Students of IIT Madras - UAVs for Disaster Management Project Win Microsoft Academia Accelerator Program in Bengaluru

Microsoft India hosted AXLE, a Microsoft Academia Accelerator an annual showcase of collaboration between Microsoft and academia. This year’s AI for Good theme packed in a rich agenda of keynotes, tech talks and student projects that showcased innovative ways of using technology to solve real world challenges. Students from IIT Madras, IIT Guwahati and IIT Jodhpur bagged the top 3 Prizes at the event.

The event brought together Computer Science faculty, Microsoft leaders and employees, several industry influencers and students from top engineering colleges of India who showcased innovative ways of building state of the art technology to predict or manage natural disasters better.

Academia Accelerator is one of Microsoft’s most comprehensive campus engagement programs aimed at building a deep, long-term association between industry and academia in India and reiterates the company’s mission to enable people to realize their full potential.

From just ideas at the campus level, Academia Accelerator Showcase builds on the best through mentor support, publishing support and pitch support provided and eventually provides the opportunity for the best among India’s student developers to hone their CS skills further.

Microsoft believes that among the new technologies that offer huge potential to ensure build richer, cleaner, healthier societies, AI could be considered the foremost. It can transform the output of people and organizations across every sector including better management of catastrophes and disasters and delivering relief materials where required. Keeping in line with this, the theme for Codefundo++ National Challenge under Academia Accelerator was “Build state of the art technology to predict or manage natural disasters better”. The challenge received great response with 5000+ participating students across 21 colleges, and 350 + new projects as Academia Accelerator program celebrated its seventh year of collaboration with students and faculty in India. Top 21 teams showcased their solutions today at the new Microsoft Campus in Bengaluru.

To further explore more possibilities around the same, topics such as AI for Earth: Solutions for Global Environmental Challenges, Health Data Collaborative Enabling AI Network and AI on the Edge and for the Edge to Design Smarter Cities were amongst the favored themes which were discussed during the keynote sessions at the Showcase today.

“Academia Accelerator aims to provide insights to students about important technology trends and practices and adding industry know-how to the existing Computer Science curriculum. At Microsoft, we see unique ways of how AI can be used to improve products, services and how fostering the dialogue on the beneficial use of AI can help in enabling long term sustainable solutions to large scale challenges.” said Chitra Sood, Director Business Management, Microsoft India (R&D) Private Ltd. “India has immense potential to be a hub of development for AI driven solutions. Microsoft’s engagement with the Academia reiterates our commitment to engage and enrich the innovation journey of students in Engineering schools. It makes AI and its benefits accessible and drive digital transformation at the grassroot level. We are excited by the enthusiasm shown by students using AI and anticipate that they will apply their learnings from this challenge through their career,” she added.

Academia Accelerator highlights the concepts of teamwork and collaboration as well as multi-disciplinary focus that took students beyond pure technology or code into other equally important determinants of success, such as user experience, design, customer value propositions.

Microsoft is committed to fostering innovation and creating a real impact on communities. In line with this, the key focus is on empowering students to think innovatively to craft solutions for real time challenges. Initiatives such as the Microsoft Academia Accelerator represent a tremendous learning opportunity for students. In addition to skills and training that launch incredible careers, students receive unparalleled hands-on experience, guidance and mentorship from industry luminaries, potentially opening doors to a future as an entrepreneur, innovator or technologist. Through these programs, students are empowered to dream big, build creatively, learn through competition and boldly bring their ideas to life as they gain lifelong career skills throughout their journey.

Winning Team Projects:

IIT Madras: UAVs for Disaster Management (WINNER)

Whenever disaster strikes, access to accurate information and the capacity to respond with life-saving assistance is critical. The project aims to solve this exact issue by creating an end-to-end autonomous system, to provide precise information about where exactly the people are stuck, with the use of UAVs which are powered with AI and Computer Vision. The system can efficiently distribute the drones to cover maximum area, and perform intelligent tasks such as detecting people (both visible and partially visible), whether they are able to move or not and activity recognition to help in optimizing the resources available.

