NITK Surathkal Launches NOMAD, a Field-Ready AI Platform for Disaster and Remote Environments

Surathkal: National Institute of Technology Karnataka has unveiled NOMAD (Node for Open-source Mobile AI Deployment), a fully operational artificial intelligence research platform designed for deployment in remote, resource-constrained, and disaster-affected environments.

As AI systems increasingly rely on centralised data centres, real-world conditions such as disaster zones, coastal belts, and field research sites often face significant challenges related to connectivity, power, and infrastructure. NOMAD has been developed to address this gap by enabling reliable, on-site AI computing at the edge, supporting real-time data processing and decision-making even where conventional systems fail.

The platform is housed within a repurposed shipping container at NITK’s beachfront SEARCH research station along the Arabian Sea. It has been engineered as a self-sufficient system with four independent power sources — grid supply, rooftop solar installations, a towable 15 kW solar-battery unit, and a diesel generator supported by UPS backup.

To ensure uninterrupted communication, the system incorporates triple-redundant connectivity through institutional fibre, broadband, and a wireless bridge. Its computing architecture combines open-source clusters and edge devices with high-capacity storage, and integration with institutional high-performance computing resources is currently underway.

The initiative has been conceived by Dr. Pruthviraj U, Associate Professor in the Department of Water Resources and Ocean Engineering. The platform’s current research focus includes edge AI architecture, AI-driven water systems, and coastal disaster intelligence, particularly enabling localised data processing during events such as floods and landslides, where connectivity is often compromised.

The project is supported and mentored by NITK alumnus Padmanand Warrier, who highlighted the importance of decentralised AI systems in critical scenarios. He noted that infrastructure is often the first casualty during disasters, and platforms like NOMAD ensure continuity of critical computing functions.

NITK plans to expand the initiative through interdisciplinary research collaborations and integration into academic programmes, positioning NOMAD as a model for resilient, field-deployable AI systems.