Category: Inventions, Innovations

REGIONAL: KARNATAKA: HEALTH & MEDICAL SERVICES: South India’s First Vertebral Stentoplasty Conducted at Bengaluru’s Aster CMI Hospital

A stent was inserted along with the balloon in the vertebrae, and the balloon was inflated later to raise the collapsed vertebra.

 A 57-year-old woman, having suffered a spine fracture along with rheumatoid arthritis, underwent a vertebral body stenting procedure at city-based Aster CMI Hospital. This is claimed to be the first such surgery performed in South India.  

The woman was brought to the hospital in severe pain and was even unable to walk. With her limited mobility, the doctors decided to perform a vertebral body stenting procedure (stentoplasty), which was minimally invasive. Dr Umesh Srikantha, Sr Consultant – Neurosurgery, Head of Spine Services, Aster CMI Hospital, explained: “The surgery was minimally invasive and was performed using the latest medical procedure in vertebral augmentation which gave immediate relief to the patient, who was able to walk in less than 24 hours. Balloon Kyphoplasty prevents the vertebral body from collapsing and also helps in vertebral body height restoration and shape.”

A stent was inserted along with the balloon in the vertebrae, and the balloon was inflated later to raise the collapsed vertebra.

The cavity formed after deflating the balloon, and was filled with bone cement to support the bone surrounding, Dr Srikantha explained. The whole procedure was completed within an hour and the patient saw significant improvement. She was able to walk comfortably without any assistance, he added. 

S Ramesh Kumar, CEO of Aster CMI Hospital proudly called it South India’s first such surgery conducted at their hospital, which was made possible with the help of high-end technology. 

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL & KARNATAKA: DEFENCE SERVICES / TECHNOLOGY :DRDO, Navy Fly TAPAS Drone, Land it on Warship 

 The TAPAS UAV took off from Chitradurga’s Aeronautical Test Range (ATR) and flew 285 km and landed successfully on INS Subhadra.

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Indian Navy successfully demonstrated the transfer of command and control capabilities of TAPAS unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).

The TAPAS UAV took off from Chitradurga’s Aeronautical Test Range (ATR) and flew 285 km and landed successfully on INS Subhadra. According to the Navy, the vessel was 148km off the Karwar Naval base. A ground control station and two ship data terminals were installed on INS Subhadra to control the UAV.

The UAV took off at 7.35 am from the ATR and soared to a height of 20,000 feet and flew for three-and-a-half hours non-stop to land on INS Subhadra. “After this test, the UAV flew back to the ATR safely,” said the Navy.

“This test is called C2 — command and control capabilities — to check the ability of the operator to control the drone’s flight, sensors and payloads. C2 capabilities are essential for the safe and effective operations of a drone. This is a Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) drone, which has a flight endurance of 24 to 48 hours,” informed Girish Linganna, a Bengaluru-based defence expert.

TAPAS was designed and developed by the Aeronautical Development Agency and can be used for patrolling and intelligence gathering for all the three forces. These UAVs are considered the Indian version of Predator drones of the United States.

They are equipped with electro optics sensors to capture images and videos both during the day and night, long-range electro optics sensors to take images and videos from long distances that can be used for surveillance and reconnaissance missions and provide information about enemy movements and activities, Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) that uses a technique called synthetic aperture to create high-resolution images that can be used in all-weather conditions to obtain ground surface details like terrain features and objects, electronic intelligence, communication intelligence and other features.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL & KARNATAKA: MARINE & FISHERIES: Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) Scientists Facilitate Successful Cultivation of Indian Pompano through Cage Fish Culture in Padhthonse Village, Udupi district

A team of scientists from the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Mangaluru, has facilitated successful cultivation of Indian Pompano (Trachinotus mookalee) for the first time in Karnataka in the Swarna estuary at Padhthonse village, Udupi district, and its harvest was done from June 2 to June 26.

The pilot project began last November under the Scheduled Caste Sub Plan Programme, wherein the beneficiaries got hands-on training in various aspects of cage culture.

Indian Pompano fingerlings, measuring 2-3 cm, were procured from the marine finfish hatchery of the Vishakhapatnam Regional Centre of ICAR-CMFRI.

About 4,000 fingerlings, each weighing 3-4 gm, were released into cages at a density of 40-50 fishes per cubic metre after acclimatising them to the local condition.

