Category Archives: Science & Technology

Scoliosis surgery performed on 16-yr-old girl

Records, All, Science & Technology

Kozhikode :

As an initiative to sensitise people on available treatment for bone and joint disorders, city based Aster Malabar Institute of Medical Sciences (MIMS) has performed a Scoliosis surgery on a 16-year-old girl.

The surgery was conducted yesterday as an observance of “Bone and Joint Day” for the girl, who had come from Aluva, to  Aster MIMS with deformity in alignment of the spine giving rise to a side-to-side curvature called ‘scoliosis’, a release from MIMS said today.

As the degree of curvature was large, it was decided to treat it surgically and a team of surgeons under Dr Suresh S Pillai , Senior Consultant Orthopaedic and Spine Surgeon conducted the surgery, the release said. Considering that the disability would affect her future, if not treated, while treatment would enable the girl live a normal life, it was decided to conduct the surgery free of cost as the family could not afford it.

Dr Pillai  said the purpose of observing the Day is not only to create awareness among bone and joint problems.

The surgery was succesful and the girl was expected to be discharge after five days, he said.

On a request from Indian Orthopaedic Association  in 2012, the Union Health Ministry decided to observe ‘Bone and Joint Day’ on August 4 every year to focus on treatment related issues concerning bones and joints and create awareness among people on the growing problems related to bones and joints, the release added.

KV APR APR

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Kozhikode / PTI / August 05th, 2016

NIIST’s novel technology to check acidic pollutants in TiO2 production by PSUs

Science & Technology

Thiruvananthapuram :

Cancer causing Acidic effluent flow from public sector undertakings (PSUs) in Kerala involved in the production of titanium dioxide (TiO2) pigment could be minimised if it opts for a novel technology. This innovative technology developed by CSIR- National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (NIIST) would help reduce 75 percent acidic pollutant discharge in the production of TiO2 from ilmenite ore extracted from the black sands of Kerala.

Now, this new technology developed at NIIST proved successful in the production of titanium feedstock with more than 90% TiO2 in laboratory and semi pilot plant scale. The process is most environment friendly with more than 70% reduction in acid consumption and bulk of the iron is removed in the form of oxides, free of excess acidity and chloride contamination, CSIR- NIIST director A Ajayaghosh told TOI.

“This new technology assures to reduce 75 percent acidic effluent discharge by removing iron from ilmenite” NIIST senior scientist Harikrishna Bhat told TOI. Further he said, Ilmenite mineral from coastal sands of Kerala contains 58 percent titanium dioxide (TiO2), iron and iron oxide. The technology involves removing iron from ilmenite through metallisation and rusting process to separate 80 to 85 percent TiO2. This rutile grade TiO2 is further enriched to produce 90 per cent Ti02, which is high rutile grade titanium dioxide, a white pigment used as paints for aerospace components. The titanium alloy developed from high grade TiO2 is resistant to high temperatures and corrosion and is used for aircraft, armour plating, naval ships, spacecraft’s, he said.

As part of technology transfer, NIIST has partnered with a Tamilnadu based company VV Minerals which is keen to demonstrate the technology at its 100 Tonnes per day capacity plant facility. The company in the presence of its director V Subramanian has already signed an agreement with NIIST to implement the technology.

The PSUs involved in TiO2 production include Kerala Minerals and Metals Limited (KMML) at Chavara and Travancore Titanium Products (TTP) at Veli. TTP’s mode of production of TiO2 pigment is through the sulphate process using sulphuric acid to produce anatase grade TiO2. It is considered lesser grade TiO2 used for interior paints and electronic components, compared to KMML’s rutile grade TiO2 produced from chloride route using hydrochloric acid. Both these PSUs indicate that they have sewerage treatment facilities, yet the acidic discharge could be minimised further, if it opts for change.

While, Kerala PSUs are yet to opt for the technology. “I had appraised about this technology process to KMML and it could be inducted with minimum investment. I will also write to the concerned Ministry to take it forward for such state PSUs,” Ajayaghosh said.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Thiruvananthapuram / by Laxmi Prasanna / July 12th, 2016

‘India is Hollywood’s VFX capital’

Arts,Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Records, All, Science & Technology, World Opinion

Thiruvananthapuram:

Terminator 2, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and X-Men: First Class are all top Hollywood productions and what sets these movies apart are their perplexing visual effects (VFX). The man credited for leading the VFX team behind these movies, and many others, Michael Karp, held a session on the visual effects trends in Hollywood and Bollywood here on Saturday. The session was jointly organized by the Kerala Chalachitra Academy and Toonz Animation Academy.

