Records, Bengaluru (Bangalore) – Page 17

KARNATAKA: SPACE TECHNOLOGY: Government’s Visvesvaraya Industrial and Technological Museum (VTU) in Bengaluru Exhibits full-scale replica of Mars Rover Opportunity

The Mars Rover Opportunity model, which was kept as an exhibit at the Visvesvaraya Industrial and Technological Museum, was inaugurated on Thursday.

If you are curious to know how the Mars Rover Opportunity of US space agency NASA, which traversed through the barren land of the red planet and revealed many secrets about it, then head straight to the Space Technology gallery of the Visvesvaraya Industrial and Technological Museum (VITM) here.

The Mars Rover Opportunity model, which was built by the students of Cornell University and kept as exhibit at the VITM, was inaugurated by M Sankaran, Director, UR Rao Satellite Centre of Indian Space Research Organisation on Thursday.

The model was initially on display at the Smithsonian’s Air and Space Museum in Dulles, Virginia, in US, and later exhibited in the US Pavelion during the 2020 World Expo in Dubai.

The replica was then received by the American Centre in the US Consulate in Chennai where it was on display from November 2022 to March 2023 before landing at the VITM.

US Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade Marisa Lago said, “As the United States and India forge even closer cooperation across critical sectors, space provides yet another example of our partnership, with today’s dedication ceremony serving as a symbol of our mutual commitment.”

US Consul General in Chennai Judith Ravin said the arrival of the full-scale replica of Mars Rover Opportunity in India symbolised the longstanding space technology cooperation between India and the United States.

India is an important partner to the United States in space exploration. Initiated in 2005, the United States and India Civil Space Joint Working Group is the venue for a productive exchange of views and discussion on new and expanded areas for civil space cooperation, she pointed out.

According to Ravin, the civil space dialogue between United States and India is framed around four working groups: Earth sciences, space science and exploration, heliophysics, and human space flight.

“The cooperation between our two countries shows that the technologies developed in support of space exploration have real-world applications that affect all of us, from advancements in telecommunications and satellite navigation to agricultural monitoring and weather forecasting,” she said.

The Mars Rover Opportunity was operated on the red planet from 2004 to 2018. It sent thousands of pictures to its control station.

source/content: hindustantimes.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL / KARNATAKA: SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY: IISc Researchers Develop Novel Thermal Desalination System

These systems work by heating saltwater, then condensing the resulting vapour to obtain freshwater and can be a possible solution to increase the availability of clean, potable water.

As a possible solution to increase the availability of clean, potable water, Indian Institute of Science (IISc) researchers have developed a novel thermal desalination system which can work using solar energy.

The most common methods for desalination are membrane-based reverse osmosis and thermal desalination. However, both consume a lot of energy.

According to IISc, thermal desalination systems work by heating saltwater and then condensing the resulting vapour to obtain freshwater.

Environment-friendly

“But the energy required for evaporation is usually obtained from either electricity or combustion of fossil fuels. An environmental-friendly alternative is using solar stills in which solar energy is employed to evaporate saltwater in large reservoirs and the vapour that condenses on a transparent roof is collected. However, during condensation, a thin layer of water forms on the roof, reducing the amount of solar energy that can penetrate the reservoir and therefore, the system’s efficiency,” said IISc.

“As an alternative to such solar stills, the IISc team has developed a novel design for a solar-powered desalination unit that is more energy-efficient, cost-effective and portable, making it convenient to set up in areas with limited access to continuous electricity,” said Susmita Dash, Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and corresponding author of the study which has been published in Desalination.

The setup, designed by Dash and her PhD student Nabajit Deka, comprises a reservoir of saline water, an evaporator, and a condenser enclosed within an insulating chamber to avoid heat losses to the ambient air. Their system works by using solar thermal energy to evaporate a small volume of water imbibed or “wicked” into the evaporator, which has a textured surface. The wicking of liquid into the evaporator takes advantage of the capillary effect of microscale textures.

“This effect allows liquids to be drawn into narrow spaces of a porous material, much like water being absorbed by a sponge. Utilising this approach, instead of heating the entire liquid volume in the reservoir, results in a significant improvement in the system’s energy efficiency,” says Dash.