IIT Guwahati: DUBG (First Runner up)

DUBG is a mixed reality app for efficient post disaster management. Rescuers are busy during operation, which is why this app is based on Mixed Reality so that rescuers don’t waste time on pre-planning their routes and operating any device for communication. DUBG makes basic tasks like communication, navigation and current status monitoring easy for rescuers. The team’s vision is to create an Augmented Reality based navigation system enhanced by voice assistant to make the rescue drives hassle free. Using the current technology of Microsoft such as Mixed Reality and Azure Speech Recognition, the IIT Guwahati team has reimagined current disaster management system.

IIT Jodhpur: Disaster Chain (Second Runner up)

The project is a distributed IoT-based solution, deployed in different sections / rooms of the building with the target as home / building automation solution, which acts as an early warning system and takes precautionary measures on detection of disasters, offloading crucial immediate steps from the cloud to edge, while staying connected to the cloud for data storage and further analytics. It works with an Android app (skinapp), using an exported tensor flow model trained on Microsoft's custom vision service (cognitive services) to predict skin diseases offline (for survivors rescued from the disaster zone).

Russia to Exhibit Naval Pantsir Abroad for the First Time Ever at IDEX EXPO 2019

JSC Rosoboronexport (part of the Rostec State Corporation) and JSC NPO High Precision Systems will arrange the first demonstration within a foreign defence show of the Pantsir-ME shipborne air-defence missile and artillery system developed and produced by the Instrument Design Bureau JSC KBP named after Academician A.Shipunov.

The presentations of the Pantsir-ME air-defence missile and artillery system will be held at the IDEX 2019 exhibition on February 18-19, 2019. There will be a full-scale specimen to be demonstrated in the middle of the combined Russian exposition organized by Rosoboronexport, i.e. at the exhibit of the High Precision Systems (09-C20).

“The current trends in the development of the navies force the maritime powers to equip their ships with reliable assets to counteract air threats, i.e. cruise missiles, unmanned aerial systems, helicopters and planes. A sophisticated system of countering practically all the possible aerial kill assets has been developed in Russia, and it will be represented at one of the largest world defence exhibitions in Abu Dhabi. Pantsir-ME can be installed on most Russian warships and is very well fit for ships manufactured by other countries. I am confident that it has very good export prospects in the Arab countries, South-East Asia and Latin America,” said Rosoboronexport’s Director General Alexander Mikheev.

The Pantsir-ME air-defence missile and artillery system can be set up on ships with water displacement of more than 300 tons. The system provides a reliable protection of vessels from all the existing and prospective air assault weapons in the whole spectrum of their combat capabilities with an unconditional probability of kill, which is practically equivalent to one, including low-flying anti-ship missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles.

“Currently the Pantsir-ME air-defence missile and artillery system has no direct countertypes in the world market in the segment of shipborne air defence systems, and such will hardly pop up in the near future,” noted Sergey Abramov, the industrial director of the Armaments cluster in the Rostec State Corporation, “Demonstration of a full-scale specimen at the IDEX exhibition is a perfect opportunity to present this new state-of-the-art Russian weapon to our partners from the Middle East and Northern Africa – the strategic region of Rostec’s presence.”

The high effectiveness of intercepting anti-ship missiles is explained by high performance tactical and technical characteristics of the Pantsir-ME air-defence missile and artillery system. The system is capable of simultaneous firing at four targets attacking the ship while the kill zone for guided anti-aircraft missiles reaches 20 kilometers in distance and up to 15 kilometers in height. Besides, Pantsir-ME can first utilize its missile weapons, and then, in case of a miss, the target will be hit by the artillery fire with a 100 percent guarantee. 

The system includes a high-intelligent multimode adaptive radio-optical control system. All the stages of operator work - from the target acquisition to the firing - are completely automated. A combined use of the radio and optical control system provides for the all-weather and round-the-clock operability of the system. All this permits a guaranteed elimination of targets at long distances and in close proximity.

New Range Rover Vellar SVAutobiography Dynamic Edition Introduced

Land Rover has given the world’s most beautiful mid-size SUV more performance, luxury and exclusivity with the introduction of the limited run Range Rover Velar SVAutobiography Dynamic Edition.

