Mega IT Event BengaluruITEBIZ in City from November 28-30, 2016

Karnataka’s Flagship event on IT and Electronics is set to take off from November 28 to 30, 2016 at Bengaluru Palace Grounds. The event is organized by the Department of Information Technology, Biotechnology and Science & Technology, Government of Karnataka, in association with Software Technology Parks of India (STPI), Bengaluru.

Bengaluru leads the country in IT exports and has emerged as the second largest technology hub in the world. Several companies including MNCs deliver cutting-edge products and services with thrust on new disruptive technological innovations. Bengaluru is a leading innovation hub which is home to over 4000 active tech Startups. It is the only Indian city to be ranked within the best 20 Startup eco-systems across the World. 

STPI has been playing vital role in supporting the IT, ITES and ESDM industry not only in policy implementation & monitoring but also in providing various Technology & Communication services which includes internet, datacenter, hosting, technology consultation, IT security audit, support for e-Governance etc.

Keeping in view the fact that technological innovations happen in Bengaluru, the theme of Bengaluru ITE.biz 2016 event is ‘Define the Next’. The event will focus on Artificial Intelligence, IoT, Robotics, Big Data, Virtual Reality (VR) & Augmented Reality (AR), Electronics System Design, Animation, Visual Effects and Gaming, Apps Development, Startups, Entrepreneurship Development etc. 

The event spectrum would include keynote talks, powerful conference sessions, B2B Tradeshows, Experience Zone, CEO Conclave, Awards Function, Start-up Karnataka YESSS. It would be a unique blend of over 1800 registered delegates profiling C-level Executives, thought leaders, policy makers, technology experts, young innovators and investors. 

The 3-day event has the support of leading IT and Electronics Associations, such as NASSCOM, IESA, TiE, ABAI, Data Security Council of India (DSCI) etc. Countries such as UK, Germany, Netherlands, Korea and Japan are participating in various sessions of the event. Day-1 of the event is focused on Technology Leadership, Day-2 on the Emerging and Futuristic Technologies and Day-3 on Startups. Awards to top ICT exporting companies, best employers, best emerging companies etc, will also be given during the event. STPI will be conducting the prestigious IT export awards event on Nov 29, 2016 to recognise the performance of the IT, ITES and EHTP companies under 10 Major Awards Category with 24 sub-categories.

An additional feature of this years’ ITE.biz is the co-location of Creativity World Forum-2016 with the theme, “Cities in Transition.” World Creativity forum, is an annual conference organized by the District of Creativity (DC) Network, founded in 2004 with 13 of the most creative and innovative regions around the world as its members and is being hosted in Bengaluru this year. The forum’s objective is to propagate concepts of creativity and innovation and foster sharing of knowledge and best practices.

At the Curtain Raiser of the 19th edition of the event, UK Minister for International Trade, Rt Hon Greg Hands and Priyank Kharge, Karnataka Minister for IT, BT and Tourism, were present and spoke about collaborating in the field of technology innovation and promotion of entrepreneurship, especially in emerging and futuristic technologies. Rt Hon Greg Handsstated that as a first step towards a more lasting partnership, UK intends to sign a MoU to mutually support and strengthen the innovation ecosystems in Karnataka and the UK, targeting Startups and SMEs.

Priyank Kharge, Minister for IT, BT and Tourism highlighted the role of connected devices in the emerging digital economy having potential to transform the economy, business landscape, governance and society. The BengaluruITE.biz event would provide a platform for enterprises to partake in a digital solutions marketplace and create exciting experience for their customers. Principal Secretary, Department of IT, BT and S&T, V. Manjula, stated that the event has been instrumental in promoting the IT Industry for almost two decades. This year’s event is focused on providing opportunities to fuel innovation and promote entrepreneurship in new technologies, by convergence of software and hardware for connected devices. 

New logo of the event was also unveiled at the function

Earlier in the day,  Priyank Kharge, Minister for IT, BT and Tourism, and  V Manjula and senior officers of the Department participated in the roundtable organised by UK High Commission, wherein CEOs from UK and India working on Smart Cities, Cyber Security, Advanced technologies deliberated on potential business opportunities and partnerships. In a bilateral meet between the Minister of State for Trade and investment, UK and Minister for IT, BT and Tourism, Government of Karnataka, opportunities for mutual cooperation in the field of advanced technologies and furthering the growth of Startup ecosystem in both the countries were discussed.