Works for groundwater too

Apart from seawater, the system can also work with groundwater containing dissolved salts as well as brackish water. It can be adjusted to align with the shifting positions of the sun during the day.

IISc said that the researchers are currently working on scaling up the system and improving its durability, and increasing the volume of drinking water produced, so that it can be deployed for domestic and commercial use.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL: KARNATAKA: The 02nd Trade &Investment Group (TIWG) G20 Members to Deliberate on Trade, Technology in Bengaluru, May 23-25

After the successful completion of the first Trade and Investment Working Group (TIWG) Meeting in Mumbai, the second TIWG under India’s G20 Presidency is scheduled in Bengaluru between May 23 and 25, said a statement from the Union Commerce Ministry.

During the three-day meeting, nearly 75 delegates from G20 countries, invitee countries, and regional and international organisations would participate in deliberations on finding agreed solutions on issues related to international trade and investment.

On Tuesday, a seminar is being organised which would discuss the disruptive role of technology in driving inclusive growth and resilient trade. Som Parkash, Minister of State for Commerce and Industry would deliver a keynote address.

Some 200 delegates from G20 member countries, international organisations, representatives from the technology sector and business community are expected to participate in deliberations on various issues around trade and technology.

Panel discussion

The seminar will also feature two panel discussions: one on how technology is reshaping trade and the other on transformative tools for revolutionising manufacturing and trade. Some of the panelists include Saurabh Chandra, Managing Director, Boston Consulting Group, Alok Nanda, CTO, GE South Asia and CEO GE India Technology Centre, Eske Bo Knudsen Rosenberg, Consul General and Head of Trade and Innovation Centre, Denmark.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

KARNATAKA: AIR TRANSPORT / FLYING TAXIS: Mysuru, Bengaluru Tech firms join Hands with Flying Taxi start-up ePlane to make Flying Electric Vehicles

ePlane is an IIT-Madras incubated start-up that aspires to build a compact flying taxi. The MoU aims at developing UAVs and flying electric vehicles.

Mysuru-based Vinyas Innovative Technologies and Bengaluru-based Printalytix have signed an MoU with an IIT-Madras incubated ePlane company, which specialises in building compact flying electric taxis and drone systems, for developing UAVs and flying electric vehicles.

Vinyas and Printalytix signed the MoU with ePlane in Mysuru on May 18.

Vinyas will be manufacturing various kinds of drones and UAVs as well as collaborating on marketing and servicing the same.

Printalytix will be providing mechanical design and manufacturing support for the production of UAVs and electric flying taxis.

The three companies aim to indigenise, manufacture, assemble, and integrate advanced drone systems at Vinyas’ production facility in Mysuru by leveraging ePlane’s technology and manufacturing know-how. Vinyas, reinforced by e-Plane, will provide after-market services, and product life-cycle support to its customers worldwide.

The MoU involves manufacturing of small and large UAVs as well as electric flying taxis that use eVTOL technology designed to fulfil requirements starting from land security and surveillance, delivery, rail inspections and monitoring, mapping, to emergency response in urban environments.

The MoU covers the work scope of electronics design and development, PCB assembly, system integration and testing of these UAVs and drone components. The UAVs of ePlane have successfully demonstrated their product capabilities in terms of range, battery life and unique design.

Prof. Satya Chakravarthy, founder and CEO of ePlane, said, “We aim to unlock the full potential of indigenisation, design, engineering and manufacturing that would contribute to the evolving advanced air mobility market and the Make-in-India scheme as well.”

Narendra Narayanan, founder and Managing Director of Vinyas Innovative Technologies, said, “The MoU aims to bring the best of drone technology solutions to many strategic entities. The partnership is a no-brain drainer, as our joint vision has matched up perfectly.”

According to Kiran and Abhishek, who represent Printalytix: “We witness the growing demand and need for drones in various sectors while the supply chain and manufacturing ecosystem in India are catching up to be able to support this growth.”

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL: KARNATAKA: TELECOM/CABLE NETWORKS: 1st Time in India – Bengaluru Hosts ‘International Telecommunication Union ITU-T Study Group 9 (SG-9)’ Meeting to Advance International Standards for Television Technology

The meeting on Broadband Cable and Television/Audiovisual content transmission and integrated broadband cable networks, is currently being held at the IISc.

