Monthly Archives: July 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

Minutes before leaving UAE, Keralite wins $7 million in raffle draw

Arts,Culture & Entertainment, Records, All, World Opinion

Tojo Mathew was leaving the UAE for good to join his wife in Delhi.

An Indian man has hit a jackpot by winning a whopping USD 1.9 million in a monthly raffle in the UAE, hours before he was set to leave the country for good, a media report said today.

Tojo Mathew, 30, working as civil supervisor in the capital Abu Dhabi, had bought the ticket on Tuesday at the city’s airport before boarding a flight to India.

Mr. Mathew, who is from Kerala ,  was leaving the UAE for good to join his wife in Delhi.

“I bought the ticket at the Abu Dhabi airport just before boarding the flight for India on June 24. I was leaving the UAE for good to join my wife, who got a job in New Delhi. I still cannot believe I won,” Mathew was quoted as saying by the Khaleej Times.

‘Will build my dream house’

Mr. Mathew won the dirham 7 million (USD 1.9 million) as he was leaving for good, the report said. He said his big dream was to own a house in Kerala.

“That has been my long pending dream. Now it can become a reality with the raffle money,” he said.

Mr. Mathew and his friends received the news on Tuesday when they checked the Big Ticket website.

Nine others won 100,000 dirhams (USD 27,000) at the draw. The winners included five Indians, one Pakistani and a Kuwaiti.

Earlier, an Indian driverin  Dubai had won dirham 12 million in a raffle draw in Abu Dhabi in April. In January, another Keralite in the UAE had won a dirham 12 million in the biggest-ever raffle prize money in Abu Dhabi.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Kerala / by PTI Dubai / July 06th, 2018

Global laurel for Christ College team

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

A team from Centre for Animal Taxonomy and Ecology of Christ College, Irinjalakuda, which has been invited to the European Congress of Arachnology in Hungary.

Only Indians to participate in European Congress of Arachnology

A six-member team from the Centre for Animal Taxonomy and Ecology (CATE) of Christ College, Irinjalakuda, has been invited to the 31st European Congress of Arachnology (ECA), which will be held at Vac, Hungary, from July 8-13.

They are the only Indians at the congress in which 150 arachnologists will take part from all over the world. “This is a prestigious recognition given on the basis of the contributions made by CATE to arachnological research,” said Sudhikumar A.V., who led the six-member team. Five budding arachnologists working under the guidance of Dr. Sudhikumar (Head, CATE) will present papers on Indian arachnology. Nafin K.S., research scholar, will present a paper on the diversity of spiders in Kole wetlands of Kerala and the role of spiders in biological pest control. Drisya Mohan, another member, will present a paper on the social behaviour of a rare spider (Stegodyphus sarasinorum) and the diversity of kleptoparasites (web parasites) associated with the web of this spider.

Diversity of spiders in the sacred groves of Kerala and the influence of environmental variables on them have rarely been explored. Sumesh N.V. will present a paper on this study. Forest fire has a devastating effect on the biodiversity of Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary (WWS), a biodiversity hotspot of Kerala. Sudhin P.P. will focus on the effect of forest fire on the diversity of spiders in the WWS. Kashmeera N.A. will present an interesting study on the diversity of venomous spiders in Thar Desert, Rajasthan.

Dr. Sudhikumar will lay stress on global warming upon the feeding potential of a grassland spider, (Pardosa sumatrana), and its consequences on the food web which causes imbalance in the ecosystem. Travel expenses of the researchers are sponsored by European Society of Arachnology (ESA), University Grants Commission (UGC), and Department of Science and Technology (DST), Delhi.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Kerala / by Staff Reporter / Thrissur – July 04th, 2018

SHESs play an active role in farm sector mechanisation

Agriculture, Business & Economy, Inspiration/ Positive News and Features

To offer cost-effective and timely service to farmers

Self-help employment societies (SHES) have become active in the high ranges with the block panchayats taking the initiative to mechanise the farm sector through them. Aimed at strengthening the agriculture sector and ensuring job opportunities, mechanisation in farm sector will be done so as to keep farming cost at a low to the farmer community.

The block panchayats distribute farm machinery and equipment to the SHES whose members were trained in their operation. The SHES members will offer their services to farmers at nominal rates.

16 groups so far

Sixteen SHES in Devikulam block panchayat have already been given the machinery.

