Category Archives: Education

Mohandas College of Engineering students find new way to disinfect water

Education, Inspiration/ Positive News and Features, Records, All, Science & Technology

Here’s a solution to counter the lack in quality of packaged water distributed in the city.

Thiruvananthapuram : 

Here’s a solution to counter the lack in quality of packaged water distributed in the city. Even as concerns are being raised over the safe consumption of bottled water in the city, a group of students from Mohandas College of Engineering have come up with an innovative solution which helps in getting rid of the E-coli in the water and acting as a disinfectant. 

The project titled ‘Design of a water disinfection system using silver and copper nanoparticle impregnated coconut shell waste carbon’ was proposed by a team of students- Shilpa K Nayana, Akhila Krishnan C and Shilpa Raj S from Mohandas College of Engineering and Technology (MCET), Nedumangad. They were guided by their professors, K M Usha, the principal investigator and  S S Shijina, the co-investigator of the project.

“ The inspiration behind this project is the sense of responsibility towards society as citizens in general and biotechnologists in particular. After the floods, the presence of E- Coli had become a major concern with many packaged water bottles testing positive to the presence of the bacteria. This is why we thought of developing a project using raw materials which could not only help in purifying water but also act as a disinfectant which can kill 99 per cent of E Coli,” said  Shilpa K Nayana, one of the innovators.

Decontamination of drinking water by making use of the raw materials, which are available in abundance, is the prime objective of the project. The project envisages to set up a synergetic system capable of adsorption as well as destructing microbial organisms. This innovative attempt makes use of anti-bacterial property of nanoparticles and absorption. Silver and copper are synthesised and impregnated onto the coconut waste to provide disinfection against E Coli and other organisms. “Unlike the normal water purifiers that only help in purifying water but fail in disinfecting, our innovation has both the purifying and disinfecting facility,” said Shilpa. The students say the procedures are cheap and safer.  It also helps in recycling water thereby reducing the demand for fresh water. 

The team was also selected for funding by Kerala Technological University (KTU) Center for Engineering Research and Development (CERD) under the scheme ‘CERD Student Project 2018’. The team has also bagged the second position in idea presentation at ‘TheTech Conclave’, which is the flagship event of Drishti, the annual technical festival of College of Engineering, Trivandrum.  ‘Engineers for society’ was this year’s theme. This accomplishment has paved the way for direct entry to ‘Idea Day’ by Kerala Startup Mission.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Thiruvananthapuram / by Steni Simon / Express News Service / January 16th, 2019

New genus of tarantulas recorded in Kerala

Agriculture, Education, Green Initiatives & Environment, Nature, Records, All, Science & Technology, World Opinion

(From left) Annandaliella ernakulamensis, which is found only in Thattekkad in Ernakulam; Poecilotheria hanumavilasumica from Chinnar in Kerala; and Poecilotheria rufilata that the survey team recorded from Achenkovil.

Recent floods could have affected survival of rare spiders, claims arachnologist

Kerala is home to around six species of large, hairy spiders called tarantulas. But a four-year Statewide survey by a team from Kuravilangad’s Deva Matha College now shows that Kerala may be home to more than 11 species of these often iridescently-coloured arachnids.

New genus and species

The research project, for which a team led by Sunil K. Jose (assistant professor at Deva Matha College) surveyed several districts including Kasaragod, Kollam and Ernakulam for tarantulas, has identified four genus of the large spiders (Sahydroaraneus, Chilobrachys, Neoheterophrictus and Thrigmopoeus) that have not been recorded in the State before.

Poecilotheria hanumavilasumica from Chinnar in Kerala

For instance, the team recorded Chilobrachys fimbiratus (also called the Indian violet spider, which is endemic to the Western Ghats of Karnataka and Maharashtra) in Kasaragod district.

Similarly, they spotted the Rameshwaram Parachute Spider (Poecilotheria hanumavilasumica) which has so far been recorded only from Tamil Nadu’s Ramanathapuram district (found only on the Rameshwaram Island and Mandapam area here) from Chinnar in Kerala. This tarantula has been classified as critically endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s Red List. Totally, tarantulas from seven genus have now been recorded in the State.

Poecilotheria rufilata that the team recorded from Achenkovil

The range extensions of the genus and species had been described in the report submitted to the University Grants Commission, which funded the work that focused on studying spiders belonging to the family Theraphosidae, said Dr. Jose. He also presented the results at the recently-concluded international conference of the Asian Society of Arachnology at Bangkok, Thailand.