The VFX expert, who has been part of several VFX-centric movies like Titanic, Batman vs Superman and Hunger Games, has been residing in India for the past three years. “India has evolved to become a centre for all of Hollywood’s VFX needs. Availability of talented yet cheap labour has prompted producers to shift almost all animation activities to India. Most Hollywood movies are now animated in India,” said Karp. VFX work for a film which may cost $100 million in the US, could be made at a staggeringly low cost of $10 million in India without compromising on the quality, he said.

“There was a time when the quality of VFX facilities and talent available in India was inferior to what Hollywood has to offer. But the budget available for doing Bollywood movies are high nowadays and therefore movie makers do not have to compromise on quality,” Karp said. Asked about the quality of the animation training institutes in India, he said that though there are some which offer top notch training, majority fails to impart necessary skills required to work on Hollywood films. All VFX studios have their own in house training facilities that sculpture inductees to levels they require.

Though the movie industry is big and despite several VFX work of Hollywood movies now being done in India, Karp said only the ‘cream of the crop’ gets to work with the best studios in the country. “There are about 10,000 or 20,000 people making movies for billions of others. Therefore the rate of employment generation in VFX remains relatively low despite the industry’s large size,” Karp said.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Thiruvananthapuram / TNN / July 10th, 2016

Starting with caution, they emerge victorious

Business & Economy, Science & Technology

Success story:The LED manufacturing unit of the start-up Semilon Technologies Pvt. Ltd. at Peroorkada.
Success story:The LED manufacturing unit of the start-up Semilon Technologies Pvt. Ltd. at Peroorkada.

Start-up by five youths makes turnover of Rs.1 crore in 2014-15

While several start-ups have been launched in the State in the past few years, not many have been able to break even and go on to register profits.

The feeling of uncertainty could easily have dissuaded a group of five youths from floating their start-up company soon after graduating from a self-financing college at Karakulam in 2010. But, pooling in the caution deposits they received from the college, they launched their endeavour, which primarily focused on supplying LED lights.

“Despite many odds, we were confident of tapping the potential of such a venture though LED lights were not in vogue then as they are now,” says Jino V. Manohar, one of the founders of the company. Amal Raj, Arul Raj, Shahab Ellias Iqbal and A.K. Surjith are the other members of the group.

Their decision turned out to be a masterstroke with their company, Semilon Technologies Pvt. Ltd. at Peroorkada, witnessing a turnover of Rs.1 crore during the 2014-15 fiscal. The company has a workforce of 12 people at present.

Their journey has been far from smooth. However, the company has gone on to bag the commendation award from the Kerala State Energy Management Centre in 2012 for manufacturing energy-efficient equipment.

Diversification

After establishing themselves in the market, they ventured into lighting design services in 2014. “Lighting design is an important component in architecture and has become increasingly popular over the years. There are several takers for planning the specifics of lighting equipment while designing the interiors and exteriors of a building right from its planning stage,” Mr. Manohar says.

Besides having commenced a solar power plant division, the group also diversified to create a R&D consulting division. They were recently empanelled as one of the few channel partners by the Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy to implement solar power plants.

e-crop

The R&D division had recently developed ‘e-crop’ for the Central Tuber Crops Research Institute (CTCRI) at Sreekaryam.

The device is equipped with multiple sensors for various purposes, including assessing soil parameters, solar radiation and predicting crop yield.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Thiruvananthapuram / by Staff Reporter / Thiruvananthapuram – July 06th, 2016

‘India’s medical wisdom ignored’

Leaders, Science & Technology, World Opinion

Thiruvananthapuram:

“India is rich in ancient wisdom, and there’s a lot to learn from our own country, before you look towards the West for knowledge.”

These words by medical scientist and former vice-chancellor of Manipal University Dr B M Hegde were not to create confusion in the minds of budding physicians and medical scientists, but to enlighten them on the ethics of modern medicine and to warn them about the ‘murky business behind western science’.

He was delivering a talk as the part of the lecture series organized by Santhigiri Research Foundation, Santhigiri ashram on Monday.

Always a strong critic of ‘monopoly of western medicine’ and a visiting faculty at many universities in the country and abroad, Dr Hegde was candid on how the governments jeopardized the health system to protect the interests of powerful corporations.

“We have all been brainwashed into following western science through false campaigns. Western medical science is all about making money. Now, the Indian wisdom, including the practice of yoga, is being commercialized by the west,” he said.

