the bobbins in the bobbin rack are let through a frame above the drawing bar. The frame contains weights on each spindle to provide the required tension. The Pitch of the lead screw, Pitch (p) = 1/(no of threads per unit inch on screw) = 1/5 = 5.08 mm; hence, the Lead of the screw, Lead (L) = no. of starts (n) x pitch (p) = 5.08 mm. Thus, for 32 revolutions of the camshaft and 960 revolutions of the primary shaft, the axial distance covered by the split nut on the screw is 5.08 × 6.85 mm per minute = 34.798 mm per minute. 3.3.3. Oscillating mechanism To accomplish uniform distribution of the yarn on the Pirn, a cam is attached to the spur gear shaft, which guides a four-bar mechanism attached to the machine. The cam guides the follower in a vertical direction which in turn moves the four-bar link mechanism. An arrangement of links results in oscillation motion to the drawing bar. Detailed specifications of the new Pirn winding machine are presented in Annexure I.
A detailed technology roadmap plan designed by the RuTAG project is presented in Fig. 6. 4.1. SWOT analysis of RuTAG At present, seven RuTAG centres, located in seven IITs, are working in different parts of the country; Uttarakhand (IIT Roorkee), Tamilnadu (IIT Madras), Assam (IIT Guwahati), West Bengal (IIT Kharagpur), Delhi (IIT Delhi), Uttar Pradesh (IIT Kanpur) and Mumbai (IIT Bombay). After being in existence for 10 years, they are able to deliver several innovative technologies to rural communities. The ‘External Review Committee’, headed by Dr. Panjab Singh, recommended further expansion of the programme, with more centres at selected non-technical universities. In this section, a brief SWOT analysis of the programme is presented, as follows (Fig. 7.).
4. Research findings and discussions In this case study, we have found that RuTAG has critically overcome some of the hurdles that are considered to be major determinants of failure of technology transfer programmes in rural areas. Some of the interventions that RuTAG has initiated to overcome such hurdles are discussed below: a) To mitigate the problems arising due to variations in cultural difference, work ethics, and societal norms, RuTAG had conducted extensive deliberations with all stakeholders. Community dialogues have been arranged both at public meetings and through one-to-one conversations. The responses were recorded to identify the technological needs of the community. b) Financial constraint is a major problem for rural people in
4.2. Technological assessment of the Pirn winding machine In this section, a brief assessment of the Pirn Winding machine is presented. Social, technical, and economic aspects of the new technology are compared to those of the traditional Pirn Winding tool. To access the different dimensions of technology assessment — product quality, productivity, adaptability, drudgery, running costs, and initial 109
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Fig. 6. Technology roadmap plan designed by RuTAG.
investment — brainstorming sessions with artisans were arranged. Based on the quantitative results of the brainstorming sessions, a radar diagram is constructed, as shown in Fig. 8. The total area enclosed by the plot indicates the fitness of the technology. In this case, the larger
area is covered by the new technology, as compared to the area covered by the traditional Pirn winding process. Fig. 8. supports that the new technology is better than the traditional tool. The qualitative results are presented in Fig. 9.
Fig. 7. SWOT analysis of the RuTAG program. 110
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Fig. 8. Comparative assessment of the new technology and the traditional tool.
4.3. Appropriate technology development and dissemination mechanism emerging under RuTAG projects
Technology development and testing: Based on the feedback gathered during the interactions with the community, engineers from RuTAG initiate the design and development of the technology. During this process, necessary technical help from faculty members of the respective IITs is sought. Most often, stress is placed on redesigning the existing tools if they are available in the process. Based on the scarcity of resources and infrastructure, a simpler design of tools/machinery that is easily adaptable by the rural community is preferred. At the next level, the technology developed is tested under different field conditions, and feedback is collected to analyse the effectiveness of the technology. Necessary modifications are done based on field testing reports if the feedback demands such modifications. Technology transfer: Once the technology is ready to transfer, village level manufacturing units are identified. Design details are explained to such entrepreneurs. Training is provided, if necessary, to
The case analysis implies that a new rural technology transfer policy is emerging under the RuTAG project (Fig. 10) and that it is effective for upgrading the traditional tools/technology available in villages. The model developed by RuTAG can be divided into four distinct groups: i) need identification, ii) technology development and testing, iii) technology transfer, and iv) hand holding. Need identification: As shown in Fig. 10, initial community-level discussions, such as NGO meetings and field visits, are arranged at the village level, where community people express their needs and constraints directly to the RuTAG officials. NGOs/Voluntary Organisations working in the particular region play an important role in this step. Such meetings help in articulating the technology design criteria.