Kerala floods

While deforestation was one of the threats that the forest-dwelling tarantulas faced along the Western Ghats, the recent floods that Kerala witnessed could have affected the species in those areas too, said Dr. Jose.

“All tarantulas seen in Kerala except those in the genus Poecilotheria [tiger spiders] live in burrows in the ground. These would have become submerged during the floods,” he said.

Yet another threat that tarantulas face is collection for the illegal pet trade across the world. Kerala’s colourful tarantulas belonging to the genus Poecilotheria and Haploclastus were collected illegally and were available for sale on the internet for as high as $275, he added.

Tarantulas are a group of large, hairy spiders that can live up to 10 to 20 years.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities / by Staff Reporter / Kochi – December 04th, 2018

IIT Palakkad joins hands with UST Global

Education, Records, All, World Opinion

For the joint R&D, the students will work at UST Global’s Infinity LabsTM for three to six months across the company’s various locations in India.

Thiruvananthapuram  :

UST Global has partnered with the Indian Institute of Palakkad (IIT Palakkad) to conduct joint R&D in technologies like AI/ML and Brain-Machine Interface, internship and job placement for the students. For the joint R&D, the students will work at UST Global’s Infinity LabsTM for three to six months across the company’s various locations in India.

“This will offer a platform to the B.Tech students for joint R&D on new-age technologies. We are certain this will help the students get the right exposure to kick-start their career in technology,” said Alexander Varghese, chief administrative officer and country head of UST Global.

“It will not only help our undergraduate students get exposure to the latest know-how in the industry but also enable in technological innovations that answer real-world problems and address future needs of industry.

The internship experience will help them prepare well for taking up challenging industry problems in their future career,” said Vinod A Prasad, dean of Industry Collaboration and Sponsored Research, IIT-PKD.

source:  http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Thiruvananthapuram / by Express News Service / December 05th, 2018

Burial urn of Megalithic era unearthed

Amazing Feats, Education, Historical Links, Pre-Independence, Records, All, Travel, World Opinion

A burial urn unearthed at Hydermettu, near Nedumkandam in Idukki district, is believed to be the largest one found in the region.

Largest urn unearthed so far is indicator of a culturally-oriented society

A huge burial urn dating back to the Megalithic era that was unearthed while clearing a private road to a house at Hydermettu, near Nedumkandam, recently is believed to be one of the major findings that would shed light on life in the pre-historic era on the western side of the Western Ghats.

The urn is said to be the largest one unearthed from the region so far. It is 3-ft wide at its mouth and its shape is a variant of other ones explorated in the district. Moreover, there are art works on it — a pointer to the cultural awareness of a society that belonged to the pre-historic period.

A large number of burial urns have been unearthed from Ramakkalmedu, Mundieruma and Puzhpakandam nearby in the recent past. However, they were comparatively small in size and do not have notable decorative works, said V.M. Safeer, Head, Department of History, MES College, Nedumkandam.

Mr. Safeer said the burial urns unearthed from the region belonged to 1,00 BCE and 500 BCE. Some of the urns have remains of iron weapons and pieces of bones. “Their period can be known only through carbon dating,” he said adding that some might be aged only a few hundred years.

Valuable evidence

The importance is that the findings in the hinterland of the erstwhile Muziris port is valuable evidence of a culturally-oriented society. The new finding is on the hill area bordering Tamil Nadu and believed to be linked to a settled life there. Burial urns, dolmen and hero stones are spread over a large area on the western side of the Western Ghats

Though individual studies were conducted in the past, specific studies and research are needed to throw light on the importance of these historical remains, he added.

Kerala Council for Historical Research chairman P.K. Michael Tharakan told The Hindu on Sunday that small-sized burial urns were unearthed from different areas in the State. However, it needed a study connected to the other ones unearthed in the region. It pointed to the need for a surface exploration there. On the basis of the evidence, further explorations could be taken up and it may lead to valuable conclusions with regard to the lengthy history of human habitation in the district. The Archaeological Department was undertaking excavations at historically important sites, he said adding that the district, especially the Anchunadu valley, was a treasure trove for historical studies.