Designed as the pinnacle of the Velar line-up, the new model has been developed by Land Rover Special Vehicle Operations and is powered by a 404 kW 5.0 l V8 supercharged engine with a range of unique design enhancements. Adding to its exclusivity, this distinctive model will be available to purchase for one year only.

Velar was named World Car Design of the Year at the 2018 World Car Awards and is the second model in the Range Rover family to wear the coveted badge, after the introduction of the Range Rover SVAutobiography Dynamic in 2017.

With a supercharged V8 engine, the most powerful Velar accelerates from 0-100 km/h in 4.5 s (0-96 km/h in 4.3 s) and is capable of 274 km/h, while cosseting customers with traditional Range Rover refinement and comfort.

Uprated brakes and suspension components, plus bespoke settings for everything from the powertrain to the safety systems, ensure the SVAutobiography Dynamic Edition mixes the personality of a performance car with the go-anywhere capability of a luxury mid-size SUV.

Michael van der Sande, Managing Director, Land Rover Special Vehicle Operations, said: “Developing the Range Rover Velar SVAutobiography Dynamic Edition is the kind of task Special Vehicle Operations was made for. The challenge here was to increase performance without compromising the composure, capability and refinement inherent in Range Rover Velar. We’ve done this and, in the process, created an SUV that strikes a brilliant balance between go-anywhere practicality, dynamic performance and relaxing comfort – it truly is an SUV for any occasion.”

The powerful new model is distinguished by a range of visual enhancements and unique trim finishes, delivering a more purposeful appearance and heightened attention to detail while maintaining Velar’s perfectly optimised proportions and distinctive silhouette.

On the outside, the award-winning mid-size SUV features include a new front bumper with larger air intakes to feed the V8 Supercharged engine and cool the uprated braking system. A new grille and lower side mouldings combine with a revised rear bumper featuring integrated quad exhaust finishers.

The exterior changes combine with a transmission tunnel undertray to ensure the fastest Velar in the range cuts through the air more efficiently.

Even the Range Rover lettering on the bonnet and tailgate has been enhanced, with a knurled finish on the metal element of the two-piece letters adding a fresh degree of sophistication to the exterior. The SVAutobiography Dynamic Edition is also the only Velar available in Satin Byron Blue – a metallic paint finish from Special Vehicle Operations’ Premium Palette range – and all models feature a contrast Narvik Black roof as standard.

Gerry McGovern, Chief Design Officer, Land Rover, said: “Our continued evolution is driven by a relentless focus on creating highly desirable vehicles our customers will love for life.  The new Range Rover Velar SVAutobiography Dynamic Edition amplifies the highly desirable nature of the 2018 World Car Design winner by introducing a compelling combination of heightened performance and luxury.”

Distinctive forged aluminium wheels provide another clue to the enhanced performance. The lightweight 53.34 cm (21) design weighs the same as the 50.8 cm (20) wheels on the core model and customers can also specify optional 55.88 cm (22) rims with a unique Silver Sparkle finish and diamond-turned edging, providing a further degree of personalisation.

The larger wheels support the performance focus of the SVAutobiography Dynamic Edition, helping to generate more grip and accommodating larger brakes. Its 395 mm front and 396 mm diameter rear brake discs feature a two-piece construction to optimise weight. The innovative designs also dissipate heat more effectively to cope with the higher braking forces generated during high performance driving.

The extra stopping power is highlighted by red brake calipers (four-piston at the front, sliding at the rear) which feature Land Rover lettering. Gloss Black calipers are also available for a more discreet appearance.

The purposeful exterior is matched by a heightened sense of luxury inside with a carefully curated combination of trim finishes and upholstery. The twin-stitched, perforated and quilted Windsor leather is unique to the SVAutobiography Dynamic Edition and adds to the sense of luxury inside. Customers can choose from four colour combinations (Ebony, Cirrus, Vintage Tan and Pimento) and the SVAutobiography Dynamic Edition features 20-way adjustable heated and cooled front seats with memory and massage functions as standard.

