Millions of Hindu pilgrims visit the Indian city of Nashik for the Kumbh Mela festival. Held once every twelve years the festival poses a major logisitical challenge to authorities. A 15-year-old tech developer has come up with a solution – a smart doormat placed at the exit of a temple to count each footstep, estimating crowd numbers and relaying data back to officials. It consists of strips of sensors set inside a thick plastic sheet, encased within a rubber mat and powered by an external charger.<br /><br /> Nilay Kulkarni, is one member of the team who invented the step tracker or Ashioto, meaning ‘footsteps’ in Japanese.<br /><br /> “I have an interest in technology. I wanted to do something which is useful for the people. Developing a game is not useful for them. It’s better if we do something which will help them or assist them, that’s why I do it.”<br /><br /> Twelve years ago dozens of people died or were injured during a stampede at the festival. The step tracker is just one way the authorities can stay o