The fingerlings were fed pelleted floating feed twice a day, amounting to 5% of their body weight, said a release from CMFRI-Mangaluru.

After a five-month grow-out period, the Indian Pompano was harvested in batches between June 2 and 26. The average growth observed during this period was 400-450 gm, resulting in a total harvest of 1,300 kg with survival rate of 90%.

The beneficiaries sold the harvested fish locally, fetching prices ranging from ₹450 to ₹490 per kg generating ₹6.1 lakh revenue. With expenses at ₹3.75 lakh, the net profit earned was ₹2.35 lakh in six months.

Success of the pilot would not only provide alternative livelihood for SC families, but also help other local communities. The success has demonstrated the rapid growth rate of Indian Pompano to reach the preferred table-size in six months and the favourable market demand for the same.

Cage cultivation of fish in coastal Karnataka began in 2009-10 in coastal rivers with over 900 cages being installed in estuaries till now.

The Fisheries Department, the National Fisheries Development Corporation etc., extended financial support to over 500 families. Seabass, Red Snapper and Snubnose Pompano were among the species grown in cages.

The research programme was led by A.P. Dineshbabu and his team of scientists comprising Sujitha Thomas, Geetha Sasikumar, Rajesh K. M., and Divya Viswambharan.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

KARNATAKA: HEALTH & MEDICAL SERVICES / INNOVATION: First-of-its-kind Innovative Endoscopy Procedure conducted at Kasturba Medical college, Udupi

 A team of doctors from the department of gastroenterology and hepatology – Dr Shiran Shetty (prof and head) Dr Ganesh Bhat, Dr Atish Shetty, Dr Balaji and Dr Sandesh Shet (anaesthesia) performed a complex innovative endoscopy procedure called – endoultrasound guided gastrojejunostomy – GJ for a person with gastric outlet obstruction due to underlying cancer. This procedure is less invasive than surgery and can be done and patients who are not fit for any surgery can be discharged the next day and is very cost-effective. 

A 55-year-old man with pancreatic cancer and gastric outlet obstruction with persistent vomiting was referred from another hospital. After evaluation and discussion with the team and relatives, we decided to perform a unique endoscopic procedure called EUS –gastrojejunostomy (the connection between the stomach and small intestine) for easy passage of food. The patient could tolerate oral feeds after the procedure.

This is the first-of-its-kind done in the coastal belt of Karnataka.

Dr Shiran Shetty, professor and head department of gastroenterology and Hepatology and Deputy Medical Superintendent said, “Due to newer technology more endoscopy procedures can be done for treatment of various complex diseases and is patient friendly and very cost effective.

Kasturba Hospital, Manipal is one of the first medical college hospital in India to utilize newer endoscopy technology for the management of patients from rural and poor backgrounds

Dr Anand Venugopal, chief operating officer, Teaching Hospital MAHE, Manipal praised the team of doctors and staff who were involved in this innovative procedure.

Dr Avinash Shetty, medical superintendent, Kasturba Hospital, Manipal said, “Currently, the department of gastroenterology and Hepatology at Kasturba Hospital, Manipal performs all major and complex endoscopic procedures equivalent to reputed national and international centers and it gives new hopes to the patients of coastal and middle Karnataka.”

source/content: daijiworld.com (headline edited)

KARNATAKA: INNOVATION – MEDICAL SERVICES / RESEARCH: Detect Diabetes with a Simple Antigen Test, says IISc study

Currently, researchers rely on Radioimmunoassay (RIA) to detect somatostatin levels which use radioactive materials and need to be carried out in labs only.

Detecting diabetes can become as simple as taking a rapid antigen test for Covid-19.  Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) have discovered that fluctuations in levels of other hormones such as somatostatin,  secreted by the pancreas, can have a major impact on developing diabetes. 

Scientists argue that usually one gets diagnosed with diabetes when they have high blood glucose levels either because their pancreas does not produce sufficient insulin, or their body cells do not respond to signals from insulin that tell them to use up glucose. This can be avoided by keeping levels of somatostatin in check and potentially detecting diabetes sooner. “Changes in somatostatin secretion can be one of the first signs of diabetes,” said Nikhil Gandasi, Assistant Professor, IISc. 

Somatostatin is secreted by specific cells of the pancreas, called delta cells. “It regulates insulin and glucagon which is another hormone that works hand-in-hand with insulin to maintain blood sugar levels,” said the study.  

