Zebra Robotics, a world-class robotics and coding center, today announced the grand opening of its first robotic school in Bengaluru with an aim to bring quality curriculum, content and approach to kids in India. Located at Jayanagar, Bengaluru, the Canada-based organization will open its doors for classes on August 1st, with an open house event scheduled on July 14th from 1-3 PM.
Founded in the year 2014, Zebra Robotics has taught over 1000 students in the Greater Toronto Area, Canada. “What merely started as casual sessions to teach robotics to our family friend’s children quickly transformed into a multi-location evening, weekend and summer camp program in the neighbourhood”, said Sharmila Govindarajan, co-founder of Zebra Robotics, while talking about the inception of the company.
Zebra Robotics plans to open 5 centers in Bengaluru by the end of this year, and 20 centers across various regions of India next year.
“We have always thought about coming back to India, and we are finally ready to give local kids easy access to robotics and coding classes. Zebra Robotics India has been made possible due to countless hours put in by JV partners, Collatrix Technologies Private Limited, friends and family members. While we have a long way to go, we have definitely taken our first step in the country,” she added.
"Learning should be hands on and fun. Especially when it comes to something so fascinating like robotics, kids should work together to solve a challenge in a friendly atmosphere without feeling pressurised,” co-founder Satish Thiyagarajan stated while stressing on the importance of a fun-filled environment in a classroom.
The unique approach of Zebra Robotics has proved to be truly essential for its students who have not only participated in but also won several competitions, awards at provincial and national levels. Some students have also represented Canada in the World Robotics Olympiad, which adds another feather in their cap.
Vijay K Thadani, Vice Chairman & Managing Director of NIIT Limited said, "Artificial Intelligence (AI) has the potential to add $1 Trillion to the Indian Economy by 2035.
Speaking at the inauguration of Confederation of Indian Industry [CII] 14th India Innovation Summit he said, "AI has been compared to electricity and the disruption it brought 100 years ago. Its application is limited only to your imagination." he said.
AI will help automate administration tasks in learning and development such as calendar scheduling and notifications (L&D). This will also help the L&D professional to focus on more value-adding tasks of a strategic nature thereby increasing learner engagement, Thadani adds.
He concludes saying that AI is also likely to play a significant role for people who will ensure that AI-systems operate as they do. Tasks in this category might include setting limits for AI-systems of flagging errors in machine judgment.
CII held its annual flagship event - Fourteenth India Innovation Summit 2018 - from July 12 & 13, 2018 at Hotel Lalit Ashok, Bengaluru. The theme of the Fourteenth India Innovation Summit was “India.AI – Driving the future for the world”. It is also a platform to engage and drive the innovation led growth strategies from India for global markets.
Many leading CEO’s/CXO’s, Functional Heads, Evangelists, Technical Strategists Design thinkers, Academia/ Students took part in the two day event.
The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) has announced the launch of training program for the new job role of ‘Insolvency Associates’, in partnership with Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI). The program will provide youth an opportunity to be a part of the growing insolvency management profession in our country.
This first-of-a-kind course, designed to provide the Indian youth with a better career opportunities, will help them build a dynamic and unique career for themselves, while contributing to the overall growth and development of the economy. Once a plea for insolvency has been admitted, the plea has to be resolved within a time bound period of 180 days and is extendable by maximum 90 days. Insolvency Associates will assist Chartered Accountants, Company Secretaries and other insolvency professionals, licensed by the IBBI, in the smooth functioning of the Insolvency & Bankruptcy Code (IBC) 2016.
Sharing his views on the launch of this unique program, Dharmendran Pradhan, Minister for Petroleum & Natural Gas and Minister for Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Government of India, said, “I am thankful to Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India for collaborating with Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship for the launch of Insolvency Associate program. Today there is a major worry regarding the fraudulent cases specially when it comes to money. However the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code 2016 is a major reform towards resolving insolvency cases in a definite time frame. Five years back we didn't know that a course like Insolvency Associate could generate employment and self-employment opportunities for the youth. We are constantly adapting to the industry requirement by introducing new age skill development courses for blockchain technology, artificial intelligence among others. To strengthen the overall skill ecosystem, we are facilitating international employment opportunities through collaboration with Japan, UAE etc. We also plan to introduce many more programs which are aspirational among the youth in our country and are happy to launch one such initiative from the prestigious Delhi University."