The Minister for IT , BT and Tourism, GOK stated that ‘’We intend to work together with the Government of UK to strengthen collaboration between the innovation ecosystems and technology hubs of UK and Karnataka, with a focus on furthering the links between academia, Industry and policy makers on both sides, for mutual growth and benefit’’

Three Day Conference To Help Better Understanding of Epilepsy Patients Among Neurologists

Vikram Hospital, Bengaluru’s trusted quaternary care and multi-specialty health facility inaugurated a three-day CME on ‘Epilepsy in Clinical Practice’ today at the Hotel Chancery Pavilion, Bangalore. Ambreesh M H, renowned actor and politician was the Chief Guest for the event. The objective of the conference is to improve the understanding of epilepsy care among neurologists and neurosurgeons and discuss the latest developments in the field. This conference was attended by more than 150 delegates including practicing neurologists, neurosurgeons and students of neurosciences across India. Few delegates from Nepal and Bangladesh also participated in the conference. This initiative will help significantly improve overall epilepsy care in this region. 

Speaking on the occasion Ambreesh M H, renowned actor and politician appraised that“I am happy to be part of this International conference.  This is a good initiative taken by Vikram Hospital Bengaluru to train the neurologists, neurosurgeons and students of neurosciencesin recent advances inmanaging epilepsy.

Dr Rajesh B Iyer, Consultant Neurologist and Epileptologist, Vikram Hospital Bengaluru, pointed out that “Epilepsy care needs to be improved in India as there is a huge treatment gap for both medically and surgical treatable patients. Epilepsy affects 0.5% of the population. It is important to improve awareness of recent advances in treatment of epilepsy among doctors.

Dr. Raghavendra S, Consultant Neurologist and Epileptologist Vikram Hospital, appraised that most of the people perceive that epilepsy is shaking of limbs and loss of consciousness and associated injuries. There is a lot of social stigma associated with this. However, there are many types of epilepsies and some of them are as simple as just a momentary blackout. Often children suffer from impaired scholastic performance just because of a silent epileptic process in the brain which can be easily corrected and children can return back to their normal school.

Dr. B. A. Chandramouli, Consultant Neurologist, Vikram Hospital, Bengaluru"About 20 to 30% of patients with epilepsies remain resistant to medicines. About 2 to 4 lakh people in India are potential candidates for epilepsy surgery. There have been tremendous advances in investigative technologies to identify the seizure focus and enable surgical removal. The surgery will help control epilepsy, improve quality of life and reduce economic burden on the family.

Sudhir Pai, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer, Vikram Hospital, Bengaluru emphasized that “This is a unique conference because more than 50 experts in the field of epilepsy will come together to discuss various options of epilepsy care”.  "Vikram Hospital has facilities to perform these highly advanced procedures and has been effectively running the epilepsy program from last 5 years.”

Epilepsy care requires a comprehensive approach amongst various specialists including a trained epileptologist, highly experienced neuro surgeon, accurate electrographers who can do good EEGs, neuroanaesthetists, neuro radiologists, neurophsycologists, occupational therapists, psychiartists etc. to run a comprehensive epilepsy program. At the conference, 50 specialists will be invited from the field of epilepsy including some international specialists who will discuss various aspects of epilepsy and its treatment.

Vikram Hospital Bengaluru is a quaternary care, multi-specialty hospital. It provides high-quality care in all clinical disciplines and has outstanding capabilities in Cardiology, Cardiac Surgery, Neurology, Neuro Surgery, Stroke and Epilepsy, Orthopaedic and Trauma Care, Spine Surgery, Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery, Gastroenterology and Hepatobillary, Nephrology, Urology, Critical Care, Pulmonology, Endocrinology, Maxillofacial, ENT, Plastic Surgery, Medical and Surgical Oncology, Gynaecology. 

iRelief Mobile App Now for Blood, Ambulance During Emergencies

Patients and their relatives in need of blood need not get panic henceforth. They could know the availability of blood just by tapping their mobile phone. iRelief, a city-based firm has developed an app, which gives you information about availability of safe blood during your time of emergency. The government has joined hands with iRelief for this socially relevant project.