Researchers found that when a person is diabetic, their body will secrete less delta cells which means less Somatostatin hormone. The experiment was conducted in pancreatic cells extracted from both mice and humans. The study was published in International Journal of Molecular Sciences called ‘Somatostatin Containing delta-Cell Number Is Reduced in Type-2 Diabetes.’

The team used artificially synthesised somatostatin to test its binding against several commercially available antibodies, in order to identify the one that bound to it most efficiently, which was used to develop the assay.  Similar to the Covid-19 rapid antigen test, the kit works like the standard Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay that uses antibody-coated plates to identify the presence of antigens in a sample.

Currently, researchers rely on Radioimmunoassay (RIA) to detect somatostatin levels which use radioactive materials and need to be carried out in labs only. “The procedure also takes three days to complete,” said Caroline Miranda, another first author and post-doctoral fellow at the University of Gothenburg.” The new kit will use less blood plasma compared to the RIA method. Researchers are developing the kit into a simple hand-held device that can be mass-produced.   

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

KARNATAKA: ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) : Bengaluru start-up EMBIBE launches AI-powered lab experiments app

The app offers an interactive platform where students can engage with a virtual science lab.

Bengaluru-based start-up EMBIBE, an AI-powered education platform, has launched an app that will help students do science experiments virtually. Called the ‘EMBIBE Lab experiments,’ the app offers an interactive platform where students can engage with a virtual science lab and conduct more than 350 experiments in Physics, Chemistry, and Biology.

The platform is NEP-aligned and the list of experiments includes all 243 prescribed by CBSE. The app is available free of charge to students across India.

“EMBIBE Lab Experiments has the potential to overcome all limitations of physical laboratories such as cost, accessibility, and availability of equipment,” said Aditi Avasthi, founder and CEO, EMBIBE. “It can truly democratise science education by reaching students across different regions and socio-economic backgrounds. By seamlessly integrating technology with education, we envision a future where students can explore and conduct virtual experiments from the comfort of their homes or classrooms,” she added.

According to a 2014 survey carried out under Unified District Information System on Education (UDISE), more than 75% of Indian schools lacked well-equipped science labs. The start-up believes its latest app would help bridge this gap.

Real-life scenario

EMBIBE Lab Experiments app links every experiment to real-life scenarios through 3D animated videos. The app also offers a DIY experiment feature which allows students to select materials and perform experiments in a 3D virtual lab and a gamified, data-generating laboratory simulation.

On top of it, the app claims to break down 113 complex experiments into two parts facilitating easier understanding. The platform is tailored to CBSE, NCERT, and State board curriculums. It has found takers among schools like Krishna Public School International (Atal Nagar-Nava Raipur), Holy Angel CBSE School (Rettenai, Tamil Nadu), and Solace International High School (Pulwama, Jammu and Kashmir), among others.

In regional languages too

The app will also be made available in Hindi and 10 regional languages. It can be downloaded from Play Store and App Store. Founded in 2012, the ed-tech start-up EMBIBE is backed by Reliance Industries, which has invested ₹1,175 crore in it, so far.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

KARNATAKA: SPACE TECHNOLOGY: Government’s Visvesvaraya Industrial and Technological Museum (VTU) in Bengaluru Exhibits full-scale replica of Mars Rover Opportunity

The Mars Rover Opportunity model, which was kept as an exhibit at the Visvesvaraya Industrial and Technological Museum, was inaugurated on Thursday.

If you are curious to know how the Mars Rover Opportunity of US space agency NASA, which traversed through the barren land of the red planet and revealed many secrets about it, then head straight to the Space Technology gallery of the Visvesvaraya Industrial and Technological Museum (VITM) here.

The Mars Rover Opportunity model, which was built by the students of Cornell University and kept as exhibit at the VITM, was inaugurated by M Sankaran, Director, UR Rao Satellite Centre of Indian Space Research Organisation on Thursday.

The model was initially on display at the Smithsonian’s Air and Space Museum in Dulles, Virginia, in US, and later exhibited in the US Pavelion during the 2020 World Expo in Dubai.

The replica was then received by the American Centre in the US Consulate in Chennai where it was on display from November 2022 to March 2023 before landing at the VITM.

US Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade Marisa Lago said, “As the United States and India forge even closer cooperation across critical sectors, space provides yet another example of our partnership, with today’s dedication ceremony serving as a symbol of our mutual commitment.”