Sharing his views on the launch of this unique program, M.S. Sahoo, Chairperson, Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India, said, “The reforms introduced by The Insolvency Code have defined turnaround times for such cases. This in turn has led to a need for certain tasks, which are highly specialized, to be completed correctly within a set time period. We are glad that MSDE has seen this sectoral growth as an opportunity to generate employment and meet the career aspirations of the youth. We are confident that youth trained under this program will be an assets to the economic growth of our country and will contribute significantly towards building of New India.”
The 250-hour course will cover various aspects related to the Insolvency Code, Companies Act, accounting, valuation and secretarial practice. The course is expected to begin from July 15 and is being launched through best-in-class institutions and reputed law & commerce colleges across the country. The cost of the course will be subsidized by MSDE under the Pradhan Mantri Kushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY). The IBBI will also aid in placing successful candidates in Insolvency Professional Agencies.
Graduates in commerce, management, economics and law, along with intermediaries of Chartered Accountant, Cost Accountant or Company Secretary would be eligible to apply for the program. After completion of the program, the associates will assist insolvency resolution professionals in their respective cases.
MSDE is making constant efforts to map new job roles in order to meet existing and future market demand. Various courses are in the process of being introduced to train the youth to contribute to crucial sectors which are critical to nation-building.
True to the motto of ‘Saaf Niyat, Sahi Vikas’, these initiatives will not only achieve the vision of the ‘Skill India’ initiatives, but will also contribute substantially to the holistic growth of the country.
Infinix Mobile, an online smartphone brand from TRANSSION Holdings with presence in over 50+ countries, made its inroads in the country last year in August. As the brand is celebrating its one-year anniversary in the Indian market by further strengthening its product base by launching HOT 6 Pro today.
With a promise to provide an ultimate video watching experience, HOT 6 Pro is designed to match on-the-go streaming lifestyle of millennials. Priced at Rs 7999, HOT 6 Pro is a dual Rear camera smartphone that flaunts a 5.99-inch HD+ screen with 18:9 full view display, 83.4% Screen-to-body ratio and packed with 4000mAh battery. The smartphone will be exclusively available on Flipkart in three trendy colours of Bordeaux Red, Sandstone Black and Magic Gold.
Anish Kapoor, CEO, Infinix said, “With data revolution and digital content platforms sprouting to provide online streaming and video on demand has led to personal screen becoming the first choice among millennials. There is a dire need for video viewing device in mid-budget segment that can offer all host of features in one device such as bigger screen, long battery, loud sound and bright display. We, at Infinix, are committed to adhering to our consumer centric approach and with HOT 6 Pro, we are certain to fulfill the consumer video watching pain points in the budget segment with Superb 6 inch full view display along with Eye care feature which is supported by long battery for binge watching.
He continued further saying, “It’s been a year since we launched Infinix in India. These twelve months have been an incredible ride for us. We have successfully made inroads in the online space and launched a global portfolio consisting of four product lines – HOT, NOTE, HOT S & ZERO that received overwhelming response from the consumers on Flipkart.”
To celebrate the launch of Infinix HOT 6 Pro, Ayyappan Rajagopal, Senior Director Mobiles Category, Flipkart said, “We are excited about the new Infinix launch on Flipkart. With this, we have unlocked a completely new category of phones specialized for video viewing. Flipkart has always offered customer centric solutions and with the new Infinix Hot 6 Pro, we have a special phone that offers one of the best viewing experiences at its price point.”
Up your multimedia experience and style quotient
Notching up its game, the phone is equipped with a 5.99-inch HD+ Full View display with 18:9 aspect ratio, perfect for watching videos, reading, and browsing. HOT 6 Pro has an exceptionally high category defining 500 nits screen brightness and 1000:1 Contrast ratio which accentuate the brightness even in the sunlight, so that videos watching experience is always amazing. And it can be used with ease even in the dark with Eye care mode which produces warm colours in the display that go easy on your eyes. With 2.5D curved edges, 83.4% screen-to-body ratio, slim bezels & matte finish coming together, HOT 6 Pro’s exquisite looks makes it an ideal device for consumers who want their brand to reflect their personal style.
Uninterrupted movie marathon experience
While HOT 6 Pro’s display steals the spotlight, it comes with a massive 4000mAh battery capacity which empowers users to stream content without interruption. Once fully charged HOT 6 Pro, you can enjoy 12 hours’ uninterrupted video playback or 37 hours’ music playback.