Many patients do not get blood on time during emergencies. Their relatives virtually run from pillar to post to get the blood. Lack of a system which provides comprehensive information about the availability of a blood is the long-felt need of the healthcare system. iRelief has taken up the responsibility to fill this gap.

iRelief has entered into an understanding with blood banks in the city to get information on the availability of blood. iRelief provides you accurate information on the type (group) of blood you can get from a particular blood bank, through its app. All you have to do is to download iRelief app from Google play store and install it on your mobile phone. Apart from giving you information about the blood availability, the app also allows you to put a demand for a specific type/group of blood, which will be delivered to you at your place. The app also has a data bank of blood donors. The moment you place an order for a unit of blood, iRelief alerts the voluntary donors. The identity and privacy of the donors is guarded while providing you the service.

Ambulance on app

Apart from providing information on blood availability, iRelief app also allows you to book an ambulance quickly and easily. The app enables shifting the patient in the nick of the time to the hospital so as to ensure availability of emergency medical treatment and save the life. iRelief provides you with well-equipped ambulance in the shortest possible time and ensures the patient reaches the hospital as quickly as possible. The relatives of the patients can even monitor the movement of the ambulance on the app.

iRelief also works as a link between pharmacists and consumers. It contacts the pharmacy on the advice of the doctor or the consumer. If you are unable to purchase medicines, the app facilitates door delivery also.

Thus, with iRelief you can avail of medical services from your house, at the tap of your mobile phone.  You can also get access to laboratory tests, caregivers/nurse service, medical equipment on hire through this app. It facilitates medical advice over email or phone and reminds you of the time when the patient has to take medicines. You can leave instructions in your own voice to the patient on this app with pictures.

With a wide gamut of services that facilitates access to emergency medical service to patient care, iRelief app will verily be a boon for patients. It is a multiutility app which ensures timely medical assistance and comprehensive medical care.

Manipal Healthcare Eyes Expansion with Chain of Manipal Fertility Clinics Across India

Healthcare major Manipal Hospitals today announced the launch of Manipal Fertility, a chain of world-class fertility clinics across India. The announcement was made in the presence of Bollywood star and former Miss Universe Lara Dutta, along with Dr. Vasan S.S, Chairman, Manipal Fertility and Dr. (Capt) Sandeep Sharma, Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer, Manipal Fertility.

With an investment of approx. Rs. 100 crore, Manipal Fertility is eyeing an exponential growth in the next five years in India. Manipal Fertility currently has 9 state of the art centers across 5 states and looks towards expanding its footprint across multiple geographies in India and abroad. The expansion strategy will include both brownfield and greenfield modes of growth. The company aims to offer the highest quality assisted reproductive services while addressing fertility and conception-related issues in couples as also looking at Men’s Sexual health as a key focus area.

Speaking on the occasion of the launch, Lara Dutta said, “Erratic lifestyles and stress is increasing the rate of infertility in India. People are slowly coming forward and accepting the need for assisted reproductive services to conceive. Such a scenario calls for the expertise and sensitivity of a brand like Manipal Fertility that understands the needs of distressed couples looking for state-of-the art treatment under one roof. I sincerely congratulate Manipal Hospitals and Manipal Fertility for bringing expert medical professionals and quality treatment closer to those in dire need and hope.” 

Commenting on the launch of Manipal Fertility, Dr. Vasan S.S,Chairman of Manipal Fertility said, “India has four times as many infertility patients compared to the United States and male infertility is on the rise reaching almost 50%, largely impacted by lifestyle changes, high stress levels, lack of physical exercise, and environmental pollution to name a few. While our objective is to grow in numbers, our aim is to also reach out to as many people and offer the best-in-class treatment with a right mix of technology. We have come a long way when we first began with the concept of Manipal Ankur and with Manipal Fertility we wish to take our commitment towards our patients a notch higher.”

Treatments for both female and male infertility is a feature remarkable to Manipal Fertility. Manipal Fertility has pioneered new treatment options for men with very poor or zero sperm count and women with repeated pregnancy loss and multiple failures in assisted reproductive techniques. This is being achieved by introducing cutting edge technologies in the form of flow cytometric sperm and DNA analysis, advanced fertilization ability tests, embryo quality improvement tools like embryoscope and pre-implantation genetic screening(PGS) and implantation window assessment technologies. Manipal Fertility has also focused on Men’s health by pro-actively providing solutions for erectile dysfunction with shockwave and stem cell therapy. Backed by a team of renowned specialists with track record spanning several decades, the centre has several success stories to its credit. 