The special touches inside extend to the unique sports steering wheel, which features a specially contoured rim and tactile aluminium gear shift paddles. Lower down, the rotary gear selector and circular control dials for the seamlessly integrated Touch Pro Duo infotainment system all feature a sophisticated knurled finish. An optional carbon fibre pack for the interior adds a more contemporary feel to the cabin, with a distinctive steel weave, while sports pedals and illuminated metal treadplates with Range Rover script complete the look.

The individual SV elements extend to the 31.24 cm (12.3) Interactive Driver Display featuring unique ‘digitally knurled’ dials which deliver an expertly handcrafted sense and finish to the digital experience inside the mid-size SUV and a bespoke SVAutobiography Dynamic start-up screen. This digital detailing continues with the electronics that underpin the driving characteristics of the new flagship Velar model.

Calibrations for the AWD system, Active Rear Locking Differential, eight-speed transmission, steering and air suspension have all been honed and are bespoke to the SVAutobiography Dynamic Edition; delivering a more focused driving experience. Engineers at Land Rover Special Vehicle Operations spent 63 900 hours fine-tuning the unique calibration to optimise the ride, handling and responsiveness.

Stuart Adlard, SV Senior Vehicle Engineering Manager, Land Rover, said: “The Velar SVAutobiography Dynamic Edition retains the all-terrain capability and comfort customers expect from a Range Rover, with an even more rewarding and engaging driving experience. The result is a composed and luxurious SUV that looks, sounds and feels unique.”

The work of Special Vehicle Operations focused on delivering increased breath of capability, maintaining Land Rover’s renowned all-terrain expertise while providing new levels of dynamic control and performance. Aside from far-reaching electronic tuning, upgraded anti-roll bars reduce body roll during hard cornering and the revised set-up for the Continuously Variable Dampers works in combination with firmer air springs for the air suspension to deliver the ultimate balance of composure and comfort.

The AWD system has been uprated too with a transfer box capable of withstanding the higher loads generated by the 5.0 l supercharged V8 engine. The advanced Intelligent Driveline Dynamics system precisely and imperceptibly distributes engine torque to suit the conditions. The set-up can direct as much as 100% to the rear depending on the conditions. 

Speed-sensitive Electric Power Assisted Steering is fitted as standard, minimising effort at parking speeds but delivering precise and direct control at higher speeds, while the Velar’s Dynamic mode has been enhanced, optimising the steering, suspension and transmission settings to suit more enthusiastic on-road driving.

The unique character of the Velar SVAutobiography Dynamic Edition is also reflected by its bespoke exhaust set-up, which provides a soundtrack to match its performance. SV’s Variable Active Exhaust System features valve technology to optimise the exhaust note, depending upon the driving conditions, and provides Velar with an unmistakable V8 rumble. The active set-up is 7.1 kg lighter than the standard design and its increased gas flow helps to unlock some of the flagship model’s increased performance.

The Velar SVAutobiography Dynamic Edition sounds like no other SUV, but the most driver-focused model in the range is as practical as ever. The generous boot capacity is unaffected, while the flexible 40:20:40-split rear seats allow customers to vary the loadspace depending on their requirements. The 82 l fuel tank also promises a genuine range in excess of 483 km.

The new Velar SVAutobiography Dynamic Edition is available in six exterior colours: Firenze Red; Santorini Black; Corris Grey; Fuji White; Indus Silver and, by special order, Satin Byron Blue.

Over 800 Delegates Take Part at ‘INCAL 2019’ Conference Inaugurated in Bhubaneswar

Anil Mukim, IAS, Secretary to Govt of India inaugurated the much-awaited mega aluminium conference – International Conference on Aluminium (INCAL 2019) in the presence of a galaxy of business leaders and delegates from across the globe and different parts of India descending in Bhubaneswar for the 3-day Exhibition and Conference being held from Jan 31-Feb,3. 

With bullet trains, aerospace, electric vehicles and smart cities set to dominate the next phase of development in emerging economies like India, the spotlight on making Aluminium as the Metal of choice will be a key focus area in INCAL 2019. Billed as one of the biggest events in the Aluminium calendar in Asia, INCAL 2019 will showcase the latest technologies and advancements in the sector. 