Superior surround sound
To enhance the overall multimedia experience, HOT 6 Pro pumps rich audio output from phone speakers that comes with 83dB surround sound.
Dual Rear camera
Setting it apart in the camera optics, the HOT 6 Pro comes with a category defining dual-lens camera sporting a 13MP f2.0 primary sensor which captures perfect portraits with the help of its depth sensing 2MP secondary sensor. While phase detection auto focus (PDAF) helps the camera in fast focusing, it’s Dual LED soft light lets your beauty shine through even in the dark. Other features include Portrait Mode, HDR, Beauty, Panorama, Night Mode, Time Lapse and professional camera settings for enhancing the overall photography experience.
Selfie Camera
While the 5MP f2.0 front camera is clubbed with soft LED flash which helps in capturing the perfect selfies and making clear video calls regardless of the lighting condition. Also its live focus lets you take beautiful Bokeh shots where you make your subject stand out and blur rest everything in background. The Beauty Mode enhances your skin tones and other blemishes to present the perfect selfies.
Hardware and performance
Equipped with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 425, 64 bit Quad-core processor, the HOT 6 Pro is snappy and runs efficiently without any lag. The smartphone comes with 3GB RAM and 32GB storage which lets you reap the benefits of multi-tasking on the immersive 5.99” HD+ screen. HOT 6 Pro comes with 3-in-1 multi card slot where you can put Dual nano SIM along with a dedicated microSD card.
Moreover, the advanced integrated Face Unlock and fingerprint sensor enhance security of your smartphone. It also offers a smooth and faster software experience with XOS 3.2 powered by latest Android Oreo operating system. All of that put together makes the HOT 6 Pro a perfect smartphone for multimedia enthusiasts.
With launches like HOT 4 Pro for entry level followed by NOTE 4 and HOT S3 for mid- level and ZERO 5 as a flagship Dual Camera smartphone, Infinix has been successful in cultivating a devoted consumer base and gain immense appreciation over the past year.
SAP SE has announced that Knack Systems, a niche SAP consulting partner driving digital transformation across industries, will adopt SAP S/4HANA Cloud and leverage its Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning capabilities to boost their business. Knack Systems will be enabled to make data-driven decisions with predictive analytics by deploying the intelligent cloud enterprise resource planning (ERP), which is also embedded with the first ever true voice-activated digital assistant for enterprises – SAP Co-pilot.
Knack Systems, a fast-growing professional Services company in India with a global presence, is one of SAP’s global strategic partners and is aligned with SAP’s strategy for public cloud and on-premise software solutions. Its presence spans across various industry verticals including manufacturing, banking, technology, and more.
The company will be adopting S/4HANA Cloud to achieve growth through enhanced digital transformation, improve efficiency via automation, and redefine business processes all without the need for any investment in hardware hosting. This implementation uniquely positions Knack Systems as the first reference site in India that can demonstrate the value of a truly intelligent ERP Cloud solution – S/4HANA Cloud – to its customers.
“To prolong success in the current rapidly changing technology environment, it was necessary to take the next step beyond ‘just’ cloud,” said Sandeep Arora – COO, Knack Systems. “With the adoption of S/4HANA Cloud, we will streamline the business for better efficiency using the next generation technologies of AI & ML. This will further strengthen our capabilities by integrating and managing all critical business processes into one powerful system, thus enabling us to deliver an enhanced experience to our clients.”
“Businesses of tomorrow will require the deepest and broadest intelligence to retain their competitive edge,” said Neeraj Athalye, Vice President – Innovation & Digital Business, SAP Indian Subcontinent. “S/4HANA Cloud, the world’s first hands-free ERP solution, will empower Knack Systems to run faster, operate smarter, and achieve industry & operational excellence. The solution will aid them with the necessary skill sets to stay several steps ahead of their competition and help realize greater profitability.”
S/4HANA Cloud is SAP’s intelligent cloud ERP software-as-a-service (SaaS) solution with built-in machine learning and AI capabilities that serves customers in various product-centric and service-centric industries to help them achieve instant value, cost savings and improved efficiencies.
Impressed by the wide range of polymeric films that Flex Films manufactures and the associated R&D capabilities that the company is globally recognized for, Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) had approached the company earlier in September 2017 with a requirement of specialized film for passive thermal control of spacecraft components.
Flex Films at Noida is the Indian Film Manufacturing Arm of India’s largest multinational flexible packaging materials and solution company Uflex Limited.