“Unfortunately, we are inclined to condemn anything that’s Indian, including Ayurveda, Siddha and Yunani. Instead of going for a morning walk in the nature barefoot, which can rejuvenate our body and mind and keep us healthy, we have fallen for jogging shoes being aggressively marketed by the corporate world,” Dr Hegde said, quoting from books from the western world, including ‘Science for Sale’ by David Lewis and ‘Blinded by Science’ by Mathew Silverstone.

“There’s no freedom of health in the US, where it’s mandatory for a child to have 56 vaccines in the first year, when we all know that breast milk is the best vaccine for a child,” he said.

A recipient of both Dr B C Roy award and Padma Bhushan, Dr Hegde was also critical about the ‘wrong priorities’ of various governments and universities while initiating scientific researches. “We come across many science research journals which are of no use to anyone, while there’s a dearth of studies which actually would be useful to mankind,” he added.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Thiruvananthapuram / TNN / July 05th, 2016

Rural boy steals show at space camp

Education, Science & Technology

P.S. Abhinand of Balussery Government High School was awarded the ‘Best Student’ title at the recently concluded six-day space camp organised by the Karnataka State Council for Science and Technology in association with Bengaluru-based Cindrebay Nurture.

Abhinand was credited with the title on the basis of his performance at various levels during the camp, which was attended by more than 70 students from premier educational institutions in Bengaluru.

Office-bearers of the Uralungal Labour Contract Cooperative Society (ULCCS) said the Class X boy was a member of their Vagbhatananda Educational Project at the Unnikulam centre.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Kozhikode / Staff Reporter / Kochi – June 27th, 2016

Docs’ celluloid initiative to dispel vaccination fears set for release

Arts,Culture & Entertainment, Science & Technology

Kochi  :

‘Thiricharivukal’ (Realisation), a short film, that seeks to counter the vituperative campaign against vaccination witnessed in some parts of Northern Kerala is now set to wow audiences nationwide. The film made by Kerala Chapter of Indian Association of Paediatricians, is being dubbed into Hindi and will be released in the first week of July.

“It was in 2008 that outbreak of diphtheria and tetanus were witnessed  in the state after a gap of 30 years and most of these cases were reported from Malappuram. Kerala Branch of the Indian Academy of Paediatrics (IAP) has been carrying out a campaign in support of the vaccination drive.  However, the social media was full of anti-vaccination campaigns based on half-baked truths. Some naturopathy healers were behind this. So we wanted to  to counter it,”  said  Dr Jiss Thomas Palukunnel, IAP secretary,  Kottayam Branch, who conceived  the idea which eventually coalesced into an eight minute-long film.

Though Paediatricians spearheaded the counter campaign, doctors from other streams, majority of whom hailed from Kottayam, were also part of the endeavor. Besides Dr Jiss Thomas, the cast includes Dr Sunu John, who is also the  vice-president of IAP Kottayam Chapter, Anaesthetist Dr Bulbul, surgeon Dr Jibin and Dr Linto from the Department of Health Services. The film, which is available on You Tube link http://youtu.be/ 10pyMi4b0po, depicts a middle class family where the husband is staunchly opposed to the idea of vaccinating his daughter on the grounds that he was quite healthy despite not receiving vaccination as a child. And the opening scene shows the girl asking her father whether she could get herself vaccinated since it was Vaccination Day at her school.  But the man’s stubborn stand  forces his wife and daughter to fall silent.

Later on,  the man realises that his friend’s daughter had died of diphteria and he rushes off to his daughter’s school. There he finds his daughter remaining all alone in the classroom as her batchmates had gone for vaccination.  Transformed, he takes his daughter to the doctor to get her vaccinated thereby showing a change in the mindset.

According to Dr Jiss, the film would be screened in schools as part of IAP’s DIET (Diet, Interaction and Immunisation, Exercise and TV and social networking) programme.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Kochi / by Express News Service / June 24th, 2016

UK-bound to expand studies on her own people

Education, Inspiration/ Positive News and Features, Science & Technology, World Opinion

Aneesha
Aneesha

Thiruvananthapuram  :

Twenty-three-year old Aneesha from Valiyathura fishing hamlet is now in the league of elite research students. She has become the only student from the state to be selected for training in biodiversity and taxonomy from the famous Field Studies Council, an environmental education charity in the United Kingdom.

Eldest daughter of fisher parents Ani and Reena, Aneesha has always set herself high standards in academics. After studying at local schools and graduation from St Xavier’s, Thumba, she bagged the 18th rank in an all-India exam to get admission at the MSc programme conducted by Department of Ocean Studies and Marine Biology, Pondicherry University, on its Port Blair campus in Andaman and Nicobar Islands. She is the first student from a fishing community to join the campus.  ‘’When I contacted the University for a stipend reserved for fishermen’s children, the authorities were not aware of it,’’ she says with a chuckle.