Manipal Fertility is at the forefront of preventive screening and is constantly focusing on developing technologies as a part of Men’s health to detect cardiac risk (heart attack) early, especially in diabetic and hypertensive patients. This is the absolute need in India considering we are the diabetic and hypertensive capital of the world and Indians being highly prone to sudden cardiac death syndrome.

Dr. (Capt) Sandeep Sharma, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Manipal Fertility said, “We are extremely delighted to bring to you the new avatar of Manipal Fertility that will offer comprehensive services to couples wanting to undergo assisted reproduction. With the availability of right treatment and latest technology, coupled with a little patience and compassion, conception is no longer a problem. Our a vision lies in offering the joy of parenthood to people struggling with infertility, with key strengths in quality control, patient centricity, quality assurance and the latest technology.”

Studies reveal that 10% of the general population suffers from some form of infertility.  Given that India has a population of over 1.2 billion, the number of Indians suffering from infertility is huge. 46% of the couples who landed up at infertility clinics belonged to the prime reproductive age group of 31 to 40. Of them, 49% had already undergone IVF or in vitro fertilization, a treatment for infertility. The new and enhanced Manipal Fertility comprising of Embryologists, Andrologists, Gynaecologists, Infertility Experts/Counsellors that offer innovative and cutting-edge technology and customized and evidence-based treatments for couples.

VLCC Partners PeopleStrong for IT for Best HR Management Systems

VLCC, the leading wellness and healthcare company had partnered with the leading HR solutions and technology provider, PeopleStrong, to equip the entire organization with a dynamic and holistic technology solution for its employees.

While VLCC’s employees’ will get access to India’s first comprehensive HR mobile APP (Alt Worklife by PeopleStrong) that promises to help people to simplify their work life, the decision to bring technological solutions was taken in cognizance of the overall convenience of its agile  employees who are geographically spread in a transparent and systematic manner.

Deployed within in a span of only four weeks using PeopleStrong Alt’s pre-configured app environment, VLCC is an early adopter in the wellness and beauty sector to have implemented SaaS HR solutions to harness 360 degree HR information system encompassing, employee leaves, attendance, business related expenses, performance management and on-boarding, among other functionalities.

People engagement is core to VLCC’s journey of transformation and as they become increasingly integrated with the global economy, adoption of digitization will not only accelerate this journey but will also help VLCC make their programs more impactful. Direct connect with employees from 39 nationalities, spread across 13 countries and strengthen the culture of empowerment through information access ‘on the go’ which will improve productivity while simultaneously keeping the employees happy and reducing attrition.

Commenting on the implementation, Paramjit Singh Nayyar, Global CHRO, VLCC said “The process of digitization within the organization will keep employee experience at the core of the company. This is truly a milestone for us as we are determined to empower our people and transform the way we experience work. We have chosen PeopleStrong as an HR technology partner to automate the entire employee life cycle in the first phase and we would be soon be automating the entire gamut of HR processes and take employee experience to the next level.”

Kiran Kumar, Chief Sales Officer, PeopleStrong said, “It is exciting to see HR and HR Tech focus amongst corporates, especially from non-traditional industries like Wellness and Beauty.  VLCC is going to create an amazing success story of employee experience in the sector and we are extremely happy to partner with them. HR and the adoption mobile based app is a growing trend in mature markets like US and Europe, but the India story is still shaping up. And we are extremely happy to partner with VLCC as we rarely see focus on HR and invocative HR from non-traditional industries like Wellness and Beauty.”

New State-of-the-Art ARRIS R&D Center Now Comes Up in Bengaluru

New global R&D and Operations Center is ARRIS’s largest single-site facility outside of the US, focused on innovating and delivering the industry’s leading portfolio of broadband and video technology

ARRIS International plc has opened its largest Research and Development (R&D) and operations center outside of the US – in Ulsoor, Bengaluru. The state-of-the-art facility hosts a combination of world-class engineers from two former ARRIS and Pace sites following ARRIS’s January 2016 acquisition of Pace. The center promotes collaboration and the efficient development of advanced broadband and video solutions for the next generation of services - including Gigabit broadband, 4K TV, and Wi-Fi.