Anil Mukim, IAS, praised the Indian Aluminium industry for showcasing India’s strength in front of a global audience and urged the stakeholders to work towards increasing the domestic consumption of aluminium in a sustainable manner and make Aluminium as the metal of choice for the future. 

More than 850 delegates, including 300 foreign delegates from 20 countries with Ambassadors, High Commissioners, Consul Generals is participating in the mega Global Summit, where aluminium producers, technologists, equipment suppliers, raw material suppliers from across the globe are participating for developing a roadmap for sustainable aluminium industry vis-à-vis other metals and contributing for green development.

Dr. Tapan Kumar Chand, Chairman, Aluminium Association of India (AAI) and CMD, NALCO said, ‘’This is a huge moment for India and Odisha to showcase the country as an attractive investment-friendly destination across the globe. For INCAL 2019, we have a three-pronged strategy to send across a strong message to the stakeholders in the Metal and Aluminium industry. At the international level, we are aiming to project Aluminium as the futuristic metal, at the national level, we are committed to take steps to increase domestic consumption as there is tremendous scope and at the state level, project mineral-rich Odisha as the Aluminium Capital of India.’’   

INCAL is being held in Bhubaneswar for the first time, under the aegis of Ministry of Mines and organized by Aluminium Association of India (AAI).

Speaking on the occasion, Ajay Dixit, CEO, Aluminium and Power, Vedanta Ltd. said, "India can evolve as the nation of choice for the global aluminium industry. While the aluminium sector contributes 1.9 per cent to our manufacturing GDP currently, it can contribute almost 10% to the GDP in the next 3-5 years.  With government support, this metal of national importance can propel the next wave of development and job creation in the country."

The Conference, besides having a world class program with the theme “MAKING ALUMINIUM - DRIVING GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT”, will deliberate on several key topics and issues of Aluminium industry with a special session on Downstream Prospects and Emerging Applications of Aluminium. This conference is being attended by top executives of global aluminium industries like ALCAN of Canada, ALCOA of USA, CHALIECO & CHINALCO of China, EMAL of Emirates, DUBAL of Dubai, Rio Tinto, London, RUSAL of Russia, Norsk Hydro of Norway etc. and equipment suppliers like FL Smidth of Denmark, SMS of Germany, Danielle, ALMEX & Properzi of Italy, Carbone Savoie of France etc.   

Apart from attracting investment, the Meet is also providing a global trade and knowledge-sharing platform, open business talks between countries, states, and corporations.

QuEST Appoints Arun Pai as President of New Business Development

QuEST Global, the pioneering engineering services provider, has appointed Arun Pai as President of New Business Development. In this role, he will be responsible for fuelling the company’s next phase of growth across diverse industries – Aerospace & Defense, Aero Engines, Automotive, Rail, Medical Devices, Power, Oil & Gas, Industrial and Hi-Tech. Prior to joining QuEST, Arun was Corporate Vice President at HCL Technologies, where his charter was to grow the Commercial Industries Portfolio that includes Hi-Tech, Automotive, Manufacturing, Aerospace & Defense, Transportation, Energy & Utilities, Oil & Gas and Industrial.

Arun joins QuEST with more than 30 years of progressive experience in Engineering and IT services industry. During his three decades of service in the industry, Arun was instrumental in providing strategic and transformational benefits to various customers by delivering tangible business value across different outsourcing services including Product Development, Production and Aftermarket Services along with Digital and Enterprise Solutions. He has deep experience of heading businesses ranging from USD 500 million to 1 billion and has led global sales in various markets across North America, Europe, Taiwan and India.

Robert Harvey, President, Sales, QuEST Global said, “Arun brings invaluable experience and an excellent track record of building and scaling businesses globally. His deep experience in serving global customers, understanding of engineering operations and enterprise challenges across diverse industries will help us to further accelerate our growth plans and growing investments in new business development.  Arun is also a great fit to our empowered, entrepreneurial, humble and hungry culture.”

Commenting on his appointment, Arun Pai said, “The engineering, product lifecycle and enterprise ecosystems are undergoing significant shifts due to digital disruptions and ever changing consumer needs. QuEST being a pioneer in the engineering services space is leading some of these disruptions. I am excited to be part of this successful team and look forward to contributing towards QuEST’s next phase of growth.”

