Undergraduate Innovation Pathway

Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) 1–3

This page presents early-stage undergraduate mini projects at MSRIT AICTE IDEA Lab, covering idea exploration, concept formulation, proof-of-concept development, and initial prototype validation.

Currently, we are collecting and organizing the list of mini projects executed in the MSRIT AICTE IDEA Lab. This repository will be updated shortly with project titles, abstracts, departments, teams, images, and TRL mapping.
Understanding TRL

What is Technology Readiness Level?

Technology Readiness Level (TRL) is a structured method used to describe the maturity of a technology or innovation. For undergraduate mini projects, TRL 1 to TRL 3 represents the earliest and most important stages of innovation, where students identify problems, formulate concepts, and validate basic solutions.

TRL 1
Basic Principles Observed

At this stage, students identify a real-world problem, study the underlying principles, and explore the technical background required to understand the challenge.

TRL 2
Concept Formulated

The project moves into concept development. Students define a possible solution, prepare basic designs or workflows, and establish the feasibility of the idea in principle.

TRL 3
Proof of Concept

Students build and test an initial proof of concept or early prototype to validate whether the proposed idea works in a controlled and limited form.

TRL 1–3 Project Progression

Undergraduate mini projects on this page typically progress from problem identification to concept formulation and then to early validation.

Stage 1
Problem Study

Observation, literature review, domain understanding

Stage 2
Concept Design

Solution idea, architecture, approach definition

Stage 3
Initial Validation

Proof of concept, prototype, early testing

Scope of this page

What kind of projects will be listed here?

This page is intended for early-stage undergraduate mini projects developed in the MSRIT AICTE IDEA Lab ecosystem. It focuses on student innovation before advanced deployment or commercialization.

Included on this page
  • Undergraduate mini projects and exploratory concepts
  • Problem-identification and domain-study projects
  • Design-thinking based innovation concepts
  • Proof-of-concept models and early prototypes
  • Initial validation work carried out inside IDEA Lab
  • Projects originating from IDT, SEC, IDEA Lab, or mini project pathways
Not the primary focus here
  • Large-scale deployment projects
  • Field-tested mature systems beyond early validation
  • Commercial production or full startup execution
  • Advanced TRL projects above Level 3
  • Highly integrated final products ready for market adoption

How students can identify their project stage

Many students are unsure where their project currently stands. This page helps classify undergraduate mini projects according to early TRL maturity.

  • If you have studied the problem but not defined the solution clearly, your project is likely at TRL 1.
  • If you have proposed a solution approach, design model, or concept architecture, your project is likely at TRL 2.
  • If you have built a basic model or tested an early prototype, your project is likely at TRL 3.
Problem Definition Concept Design Prototype Validation
Typical characteristics of TRL 1–3 projects
  • Clearly identified real-world problem statement
  • Background study or literature survey
  • Initial sketches, block diagrams, or solution flow
  • Technical assumptions and feasibility discussion
  • Limited experimentation or test setup
  • Low-fidelity prototype or proof-of-concept model
  • Early validation of idea or subsystem
Repository status

Projects Repository — Updating Shortly

We are currently compiling mini projects executed at MSRIT AICTE IDEA Lab. The list below shows the intended structure of the repository while submissions, abstracts, and TRL mapping are being organized.

Mini Project Records

Project titles, departments, student teams, and faculty mentors are being consolidated for publication.

Prototype Documentation

Images, design summaries, proof-of-concept notes, and validation snapshots will be updated shortly.

TRL Classification

Projects will be tagged according to TRL 1, TRL 2, or TRL 3 based on maturity and validation stage.

Illustrative examples

Sample project entries

The following cards illustrate how projects on this page may be presented once the repository is updated.

Example Entry
Smart Waste Segregation Concept
TRL 2 Mini Project Concept Formulation

A student team identifies the challenge of mixed waste disposal and proposes a sensor-supported concept for basic waste classification and routing.

  • Stage: Solution concept and architecture defined
  • Validation: Feasibility discussion and preliminary subsystem study
  • Next step: Build and test a proof-of-concept prototype
Example Entry
Low-Cost Indoor Air Quality Prototype
TRL 3 Mini Project Proof of Concept

The project develops a basic prototype using environmental sensors and an alert system to detect poor indoor air quality under limited test conditions.

  • Stage: Early prototype developed and demonstrated
  • Validation: Initial testing under controlled conditions
  • Next step: Improve reliability and move toward higher TRL validation

Start your mini project journey at the right TRL stage

This page is intended to guide students, faculty, and mentors in understanding early-stage innovation maturity. As the repository expands, it will serve as a reference for undergraduate mini projects executed in the MSRIT AICTE IDEA Lab.

Contact IDEA Lab