[ECO]Graviky Labs: Turning India’s Smog Problem into Ink

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Graviky Labs, an Indian-based company, converts vehicle soot into ****** ink as a way to combat the pollution crisis.

India’s air pollution crisis has reached alarming levels, with New Delhi frequently ranked among the world’s most polluted cities. Anirudh Sharma, an MIT researcher originally from India, found an innovative solution to this issue.

His startup, Graviky Labs, works to convert harmful soot particles into ****** ink. The technology addresses air quality and transforms pollutants into a valuable resource. The ultimate goal of both is to reduce emissions and raise environmental awareness.

At the heart of Graviky’s approach is a small, silver device called the Kaalink. It captures up to 95% of particulate matter from vehicle exhausts. When attached to car exhaust pipes, the Kaalink device prevents pollution from dispersing into the atmosphere by collecting carbon-rich particles, which Graviky then processes into a ****** pigment. This pigment becomes the basis of Air Ink, a product that includes pens, markers, and artist paints, and serves as a medium for individuals and artists to creatively repurpose pollution into art.

Sharma’s vision for Graviky Labs began during a visit to India, where he saw firsthand the worsening smog that threatened health and quality of life. After testing the Kaalink on cars with high emissions, Sharma and his team realized the device had the potential to capture enough soot to create thousands of units of ink. Over time, they transformed this idea into a

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. “While at the MIT Media Lab, we asked ourselves a simple question. How can we turn something as ugly as air pollution into something as useful as ink?” Sharma said.

While Graviky Labs understands that Kaalink devices alone will not drastically improve air quality, the team is committed to increasing the impact by expanding the device’s availability. Co-founder Nikhil Kaushik has noted that for Kaalinks to make a significant difference, they would need widespread adoption across urban areas. “Its effect will be minimal unless Kaalinks are deployed on a large scale and there is an entire ecosystem around it,” Kaushik told The Huffington Post India.

The Kaalink device itself works for roughly fifteen days before requiring maintenance, at which point it can be cleaned at a gas station. Once collected, the soot undergoes a chemical process that transforms it into high-quality ink, which is sold as Air Ink. Graviky’s process of repurposing pollution into usable products not only reduces the amount of airborne particulate matter but also encourages a shift toward sustainable consumer goods. The ink can be used in a range of artistic and commercial products, further contributing to the circular economy.

Graviky has promoted Air Ink through various collaborations and events aimed at highlighting pollution issues. A partnership with Singaporean beer company Tiger, for example, brought public attention to Air Ink through street art projects that used the ink to create murals depicting environmental themes. By integrating art and environmental awareness, Graviky Labs hopes to inspire consumers to think differently about pollution and sustainability. Through these projects, Air Ink has become more than just a product—it has grown into a movement aimed at turning pollution into purpose.

The project’s Kickstarter campaign has also shown significant public interest, reaching nearly 50% of its funding goal with weeks to spare. Funds raised through the campaign will support increased production and distribution of Kaalink devices, enabling their deployment on a larger scale and potentially expanding to markets beyond India. With increased resources, Graviky Labs hopes to foster an environment where individuals and communities can participate directly in

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The environmental and economic potential of Graviky’s approach is multifaceted. By capturing exhaust particles before they become airborne, Kaalink reduces harmful pollutants that contribute to respiratory illnesses and environmental degradation. Additionally, converting soot into Air Ink provides an alternative to conventional ink manufacturing, which often relies on petrochemical processes. Thus, Air Ink not only reuses waste but also lessens reliance on fossil fuel-derived products, helping to minimize the environmental impact of ink production.

In a broader context, Air Ink has the potential to create economic benefits through job opportunities within the sustainable goods industry. Graviky Labs envisions a future where the demand for products that repurpose pollution, such as Air Ink, could create new jobs in sectors ranging from technology to retail. If adopted at scale, this approach could also lower healthcare costs by reducing pollution-related health risks, ultimately generating economic savings in smog-heavy urban areas.

Graviky Labs’ work is part of a global movement focused on finding creative solutions to environmental challenges. Similar projects are being developed in India and abroad, including an MIT-led team testing jet engines to shift smog out of cities. While neither technology offers a complete solution, experts suggest that a combination of large-scale interventions, such as city-wide filtration systems, and smaller, community-level innovations like Kaalink could effectively reduce pollution levels in high-risk areas.

As Graviky Labs looks toward the future, the company remains committed to expanding both the availability and environmental impact of its products. Through continued partnerships, public engagement, and advocacy, Graviky Labs hopes to lead a shift toward sustainable living practices and inspire other industries to repurpose waste products into valuable resources. With efforts like Graviky Labs, there is hope that India and other heavily polluted areas may see gradual but meaningful progress toward cleaner air.

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