Simplilearn’s #NewYearNewOpportunity Contest Results Reveal Technology Skills in Highest Demand

Simplilearn, a global e-learning provider, released today the results of a New Year’s resolution-themed contest they recently conducted, results that shed light on the technology skills most sought after by high-tech professionals, career seekers and other learners in 2019.  Courses in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning, Data Science and Business Intelligence (BI), and Project Management topped the list of the most-desired skills participants selected as their preferred focus of future training. The complete results, ranked in order of preference of technology categories, are shown below.

Using the hashtag  #NewYearNewOpportunity, Simplilearn hosted the contest on its Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram social media channels for 24 days. The contest invited participants to indicate which courses they thought would be most beneficial to their careers. More than 500 people participated in the contest. 55.4 percent of entries were from India, followed by the U.S. and other geographies with 6.8 percent and 37.8 percent respectively.

In addition to selecting their preferred category of training, participants were asked to submit entries in the form of an essay, video, photo collage, song or other creative project.. The best four entries won a free Simplilearn online training course of their choice. Winners were selected based on the quality and creativity of their entries.

Listed in order of preference, the results below show the technology categories selected by the contestants and by what percentage they were chosen:

Technology Category Selected          Percentage Chosen                                                                         
AI & Machine Learning                 22.4%
Data Science & BI                     17.2%
Project Management                    10.6%
Cyber Security                        8.5%
Cloud Computing                       7.1%
Digital Marketing                     6.8%
DevOps                                6.4%
Agile/Scrum                           6.2%
Big Data                              5.6%
IT Service and Architecture           4.4%
Salesforce                            2.7%
Quality Management                    2.1%

Unity Technologies Unveils 2019 Developer Conference Lineup

Unity Technologies (https://unity3d.com/), creator of the world’s most widely used real-time 3D development platform, announced recently the lineup of global Unite conferences and Developer Days. The 2019 Unite conferences will be hosted in locations that house thriving ecosystems of development and creativity. Smaller, more focused Developer Days will provide creators with tangible skills to launch, market, and monetize successful careers. Attendees of this year’s events will get an in-depth look at the Unity 2019 development cycle: an ever-evolving platform featuring a suite of services and collaboration tools to enable teams in delivering performant, beautiful experiences coupled with monetization solutions to maximize success.

Unite conferences serve as a weekend-long celebration of Unity developers, providing them with exclusive access to brainstorm with Unity experts and industry leaders, get a sneak peek at what Unity will bring creators in the future, and unlock the full creative potential of the Unity platform. Developer Days are curated events dedicated to ensuring the Unity developer community makes the most of Unity’s technology and learns new skills to take development to the next level.

“Every year I look forward to announcing our Unite conferences and Developer Days because it means developers are one step closer to interacting with our newest technologies and innovations,” said Brett Bibby, Vice President of Engineering, Unity Technologies. “This year, between the two different formats, we’re rolling out more locations than ever before, giving us the opportunity to meet and interact with developers from every corner of the world.”

2019 Unite conferences dates and locations:

Unite Shanghai, May 10-12; Shanghai International Convention Center
Unite Sydney, May 14; Hyatt Regency Sydney
Unite Seoul, May 21-22; Coex Convention
Unite Europe, September 24-26; The Bella Center, Copenhagen
Unite Tokyo, September 25-26; Grand Nikko Tokyo Daiba
Unite Singapore, October 1-2; Sheraton Towers
Unite India, November 14-15; Grand Hyatt Kochi Bolgatty

2019 Developer Days dates and locations:

New York, February 9
Montreal, April 6
Moscow, May 15
Hamburg, June 6
Brighton, July 7-8
Bogota, July 13
Paris, August 2
Brasilia, August 10
Indonesia, September 28
Vancouver, October 19
Haifa, October 24
Los Angeles, November 9
Helsinki, November 20

Unity Technologies is the creator of the world’s most widely used real-time development platform, reaching 3 billion devices worldwide. Developers working in Unity are building projects across multiple industries, including video games, film, automotive, and AEC. For more information about attending and registering, visit the Unite website.