According to Aneesha, it’s her interest in the people and life of fishermen community she hails from that got her into marine ecology. She is also part of the NGO Friends of Marine Life, which conducted the first documentation to prepare a bioregistry in Thiruvananthapuram coast for Kerala State Biodiversity Board in 2013-15.  The effort made her realise that fishermen like her father who depend on hook-and-line fishing are in for trouble as the natural rocky reefs are getting damaged by pollution and construction activities in the name of development. Her house situated at the south of Valiyathura pier was affected in the recent sea surge which, according to her, has to be partly blamed for dredging activities nearby.

‘‘After completing my studies, I want to expand my study to the entire coastline of the state and document the eco-sensitive areas,’’ she says.  Aneesha says she can be more effective in research as she understands the ‘language’ of her own community.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Thiruvananthapuram /  by Unnikrishnan S / June 22nd, 2016

Kerala start-up wins global recognition

Records, All, Science & Technology, World Opinion

Kochi : (IANS)

Kerala entrepreneur  Shaffi Mather’s MUrgency has won the third annual Challenge Cup 2016 among 3,000 start-ups from 59 cities across the world.

It won the first prize of $50,000 and AUS$10,00,000 in fresh investments. There were 65 semi-finalists and eight finalists in the competition.

MUrgency is using the power of mobile technology and networks to build One Global Emergency Response Network. The start-up provides an app which alerts the nearest available doctor, nurse or paramedic who come to the rescue of a patient within minutes.

The emergency feature of the app has been launched in Punjab. The firm plans to reach out to rest of India in 2018 and around the world by 2020.

According to MUrgency founder and CEO Mather, with this latest win his start-up has won three of the largest tech competitions in the world this year. The other competitions were Startup Grind 2016, SXSW 2016 and 1776 Global Challenge Cup 2016.

“This validates our idea and the fact that emergency response sector is ready,” said Mather who was economic adviser to former Kerala Chief Minister Oomen Chandy.

MUrgency recently received investments from Ratan Tata, and Infoys founders  Kris Gopalakrishnan and S.D. Shibulal.

MUrgency was launched in 2015 with membership in Business Call to Action at the United Nations Development Programme , in academic partnership with Stanford Change Labs, Harvard Asia Center and MIT Global Health, and as an initiative of the World Economic Forum’s Forum of Young Global Leaders Community.

–IANS / sg/bim/dg

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Kochi / IANS / June 20th, 2016

VSSC former director MC Dathan to take charge as scientific advisor to Kerala CM

Business & Economy, Leaders, Science & Technology

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan

Thiruvananthapuram  :

The state government has chosen distinguished space scientist of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and former director of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) Padma Shri M Chandra Dathan as the scientific advisor to the new Chief Minister Pinnarayi Vijayan.

It is perhaps for the first time in the history of state that a chief minister who is also in-charge of the science and technology portfolio appoints a space scientist as advisor on scientific matters.

When contacted, Chandra Dathan told TOI, “Had met the chief minister three days back as invited. When the chief minister of the state had sought the consent to appoint me as scientific advisor, I agreed. I am yet to receive a formal letter of appointment and am told that I will receive it by Monday”.

Further, Dathan said, “I might even take charge on Monday. Based on discussions with the chief minister and his guidance, priority areas for scientific development in the state will be looked into and will work on it accordingly”.

Dathan began his illustrious career in 1972 joining ISRO where he worked on the SLV-3 project during its design phase and later on moved to solid propellant formulations. In 2000, he became the head of the ablative nozzle production unit and went on to become the chief executive of the Solid Propellant Plant for PSLV and GSLV boosters where he supervised the establishment of a new Solid Propellant Plant commissioned in 2008. From there he took over as director of Satish Dhawan Space Centre in 2008.

During his tenure, Chandradathan contributed towards the improvement of production levels of solid boosters. In 2013 he was appointed director of the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC). In July 2014, he was appointed as the director of VSSC and the same year, the nation had honoured him with Padma Shri for his outstanding contribution in the area of space research.

He has also been recognized with many accolades for his contribution by ISRO and many other organisations including the Management Leadership Award – 2014 by Trivandrum Management Association, an affiliate of All India Management Association.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Thiruvananthapuram / by Laxmi Prasanna / TNN / June 04th, 2016