Leave it to ham radio operators to know how destructive, and even fatal, a lightning strike can be. That's why a number of years ago educators at a school in rural West Bengal, India, sought input from local hams for a project by physics students to help protect farmers when they are caught in the fields during storms and lightning strikes. According to reports in the Indian media, the homebrew, affordably built device, which resembles a bicycle’s wheel, has been evaluated by the Central Power Research Institute. It also received recognition in 2020 at the National Children's Science Congress, a national showcase for innovative technology devised by youngsters between the ages of 10 and 17. Newsline described the simple device in its first report on the project in November of 2019, noting that it affixes a wheel-like component to the top of a high bamboo pole. An electrical wire connects it to metal in the earth to ground it.

The secretary of the West Bengal Radio Club said in media reports that 40 such devices have already been put in place at 40 locations throughout northern Bengal where the fields for the farmers and their animals are moist and marshy.

Now the waiting begins: The Times of India reported that the patent application for the project was filed on the 27th of July.