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Fig. 9. Comparison of the new machine with the traditional process.
improve their skills so that they can manufacture the technology locally. Technology maintenance-related issues that may arise in the longrun are also explained by RuTAG members so that community people can solve maintenance-related issues locally. In addition, to solve the issues related to finance, emphasis is placed on collaboration with Government schemes, banks, and microfinance organisations. Hand-Holding mechanism: In this case, RuTAG has successfully developed a hand-holding mechanism, as shown in Fig. 6. Local manufacturers are trained to solve maintenance-related issues in the longrun. In addition, RuTAG has made necessary arrangements for technology awareness, training weavers, and acquiring financial support from the Government. Such a long-term mechanism is essential for the sustainability of a technology transfer programme.
developed a platform where policymakers, community leaders, technocrats of the country and rural artisans/weavers/farmers can interact and identify their needs to widen the scope of empowerment with sustainability. As a case study, the design and development of a Pirn Winding machine has been presented. The redesigned Pirn Winding machine outperformed the traditional one with respect to six assessment criteria: product quality, productivity, adaptability, drudgery, running costs, and initial investment. Also, RuTAG has judiciously used available resources, like unemployed youth, village-based workshops, and scrap materials, to minimise the cost of production. With consideration of ground realities, like a low-skilled labour force, inadequate electricity supply, and unavailability of all-weather roads during the design phase, the new machine is expected to create livelihood opportunities for those who are at the bottom of the pyramid. Replacement of traditional tools with better technology for rural weavers could both improve their productivity and reduce the frequency of musculoskeletal pain caused by inappropriate working posture in traditional weaving. RuTAG has created a new model of technology development and
5. Conclusion The mission of RuTAG mission is to address all three requisite conditions of sustainable development: economic empowerment, social inclusion, and environment protection. More importantly, RuTAG has
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Fig. 10. Technology transfer mechanism emerging under RuTAG projects.
delivery through collaboration with multiple actors to increase acceptance and survival of the technologies in resource-constrained societies. Such interventions are very necessary for the rural microenterprises to make them competitive in the global market.
Acknowledgement The authors acknowledge the assistance provided by Rural Technology Action Group - North East during data collection.
Annexure I. : Specification of the different parts of the new Pirn Winding machine Pirn Loading Motor: 0.5 hp/0.375 KW, 240v, spindle speed: 1440 rpm, single phase, capacitor start Motor Pulley (P1): Diameter: 2 inch, Material: Mild steel, 1 number Primary shaft (S1): Diameter: 0.5 inch; Material: Mild steel, 1 number Primary shaft pulley (P2):Diameter: 3 inch; Material: Mild steel, 1 number Primary shaft pulley (P3): Diameter: 4 inch; Material: Mild steel, 1 number Pirn holder pulley (P4): Diameter: 0.175 inch; Material: Mild steel, 6 number Ve belt connecting P1 and P2: Width: 0.21 inch, thickness: 0.175 inch, Material: leather, 1 number Pirn holder round belt: Diameter: 0.18 inch, Material: Composite polymer Idler pulley: Diameter: 0.625 inch, Material: Steel
Drawing mechanism Worm gear: Diameter: 1.725 inch, Length: 1.15 inch, TPI: 3, Number of starts: 1, Material: Cast iron, 1 number Spur gear: Module: 2.5, Number of teeth: 30, Thickness: 0.75 inch, Material: Cast iron, 1 number Cam shaft: Diameter: 0.5 inch, Material: Mild steel, 1 number Cam profile: 3 nose, Base circle radius: 2 inch, Offset: zero, Material: Cast iron, 1 number Cam follower: Type: Roller, Diameter: 0.625, Material: Mild steel, 1 number Connecting rod: Length: 1.5 inch, Material: Cast iron, 1 number Rocker arm: Length: 6.5 inch, Material: Cast iron, 1 number
Oscillation to drawing mechanism Cam: Profile: 3 nose, Base circle radius: 2 inch, Offset: zero, Material: Cast iron, 1 number Cam follower: Type: Roller, Diameter: 0.625, Material: Mild steel, 1 number 4- bar link: Link1: 6 inch, Link2: 14 inch, Link 3: 6.5 inch, Link4: 4.5 inch, Link5: 7 inch, Link6: 5.25 inch, Link7: 9 inch
Ratchet: Diameter: 2.475 inch, Material: Cast iron, 1 number Screw: Diameter: 0.4 inch, Length: 3 inch, TPI: 5, Material: Cast iron, 1 number
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