Each SHES in the district has 10 to 20 members. The government will provide financial aid for purchasing farming machinery, including tillers, pump sets, and weeding machines.

The schemes come to the aid of farmers by ensuring that farming related works are done at a low cost and in a timely manner, and for the SHES members, a regular income is ensured.

Each SHES will get machinery to the tune of ₹3 lakh in the first phase. The SHES’ share is ₹30,000.

Devikulam grama panchayat has already spent ₹43.2 lakh for scheme, thus topping in the district.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Kerala / by A Correspondent / Idukki – July 03rd, 2018

Nissan inks deal to set up digital hub

Business & Economy, Science & Technology, World Opinion

Chief Secretary Paul Antony and Nissab’s chief information officer Anthony Thomas after signing the MoU to set up the knowledge centre on Friday

Thiruvananthapuram :

Nissan Motor Corporation signed a landmark agreement with the state government on Friday to establish its first digital innovation hub in Thiruvananthapuram .

Presiding over the signing-in ceremony, chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the agreement marks the arrival of the first global brand to the state. The project will open up possibilities for Kerala industry in automotive vehicle technology, he said.

The company is expected to hire around 500 people for the facility by the year-end.

“The digital hub will be set up in a 70-acre campus at Technocity,” the chief minister said.

“The setting up of the centre will help create opportunities for both Nissan and the state. It will not only provide Nissan access to skilled and dedicated workforce, but will also allow Kerala to showcase its significant potential as a base for global business,” he added.

Outgoing state chief secretary Paul Antony said the chief minister has promised all support for the Japanese auto major. All clearances and facilitations will be done in a set time-frame and there will be no bureaucratic red tape, he said.

The Kerala Infrastructure  Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) CEO KM Abraham, who dubbed Nissan as priceless investors in his speech, said the global corporation was a leader in transfer of product development knowledge which would fuel the growth of automotive vehicle industry.

Commending the commitment of the chief minister, he said six months after the government officials visited the company’s global headquarters in Yokohoma, the deal to set up the hub was finalised.

The entire negotiation process was smooth under the CM’s watchful eyes, he said.

Further, he said Nissan Motors corporate vice-president and chief information officer Tony Thomas served as the prime mover in championing the cause of bringing the company to Kerala.

Speaking at the event, Thomas said: “The new digital hub will serve as an important engine to drive Nissan’s global digital transformation. It will offer product development to automotive industry and is expected to generate 500 new high-end jobs in Thiruvananthapuram in the first phase.”

Nissan’s Africa, Middle East and India region chairman Peyman Kargar said, “Creation of Nissan’s first global digital hub in India reflects our commitment to the growing market and our belief in investing in India for the long-term. It also intends to harness the skills and talents of the region for the growing automotive industry”.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> News> City News> Thiruvananthapuram News / TNN / June 30th, 2018

72 tribal youths to join Kerala Police today

Inspiration/ Positive News and Features, Records, All

Thiruvananthapuram :

For the first time in its history, the state police will formally induct 72 tribal community members, including women, into the force on Monday. The move is part of the strategy formulated in the wake of left-wing extremists (LWE) trying to gain foothold over the tribal population in the state.

The proposal that was cleared in 2015, was originally limited to Wayanad district, Attappadi block in Palakkad and Nilambur block in Malappuram, where the tribal population is comparatively dense as well as where the LWE presence have been reported frequently. Later, Kalikavu and Areekode blocks in Malappuram also were included. They were selected in a special recruitment drive conducted by the state public service commission.

Backward tribal communities such as Paniyan, Adiyan and Kattunaykar were given special emphasis in the drive. “The aim of the drive was to take a counter measure to the LWE threat as they are very accustomed to the land and geography of the jungle areas. This is also part of integrating the tribal community members with the mainstream society as the tribal groups should not feel marginalised,” state police chief Loknath Behera said.

The modalities and qualifying criteria for recruiting the tribal community members was prepared by a committee headed by additional chief secretary (home and vigilance) and also consisting of principal secretary (SC/ST development), principal secretary (taxes) and secretary of personnel and administrative reforms department. The government even decided to waive off the mandatory surety of Rs 25,000 and two government employees, by considering the societal and financial backwardness of the recruited members.

They will be sent to Kerala Police Academy  in Thrissur, where they will undergo nine-month training programme tailormade for them. Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan will hand over appointment letters to the new recruits at an event to be held on Monday.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News> City News> Thiruvananthapuram News / TNN / July 02nd, 2018