Surathkal (Karnataka), April 11 The National Institute of Technology Karnataka (NITK) has launched an innovative artificial intelligence platform, NOMAD (Node for Open-source Mobile AI Deployment), aimed at enabling reliable computing in remote and disaster-prone environments.
According to a statement issued on Saturday from NITK, the system has been developed as a field-ready AI system. NOMAD is designed to function independently of conventional cloud infrastructure, making it suitable for use in areas with limited connectivity, such as coastal regions and disaster zones.
The platform has been established at the institute’s SEARCH research facility along the Arabian Sea coast, where it operates out of a repurposed shipping container.
Built for resilience, the system uses four power sources — grid supply, rooftop solar, a mobile solar-battery unit, and a diesel generator with UPS backup — ensuring uninterrupted operation, it stated.
To maintain connectivity, the Institute said that NOMAD integrates multiple network options, including institutional fibre, broadband, and wireless links.
Its computing framework combines open-source clusters, edge devices, and high-capacity storage, with plans underway to integrate high-performance computing resources.
The project has been conceived by Dr Pruthviraj U and focuses on edge AI applications such as water systems management and coastal disaster intelligence. By enabling on-site data processing, the system aims to support real-time decision-making during emergencies like floods and landslides, it said.
The initiative is supported by NITK alumnus Padmanand Warrier, who emphasised the importance of decentralised AI systems. “In disaster scenarios, infrastructure is often the first casualty. Platforms like NOMAD ensure that critical computing capabilities remain operational where they are needed most,” he said.
NITK officials said the platform will also be integrated into academic programmes and expanded through interdisciplinary research, positioning the institute at the forefront of next-generation AI innovation.