The meeting of International Telecommunication Union ITU-T Study Group 9 (SG-9) is being hosted in India for the first time.

The meeting of SG-9 on “Broadband Cable and Television/Audiovisual content transmission and integrated broadband cable networks” is currently being held at the Indian Institute of Science.

First physical meeting

This is the first physical meeting of the SG-9 after the pandemic and the event was attended by delegates and representatives from Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Congo, Egypt, France, Gambia, Germany, India, Japan, Kenya, Korea, Myanmar, Nepal, Palestine, Sri Lanka, Syria, Switzerland, Tanzania, Thailand, Ukraine, and other countries. In addition, representatives of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), a UN organisation, and many other experts attended the meeting.

ITU is the oldest UN agency, found in 1865, to facilitate international connectivity in communications networks. ITU allocates global radio spectrum and satellite orbits, develops the technical standards that ensure networks and technologies seamlessly interconnect, and strives to improve access to Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs) to underserved communities worldwide.

The SG-9 at ITU is responsible for telecommunication systems for primary and secondary distribution of audiovisual content, including accessibility services and emerging interactive media.

The Study Group meeting also comprised the ITU Workshop on The Future of Television for South Asia, Arab and Africa Regions, covering regulatory and policy frameworks, emerging and convergent ICT infrastructures and services, as well as user interfaces and human factors.

Transitioning from analog

“At the workshop, while the future technologies of digital broadcasting were discussed, it was also highlighted that many countries are still facing challenges in transitioning from analog to digital broadcasting. I hope that the ITU workshop will serve as a platform for sharing best practices and help bridge the gap,” Seizo Oneo, director, Telecommunication Standardization Bureau (TSB) said.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL ACCLAIM: KARNATAKA: ARTS & CULTURE: ‘Gauri’ bags ‘Best Long Documentary Award’ at South Asian Film Festival of Montreal

‘Gauri’ is a documentary based on journalist and activist Gauri Lankesh, directed by Kavitha Lankesh.

“Gauri,” a documentary based on journalist and activist Gauri Lankesh, directed by Kavitha Lankesh, has won the “Best Long Documentary Award” at the South Asian Film Festival of Montreal 2023.

According to a release, the citation of the award reads: “A brave and uncompromising pulse-taking of the current crisis in Indian politics, focusing on the 2017 political assassination of trailblazing Bengaluru journalist Gauri Lankesh. A “J’accuse” docu-thriller directed and narrated with verve by Gauri’s sister, Kavitha Lankesh”.

The documentary “All That Breathes”, which was an Oscar nominee, was also in competition and won the runner-up prize.

The documentary film “Gauri” has been commissioned by Free Press Unlimited, Amsterdam. Free Press Unlimited mission stems from Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes the freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

GLOBAL: ARTS & CULTURE: Deepika Padukone Appears on Cover of TIME Magazine

The influential American magazine described Padukone as a ‘global star’ bringing ‘the world to Bollywood’.

Bollywood star Deepika Padukone has been featured on the latest cover of TIME magazine. The iconic American magazine described Padukone as a ‘global star’ bringing ‘the world to Bollywood’. It had previously named Padukone among its list of 100 most influential people in the world in 2018.

On Instagram, Padukone shared pictures and videos from the cover shoot. The Pathaan and Padmaavat actor is seen clad in an oversized light brown suit with no footwear.

Padukone’s international profile has risen over the years. In 2017, she made her Hollywood debut opposite Vin Diesel in XXX: Return of Xander Cage. She unveiled the 2022 FIFA World Cup trophy in Qatar and was a jury member at Cannes.

Earlier this year, Padukone was seen presenting at the 95th Academy Awards, where ‘Naatu Naatu’ won Best Original Song.

In the accompanying profile in TIME magazine, Padukone was asked about the frequent political controversies that have marked her career. These include protests against her 2018 period drama film Padmaavat, the reactions to her appearance at a student vigil in Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in 2020, and the backlash against her “saffron” outfit in a song in Pathaan.

