Devdutt Patel of IBDP Class 12 Develops a Cooling Vest with Real-World Impact

Devdutt Patel of IBDP Year 12 turned empathy into innovation by developing a Phase-Change Material (PCM) Cooling Vest to address heat stress faced by outdoor workers.

 

Inspired by the school security guards who stand in the heat for over eight hours daily, Devdutt designed the vest as a solution to keep them safe and comfortable. After months of research, he tested and refined his prototype at the Godrej R&D facility in Pirangut, incorporating direct feedback from the guards.

 

 

The response was overwhelmingly positive, encouraging Devdutt to expand the initiative beyond campus. His project has since received a purchase order for 350 units for construction workers and is now moving into pilot deployments with traffic police and municipal workers, in collaboration with Leap-Cities (supported by WRI) and Mr. Ameet Satam, MLA (Juhu–Andheri region).