Taking this requirement in its stride, the engineers at Flex Films India developed a solution for ISRO in a record time period of 6 months.
Talking more about this specialized film, Anand Prakash Gupta from Speciality Films and R&D Department at Flex Films, Noida says, “ISRO approached us in an endeavour to achieveits vision to self-reliance in Indian Space Programme which aims at engaging more Indian Industries in producing Space worthy products/technologies for its specific applications.Their desired specifications were in electro-optical and physical terms like Solar Transmittance, IR Emittance, Thickness of Coating in nano-meterson both sides of the substrateand wide spectrum working temperature of -150 to +120 degrees Celsius to name a few. The real challenge was to convert these specifications into our measurable norm.For this we sent an A4 sized sample to ISRO to get everything measuredand testedin their terms.When ISRO reverted to us with their requirements in the parameters that they recognize, we extrapolated that information to our measurable norm. Performing metallization in conventional metallizer was fraught with high risks of getting scratches and other aberrations (anomalies which were absolutely unacceptable for a high precision job that we were processing for ISRO).Further we developed some specialized coatings and applied on the substrate to ensure flawless metallization as required by ISRO.”
Talking more about this major break-through Jagmohan Mongia, President of Flex Films India said, “The specialized metallized film that we supplied to ISRO was subjected to space environmental tests and passed through all parameters/tests qualifying for space application. Here I would particularly like to acknowledge the unrelenting and hard work by the metallizing team of Flex Films India without which it would not have been possible for us to accomplish this goal.After this major break-through we nowlook forward to working with ISRO more closely in other research areas and technologies. This is just the beginning.”
Expressing delight on this breakthrough, Ashok Chaturvedi, Chairman & Managing Director, Uflex Limited said, “The most gratifying part of this whole engagement is that Uflex has been able to contribute to ISRO’s endeavour of indigenization and becoming self-reliant in space technology applications. This is a perfect example of an Indian polymeric film manufacturermeeting and exceeding the performance parameters set by Indian Space Research Organization. This is a major win for Make in India and a moment of truth for Made in India.”
Siemens Limited flagged off and launched one of the largest industry initiatives, the ‘Ingenuity Tour’ from the iconic Kalwa factory located on the outskirts of Mumbai. The tour is mobilised in the form of a road show that will cover 23 states, 120 cities and travel more than 30000 kilometres.
On display is a comprehensive array of latest products covering Electrification, Automation and Digitalization from the fields of industry Software, Automation, Power Distribution, Drive Technology, Digital & Cloud services, Industrial Training as well as customised Financing solutions. The tour is targeted at various industry verticals and demonstrates the competitive advantage that can be gained by adopting innovative technologies and solutions.
“Siemens has been partnering the Indian manufacturing industry to become more agile, efficient, reliable and future-proof through our engineering, domain and digital know-how. Our focus is on helping our customers generate performance improvements across the entire value chain, from design to production and operations to maintenance. The Ingenuity Tour will bring our innovations live in action, right to the door step of our customers.” said Ashish Bhat, Executive Vice President and Head of Digital Factory, Siemens Ltd.
Digital technologies are transforming our world. The 'Make in India' initiative aims to boost the contribution of the manufacturing sector from 15% to 25% of the GDP, by 2022. To support this massive growth, India will need an ecosystem comprising of Tier 1, Tier 2, as well as the Tier 3 suppliers, with an elevated level of manufacturing performance and agility .
“Digitalization is a top priority for us in Siemens and the Ingenuity Tour will help us engage and address challenges of our customers from various verticals and industry suppliers across the complete value chain. SMEs can utilize digitalization to address growing demands such as mastering increasing and process complexity, reducing time to market, adapting to changing market requirements, deliver individualized products and secure continuous product improvement,” said, Bhaskar Mandal, Executive Vice President and Head of Process Industries & Drives, Siemens Ltd.
Digitalization promises lower costs, improved production quality, flexibility and efficiency, shorter response time to customer requests and market demands, and also opens up new and innovative business opportunities. Indian manufacturers have the unique opportunity to blend the availability of advanced manufacturing technologies with low cost of labour to create extraordinary competitive advantage. The need of the hour is for SMEs to take the lead in adopting new technologies and make it an integral part of their business strategies. Those that are successful in understanding the power of digitalization and harnessing it across their businesses will lead this new wave of growth.