At present, the KCHR was on a project to explore the historic importance of Kottappuram, he said adding that the High Range area on the Western Ghats needs a comprehensive exploration of its past. It was also the hinterland for moving hill produce to Muziris port and had a civilised society from the early period.

source:  http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Kerala / by Giji K. Raman / Idukki – November 11th, 2018

Chinmaya Vidyalaya winners at The Hindu Academic Pentathlon

Education, Records, All

Proud moment: Winners of The Hindu Academic Pentathlon with the chief guest, Commanding Officer of INS Venduruthy and Kochi Station Commander of the Navy Commodore G. Prakash, in Kochi on Saturday. | Photo Credit: Thulasi Kakkat

State-level finals of the event will be held in Kochi later this month

A 10-member team from Chinmaya Vidyalaya, Thripunithura, walked away with the first prize at the Kochi edition of The Hindu Academic Pentathlon held at Oberon Mall in the city on Saturday.

The team, comprising Hari Ganesh, Anand K.S., Amal K.R., Megha Madhavan, Jayakrishnan K., Parvathy Anil, Aparna S. Nair, Shreya M.P., Vishnu Chandrasekharan and Saraswathy, scored 90 points.

A team from Bhavan’s Vidya Mandir, Eroor, was the first runner-up, scoring 74 points. The two teams will vie with eight winning teams from other regions of Kerala, in the State-level final event that will be held in Kochi later this month.

Other participants

The other teams which made it to the final of the Kochi edition were Chinmaya Vidyalaya, Vaduthala; Kendriya Vidyalaya, Ernakulam; Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan’s Vidya Mandir, Poochatty; and Bhavan’s Adarsha Vidyalaya, Thrikkakara.

The event, organised by The Hindu Future India Club in association with Vignan’s University, saw brainy young minds battle it out in a scholastic competition covering five disciplines — mathematics, physics, chemistry, English elocution and fine arts (music/dance).

Focus on humanities

The Commanding Officer of INS Venduruthy and Kochi Station Commander of the Navy Commodore G. Prakash was the chief guest. He exhorted the 440 participants from 44 schools to accord due importance to humanities as well, since they cover various disciplines, including governance and politics.

The obsession with medical and engineering courses is not good. A scientific approach to life helps though, he added.

Speaking of his rural background and Malayalam-medium schooling, Cmde Prakash cited how he became a voracious reader of books by famous English authors. He called upon youth to prioritise co-curricular activities and sports, so that failures in life were taken with a sportsman spirit. “The upcoming generation must also be highly adaptable and flexible, so that they can get jobs in a fast-changing and competitive world. Love life and live life,” he signed off.

The judges for various disciplines were K. Pradeep, Rangarajan, C.L. Jacob, N.K. Vijayan, Anu, Sen, Jayasree P.D. and Manju C. Kaimal. Also present were Suresh George and Suresh Pillai, Senior Deputy General Manager and Assistant General Manager respectively of The Hindu, and Jaison, Consultant, Vignan’s University.

Oberon Mall was the venue partner of the event.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Kochi / by Special Correspondent / Kochi – November 04th, 2018

The prodigy who made people sit up and take notice

Amazing Feats, Education, Inspiration/ Positive News and Features, Records, All, Science & Technology, World Opinion

Jaiden John and Navaneeth at Cocon on Friday

After leaving conventional schooling, Jaiden is now doing his research in MIT

Fourteen-year-old Jaiden John exudes a certain maturity and wisdom belying his age.

While children of his age were toiling hard with classroom lessons, the tech-savvy lad was busy explaining a technology-driven platform at the exhibition centre set up as part of Cocon, an international cybersecurity conference here, far away from the comfort of his home at Meppadi in Wayanad district.

Teamed up with a much older Navaneeth K.T, who is doing his third-year computer science at Calicut University, Jaiden was not at all overwhelmed, in fact, far from it. He was patient even with those visitors who came up with doubts, which were an insult to his intelligence, but kept explaining the finer points of their product.

Having left conventional schooling in eighth standard, he has now enrolled with the National Institute of Open Schooling. When asked what prompted him to leave school, Jaden, who joined a course in web and application development at the age of eight, would only smile in response.

But there was much bigger surprise in the offing when it emerged that the youngster has been doing his research in machine learning-driven cancer detection with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) for the past six months after his instructor in a technology course recommended him to the acclaimed university.

“Machine learning-driven cancer detection will be of great help in the rural areas of India where medical service is not easily accessible. Detecting the ailment with the help of a simple device can be revolutionary,” he said.