The new, multi-million dollar Bengaluru center represents a strategic investment in high-value IP creation. With cutting-edge lab infrastructure, advanced test facilities, and 24*7 support for installation activities at customer premises globally, the center provides leading design, development, and quality assurance programs across the vast majority of ARRIS global solutions.

“Our world-class Bengaluru facility is at the center of ARRIS’s global initiative to innovate and scale the technology that will transform how people around the world watch video and connect to the Internet,” said Bob Stanzione, Executive Chairman and Chairman of the Board of Directors. “This center unites two premier groups of engineers and empowers them with the resources to deliver the next era of innovation for our customers worldwide.” 

Kiran Gadi, Country Head and VP, Engineering, ARRIS India, added: “The Bengaluru RandD center represents ARRIS’s commitment to the region, to collaboration across our talented engineering teams, and to our global customers. Together, we’re positioning ARRIS and its customers for the next stage of growth.”

Samsung Innovation Awards 2016 Helps Pursue Big Ideas for Young Innovators

Samsung India conducted the 6th annual edition of Samsung Innovation Awards 2016 at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Bombay. Samsung Innovation Awards aim to recognize and reward innovations that have the potential to revolutionize everyday living and enable students to take their ideas to the next level.

The first prize went to the team comprising Shalaka Kulkarni, Umang Chhaparia and Mustafa Lokhandwala. Their work was on road quality measurement, monitoring and mapping solution.

Javed Shaikh won the second prize for proposing new materials to cool electronic equipment. The duo Ritesh Saurabh and Kumar Pratik won the third prize for designing smart trash cans to expedite and optimize garbage collection. The top three winners were given away prizes worth Rs 3.5 lakhs.

The awards were presented by Aloknath De, Chief Technology Officer, Samsung RnD Institute, India - Bangalore.

Samsung Innovation Awards 2016 saw an overwhelming response, with five teams getting an opportunity to present their ideas to the jury comprising. Aloknath De; Debjani Paul and Prof. Swaroop Ganguly, from IIT-Bombay.  The other finalists received merit prizes of INR 40,000. Samsung R&D Institute - Bangalore will engage with the award winners to further develop their innovations.

Speaking on the occasion,  Aloknath De, Chief Technology Officer, Samsung R&D Institute, India - Bangalore, said, “This platform is to encourage students to conceptualize and build innovative solutions in emerging topics of artificial intelligence, convergence, computer vision and sensor-based solutions. It is heartening to see entrepreneurial and multi-disciplinary approach adopted by young innovators. This is very much in line with Samsung India's mission to foster meaningful innovations at every level of research-to-market journey.”

Path-breaking innovations were showcased at the competition. The innovative product ideas and solutions presented were across themes including advanced materials, applications of intelligent solutions in smart spaces/cities and assistive technologies for health.

Prof. Soumyo Mukherji, Dean of Student Affairs, IIT-Bombay, said, “This collaboration between Samsung and IIT-B to identify and encourage young innovators will go a long way towards developing the critically required talent pool in India, which will be invaluable in years to come.”

The 2016 edition of the Samsung Innovation Awards was initiated at IIT-Bombay campus three months ago, through an open entry, where students submitted their innovative ideas. The shortlisting process was led by professors from IIT-Bombay and the SRI-B team, which also selected the finalists. The final teams presented their ideas to the jury at the IIT-Bombay campus. The winning project was selected based on the degree of innovation, feasibility, usability, relevance and overall impact on masses.

Conceptualised in 2011, the Samsung Innovation Awards seek to support and encourage young talent who have an innovative approach and look to improvise different systems and processes. Further, it aims to develop indigenous products and services for fulfilling mass needs thereby transforming lives and creating sustainable solutions for the benefit of the society at large.

Over the years, Samsung Innovation Awards have become one of the most eagerly awaited ideation contests at IIT’s due to enthusiastic participation from the student community. Samsung continues to provide the next generation of Indian innovators and entrepreneurs an avenue to showcase and advance their engineering skill sets.