“I don’t know if I’m supposed to feel something about it,” Deepika was quoted as saying about the political backlash. “But the truth is, I don’t feel anything about it.”

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

Tech blog winner’s programme to identify plants may prove a game changer in Ayurvedic pharma sector

Dr K V N Rajesh, a certified trainer on the Azure platform and holds a doctorate in deep learning, says that his model has achieved 95 per cent accuracy in identifying images of leaves available on the internet, based on the plant “flavia”.

With Ayurveda making rapid strides in the Indian pharmaceutical industry, the winning entry by Dr K V N Rajesh in the first phase of the ongoing Microsoft Azure Blogathon contest may prove to bring dynamic change rooted in this direction. The programme, written in the Python programming language and using Microsoft’s Azure cloud platform, is intended to help distinguish between different types of plants.

Rajesh, who is a certified trainer on the Azure platform and holds a doctorate in deep learning, said that there are many species of plants and identifying them based on the leaves is a task that needs to be solved. “Many companies making Ayurvedic products use leaves in their products, and identifying the exact species is a crucial problem,” he says. He also explains that the same concept can be applied in the agricultural field, specifically with regard to dealing with plant diseases and pests.

“Plant leaves have attributes such as colour, shape, texture etc. based on which you can identify them. I developed an architecture based on a deep learning model, a subset of artificial intelligence which will automatically grasp these attributes. The model which is generated is trained with images of leaves. When the model training is complete, it is validated based on the data set of the leaves,” he points out.

The second phase of testing involves testing the accuracy of the model. According to Rajesh, his model has achieved 95 per cent accuracy in identifying images of leaves available on the internet, based on the plant “flavia”.

“Thirty per cent of the images were used to train the model, and the rest were used to test it,” he says. He intends to take the programme further by incorporating it into a mobile application.

source/content: indianexpress.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL: CORONATION INVITATION: Bengaluru’s Dr. Issac Mathai Invited by Buckingham Palace to attend King Charles III Coronation

Dr. Issac Mathai, a city doctor and the Chairman of SOUKYA, International Holistic Centre, has been invited by Buckingham Palace, London, to the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla on May 6.

Dr. Mathai, already in London, said he would attend the pre-coronation party at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday.

Dr. Mathai’s association with the British royal family goes back many years. While Camilla had visited SOUKYA around eight times for holistic treatment, Charles visited once in 2019.

Speaking to The Hindu, Dr. Mathai said, “For 18 years, both the King and Queen Consort have been consulting me as a holistic consultant. The Queen Consort has visited SOUKYA eight times, and the King came once. They really enjoyed being in India at our centre for treatment.”

“Being a part of the coronation is the proudest moment of my life. I regularly meet the King and the Queen Consort in London. Other than medical consultation, the King has some interest in holistic medicine. The King and I also have a common interest in organic farming and climate change,” he said.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL RECORDS: Bengaluru Cartoonist Panduranga Rao’s ‘Hand Made Flip Books’ In India Book And World Records

The creation of ‘Hand Made Flip Books’ by noted Bengaluru-based cartoonist B.V. Panduranga Rao has earned the honour of getting entry into India Book of Records, Asia Book of Records, Unique World Records and World Records India as Maximum Hand Made Flip Books.

Fifty unique Flip Books created in different sizes included the smallest size Flip Book 0.3 cm X 1.2 cm and are with the theme on sports and games, environment degradation, water, COVID-19 and on other educative 3D subjects. The 3D animated sketches are drawn in each page, coloured in pencil and video recorded of playing Flip Book also added with music.

When these pages of Flip Books are flipped rapidly, one can see the movement of the images just like a movie of playing Foot Ball, Cricket, Tennis, Javelin throw, Swimming, Tree Cutting, Vehicle Pollution, taking care against COVID, etc.

The 79-year-old cartoonist Rao’s various creations and achievements have already entered 14 times in Limca Book of Records, 12 times in India Book of Records, 5 times in Unique World Records, 3 times in World Record India, Universal Record Forum, URF Asia Record, Elite World Record, Asia Grand Master Certificate and URF legend award. He is a recipient of numerous National and international awards and honours.

source/content: starofmysore.com (headline edited)