Jaiden and Navaneeth came together after they won an ideation contest conducted by the Kerala Cyberdome. They are now working on an artificial intelligence and machine learning-driven platform aimed at detecting helmetless two-wheeler drivers with the help of visuals.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Kochi / by M.P. Parveen / Kochi – October 06th, 2018

IIM-K, MRPL join hands with start-ups

Business & Economy, Education, Science & Technology

Start-ups with innovative solutions to be preferred

IIM-K LIVE (Laboratory for Innovation, Venturing and Entrepreneurship, the Business Incubator) and Entrepreneurship Development Centre of the Indian Institute of Management-Kozhikode (IIM-K) has inked a Memorandum of Understanding with the central public sector enterprise Mangalore Refineries and Petrochemicals Ltd. (MRPL) to support innovative start-up ventures.

Both the IIM-K and MRPL feel that the partnership would leverage individual strengths of these public sector organisations to contribute to entrepreneurial ecosystem in line with Start-up Mission of the Centre.

The MRPL has launched MRPL Start-up fund and in collaboration with IIM-K LIVE, to nurture and fund new business ideas while the IIM-K LIVE, set-up by IIM-Kozhikode in association with Department of Science Technology, already runs business incubation programme and would provide physical, intellectual and networking infrastructure to support start-up companies eligible for the MRPL grants. Prof. Debashis Chatterjee, Director, IIM-K welcomed MRPL to join the institute’s efforts in building entrepreneurial and innovation ecosystems.

Training

Apart from start-up support interventions, IIMK was also exploring wider relationship with MRPL in the areas of executive education and training, consulting, sector-specific research, conferences on issues of mutual interest to exchange the ideas, he said in a release.

MRPL senior executives in charge of start-up funding, including the Group General Manager, Vinayakumar and Chief General Manager (R&D), V. Nandakumar visited IIM-Kozhikode campus last week to finalise the partnership.

Entrepreneurial mindset

In collaboration with IIM-K and IIMK LIVE, MRPL intended to promote new business ideas relevant to MRPL’s start-up policy to create an entrepreneurial mindset and fresh thinking among employees, stakeholders and public for revitalising corporate culture, Mr. Vinayakumar said.

Steering committee with representatives from IIMK, IIMK LIVE and MRPL would be involved in the selection, monitoring and review of the funded start-ups, sources said.

Start-ups with innovative, high social impact solutions would be preferred.

Under the proposed initiative, to begin with, start-ups which are incubated or would be incubated at IIMK LIVE would be considered for seed grants in the form of soft loan convertible into equity capital.

In just over a year of its establishment, the IIMK LIVE has been drawing interest from partners from diverse industries who wish to contribute to the ecosystem.

With MRPL start-up funds available, the institute expect high potential, innovative start-ups to get added to its start-up portfolio, Prof. Keyoor Purani, Executive director, IIMK LIVE, said.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Kerala / by Special Correspondent / Kozhikode – September 24th, 2018

Helping hands restore classrooms, school park

Amazing Feats, Arts,Culture & Entertainment, Education, Inspiration/ Positive News and Features

(Left) The discoloured slide and broken benches at the Government S.N.V. Lower Primary School, Thuruthipuram, near North Paravur

Professionals from various fields, students of Cusat and teachers join the effort

Rincy and Ananthakrishna, both aged 8, had left their flood-battered homes in Thuruthipuram near North Paravur wondering how long it would take for them to swing and slide in their favourite school park again.

But, a surprise was in store for the children as they walked into the Government S.N.V. Lower Primary School, Thuruthipuram, on Monday morning. The slide, swings and the benches in the park, which had got discoloured in the rushing flood waters, were gleaming with a fresh coat of paint. New charts, scribblings and graffiti had replaced all that the waters had taken away.

Only later did they realise that their dream had been made real by some angels in the form of youngsters, teachers, professionals from IT and other fields, who had worked tirelessly to make it all happen. These unknown faces and hands represent the increasing tribe of Good Samaritans engaged in the re-building of flood-ravaged schools in Ernakulam.

“We had kept some money for conducting the Onam programmes in our university. We used that along with the funds given by our friends to re-build the school,” said Muhammed Shibin, a final-year student of B.Tech Information Technology at the Cochin University of Science and Technology. The youth was part of the 45-odd volunteers who had joined hands to restore the flood-hit government school to its original condition.

Sreepriya, an IT professional with a company in SmartCity Kochi, said that they were able to complete works so as to enable the teachers to resume the classes by Monday. “For the kitchen (where mid-day meals are prepared for the 65 children), we bought a new stove, utensils and other necessary items as everything here was either washed away or destroyed in the floods,” she said.

Mr. Shibin said that they had also spruced up the school park and given a fresh coat of paint for the damp walls and wet classrooms. “We wanted to bring back the school to its prior state as much as possible. However, much work seems left in other flood-hit schools and we hope our endeavour will inspire others to pursue it,” he said.

