Hajime Asama (Robotics Challenges co-chair) with Chandykunju Alex, Lentin Joseph (Team Lead of Team Autobots), Achu Wilson and Raj Madhavan
Kochi :
Team Autobots, a collaboration of two robotic start-ups in Kochi – Qbotics Labs and Sastra Robotics – has bagged the first prize in the Humanitarian Robotics and Automation Technology Challenge (HRATC) held in Stockholm, Sweden.
HRATC is the biggest global robotics conference organised by Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE). The International Conference of Robotics and Automation (ICRA 2016) brings together the brightest scientists and researchers working with cutting-edge robotics.
Team Autobots is one of the top four teams from across the world that made it into the finals of the challenge and is the team with the leading score.
Team Autobots comprises expert engineers from Qbotics Labs, which specialises in mobile robotics research, and Sastra Robotics, which specialises in robotic arms for testing of devices.
The members of the team are Lentin Joseph (CEO/founder, Qbotics Labs), who is leading the team, Achu Wilson (CTO/co-founder, Sastra Robotics) and Chandy Kunju Alex (robotics engineer, Sastra Robotics).
The challenge of the team was to find and defuse hidden unexploded landmines in an area, autonomously using a robot without human intervention.
The competition tries to find the best software solutions to avoid and defuse mines using a robot called Husky. There are three phases in the challenge. The first algorithm phase involves teams proposing ingenious algorithms to tackle the challenge.
The shortlisted teams enter the second phase called simulation phase, which involves implementation of the proposed algorithm on robotic simulator Gazebo using software platform Robot Operating System(ROS). Teams which perform best in simulation phase enter the testing phase, in which the algorithm runs on the real robot itself. The testing phase is the final phase and Team Autobots emerged victorious with top score.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Kochi / by Express News Service / May 29th, 2016
Rajashree Warrier Photo : Thulasi Kakkat / The Hindu
Danseuse Rajashree Warrier on manodharma, aharya, inspiration and more.
What makes Rajashree Warrier different as dancer and choreographer is that she is not confined to the usual crossover items that often pass as today’s Bharatanatyam. There is in her art a proper understanding of her form, realising her forte, her limitations, and creating a contemporary Bharatanatyam rich in texture, rich in literature.
Manodharma is a salient feature of Rajashree’s dance. Manodharma is a bit more complex in Bharatanatyam than in classical music. This part of abhinaya is intrinsic in holding nritta (pure dance with no specific theme) and natya (representation of rasa through abhinaya) together. “It is this aspect that really excites me. When there is always something new, something surprising, each performance turns into a fresh experience for me and even for my orchestra. For the orchestra it can be a bit challenging as the rhythmic structures need to change according to my expressions and gestures. Personally, what makes classical dance an aesthetic experience is manodharma. Otherwise it can be mechanically traditional,” says Rajashree, who was initiated into dance when she was in school.
Fortunate to be moulded when she was six years of age by V. Mydhili in Thiruvananthapuram, Rajashree trained under her for nearly 18 years. Later, Rajashree learned under Jayanthi Subramaniam in Chennai.
Rajashree credits her growth as a dancer to her parents who supported her. “The early phase was enhanced watching many greats on stage and on available films. Watching legends like Balasaraswati and the ever charming Vyjayantimala helped form and deepen my appreciation and understanding of the poetry of Bharatanatyam.”
Dance was for Rajashree a logical extension of music. “Music was what my father insisted I study. Here again I was fortunate to get a teacher, Mullamottu Harihara Bhagavathar, who was a treasure trove of knowledge, especially on rare Swati Tirunal kritis. I studied, like any child of that age, rather reluctantly. Only later did I realise the greatness of my guru. When C-DIT was making a documentary on Swati Tirunal’s kritis I could help them as I was familiar with so many of them.”
She completed her degree, post-graduation and doctorate in music. But somewhere down the line dance took over. A dancer grows with the dance and this is true of Rajashree. She now performs her own compositions that are created from everything that inspires her.
“Words and concepts from the books I read, for example, Milan Kundera’s Slowness, where events are fused to movement, has helped me in creating the rhythm of my composition. Then the myriad art forms around me have inspired my dance but strictly within the structure of Bharatanatyam.”
Aharya can make an impact. Though it cannot make a great performance it can certainly mar it. The changes in Bharatanatyam today have also had its impact on aharya. “Aharya proclaims the identity of the dancer, her aesthetics. I feel that a dancer should choose suitable colours, a style that enhances her figure and ornaments that augment her features. I must feel comfortable in what I wear, should feel beautiful and confident when I step on to the stage. Here again innovation should be within the bounds of tradition rather than parading oneself, revealing too much skin and making the costume more important than the dance itself.”
These are times when there is a call for enriching the repertoire, making it contemporary. Rajashree feels that all this cannot justify sensationalism, undermining all the edifices and edicts of Bharatanatyam. “Organisers and audiences, fed on such a diet, demand this. In Kerala, the number of venues has increased but I have found a strange attitude prevalent. The organisers, most of them, want only customised dancers who would, with servility, agree to their whims and fancies. We have an audience today that does not look at Bharatanayam seriously. Their understanding of the dance form is only from the last 10 years. Unfortunately, I’m a sort of purist when it comes to my dance. I may not be perfect, but I have a style of my own, a mind of my own, and principles that I’m not willing to compromise.”
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> Friday Review / by K. Pradeep / Thiruvananthapuram – June 02nd, 2016
Jayesh P., a post-doctoral fellow at the Cochin University of Science and Technology (Cusat), has won the prestigious Innovative Young Biotechnologist Award of the year 2015 instituted by the Department of Biotechnology to prevent brain drain of highly talented and motivated young scientists in biotechnology.
According to an official release issued by the varsity, Dr. Jayesh was selected for the award in recognition of the potential of his research in the area of “crustacean cell reprogramming” under the guidance of Prof. I.S. Bright Singh and its continuation to find application to study neurogenesis and neurodegenerative diseases.
The award consists of Rs.50 lakh research grant, monthly fellowship, gold medal, certificate and a citation.
The outcome of this project will help in understanding molecular mechanism in neurodegenerative diseases in humans, especially Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s using daphnia as a model animal.
Dr. Jayesh is a recipient of Brain Korea 21 Plus post-doctoral scientist award of Government of South Korea. – Special Correspondent
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Kochi / by Special Correspondent / Kochi – June 01st, 2016