Praising the efforts made by the volunteers, Shelia A. Salam, headmistress of the school, said that the houses of all the 65 children in the school were affected in the floods. “Our school met with extensive damage. We had lost three desktops, two laptops, sound system, motor, compound wall, toilets, office registers, and documents,” she said.

P. S. Chandrika, geadmistress of P.S.M. Government Lower Primary School, Puthenvelikara, expressed hope that the school could come back with the growing support from a cross section of individuals, associations and organisations.

“We got help for clean-up work from policemen, education department officials, and residents’ associations. An IT major has assured us school kits having notebooks, tiffin-box and school bags. A social media group involving education department officials in Thiruvananthapuram has assured us t-shirts, shoes, umbrellas, notebooks for our 250-odd students. Teachers and students from Cusat helped us in cleaning up the wells on the campus,” she said.

However, Ms. Chandrika said that they had no idea how to replace the damaged laptops and desktops. “Most of the children belong to parents who are daily wage labourers. We cannot ask them to pay for these replacements. I have no idea how to bring them daily to the school, as the only bus used to transport them was also damaged in the floods,” she said.

C.S. Santosh, Deputy Director of Education, Ernakulam, said that a leading company had promised 2 lakh notebooks for the students in the flood-affected schools in Ernakulam. “School bags have been offered by a Kerala-based company while a public sector oil major has informed that they are considering a proposal to repair the flood-damaged buildings. We now need support for replacement of IT equipment. As per our preliminary estimates, over 200 laptops and 125 projectors were destroyed in the floods in government and aided schools in the district,” he said.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Kochi / by G. KrishnaKumar / Kochi – September 04th, 2018

International fellowship for KVASU teacher

Agriculture, Education, Leaders, World Opinion

Dr. T.S. Rajeev.

Researcher and elephant studies expert at the Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University T.S. Rajeev has been selected for the Murray Fowler International Conference Scholarship instituted by the American Association of Zoo Veterinarians (AAZV), Florida.

The fellowship, which consists of a purse of $2,000 and citation, will be presented at an international science conference of wildlife veterinarians and researchers at Prague from October 6 to 12.

Dr. Rajeev, head of the Elephant Studies Centre, will present a paper on impaction in elephants at the conference.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Kochi / by Staff Reporter / Thrissur – July 05th, 2018

A wheelchair that finds its own way

Business & Economy, Education, Records, All, Science & Technology

Rajesh Kannan Megalingam, Assistant Professor of Electronics & Communications of Amrita University, who guided final-yeat B.Tech students Chinta Ravi Teja, Sarath Sreekanth, and Akhil Raj to put together the self-navigating wheelchair ‘Self-E.’

3 final-year B.Tech students develop Self-E, a self-navigating wheelchair

Three final-year B.Tech students of Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham have developed Self-E, a self-navigating wheelchair that could safely take a user from one point to another avoiding obstacles on the way.

Compared to the imported self-driving wheelchairs that are expensive, the students have managed to produce the prototype at a cost below ₹1 lakh. Chinta Ravi Teja, Sarath Sreekanth, and Akhil Raj, the young students who designed Self-E, have been working for the last two years as junior researchers at Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham’s Humanitarian Technology Lab.

“Self-E is unique in the sense that it is the first self-driving wheelchair in India built by the research lab of a university without any collaboration with foreign universities or companies. It now needs to be tested in different environments like hospitals and airports with patients and wheelchair users. The current version is a successful prototype and, with the help of Technology Business Incubator of Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, we hope to commercialise the product,” says Rajesh Kannan Megalingam, Asst. Professor of Electronics & Communications and Director of Humanitarian Technology Lab who guided the students.

Self-E uses Robotic Operating System (ROS) for autonomous navigation to create a map of the surrounding space, along with static and dynamic obstacles, using a laser sensor and displays it through a smartphone app. The user could then touch any point on the generated map, and the wheelchair will move to that place automatically without user intervention.

A touch on the map

“If users are able to operate a smartphone, they will be relieved from the continuous use of traditional joystick to steer the wheelchair. With a simple touch on the map displayed on the mobile screen, the wheelchair takes them to the destination. They could have complete control over the wheelchair without anyone’s help. On the other hand, if some patients have a problem in using a smartphone, a friend or family member or assistant could use the Android App to transport them without the need to physically push the wheelchair,” says Chinta.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Kerala / by Navamy Sudhesh / Kollam – July 08th, 2018