US Consul General in Chennai Judith Ravin said the arrival of the full-scale replica of Mars Rover Opportunity in India symbolised the longstanding space technology cooperation between India and the United States.

India is an important partner to the United States in space exploration. Initiated in 2005, the United States and India Civil Space Joint Working Group is the venue for a productive exchange of views and discussion on new and expanded areas for civil space cooperation, she pointed out.

According to Ravin, the civil space dialogue between United States and India is framed around four working groups: Earth sciences, space science and exploration, heliophysics, and human space flight.

“The cooperation between our two countries shows that the technologies developed in support of space exploration have real-world applications that affect all of us, from advancements in telecommunications and satellite navigation to agricultural monitoring and weather forecasting,” she said.

The Mars Rover Opportunity was operated on the red planet from 2004 to 2018. It sent thousands of pictures to its control station.

source/content: hindustantimes.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL / KARNATAKA: SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY: IISc Researchers Develop Novel Thermal Desalination System

These systems work by heating saltwater, then condensing the resulting vapour to obtain freshwater and can be a possible solution to increase the availability of clean, potable water.

As a possible solution to increase the availability of clean, potable water, Indian Institute of Science (IISc) researchers have developed a novel thermal desalination system which can work using solar energy.

The most common methods for desalination are membrane-based reverse osmosis and thermal desalination. However, both consume a lot of energy.

According to IISc, thermal desalination systems work by heating saltwater and then condensing the resulting vapour to obtain freshwater.

Environment-friendly

“But the energy required for evaporation is usually obtained from either electricity or combustion of fossil fuels. An environmental-friendly alternative is using solar stills in which solar energy is employed to evaporate saltwater in large reservoirs and the vapour that condenses on a transparent roof is collected. However, during condensation, a thin layer of water forms on the roof, reducing the amount of solar energy that can penetrate the reservoir and therefore, the system’s efficiency,” said IISc.

“As an alternative to such solar stills, the IISc team has developed a novel design for a solar-powered desalination unit that is more energy-efficient, cost-effective and portable, making it convenient to set up in areas with limited access to continuous electricity,” said Susmita Dash, Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and corresponding author of the study which has been published in Desalination.

The setup, designed by Dash and her PhD student Nabajit Deka, comprises a reservoir of saline water, an evaporator, and a condenser enclosed within an insulating chamber to avoid heat losses to the ambient air. Their system works by using solar thermal energy to evaporate a small volume of water imbibed or “wicked” into the evaporator, which has a textured surface. The wicking of liquid into the evaporator takes advantage of the capillary effect of microscale textures.

“This effect allows liquids to be drawn into narrow spaces of a porous material, much like water being absorbed by a sponge. Utilising this approach, instead of heating the entire liquid volume in the reservoir, results in a significant improvement in the system’s energy efficiency,” says Dash.

Works for groundwater too

Apart from seawater, the system can also work with groundwater containing dissolved salts as well as brackish water. It can be adjusted to align with the shifting positions of the sun during the day.

IISc said that the researchers are currently working on scaling up the system and improving its durability, and increasing the volume of drinking water produced, so that it can be deployed for domestic and commercial use.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

KARNATAKA: AIR TRANSPORT / FLYING TAXIS: Mysuru, Bengaluru Tech firms join Hands with Flying Taxi start-up ePlane to make Flying Electric Vehicles

ePlane is an IIT-Madras incubated start-up that aspires to build a compact flying taxi. The MoU aims at developing UAVs and flying electric vehicles.

Mysuru-based Vinyas Innovative Technologies and Bengaluru-based Printalytix have signed an MoU with an IIT-Madras incubated ePlane company, which specialises in building compact flying electric taxis and drone systems, for developing UAVs and flying electric vehicles.

Vinyas and Printalytix signed the MoU with ePlane in Mysuru on May 18.

Vinyas will be manufacturing various kinds of drones and UAVs as well as collaborating on marketing and servicing the same.

Printalytix will be providing mechanical design and manufacturing support for the production of UAVs and electric flying taxis.

The three companies aim to indigenise, manufacture, assemble, and integrate advanced drone systems at Vinyas’ production facility in Mysuru by leveraging ePlane’s technology and manufacturing know-how. Vinyas, reinforced by e-Plane, will provide after-market services, and product life-cycle support to its customers worldwide.

The MoU involves manufacturing of small and large UAVs as well as electric flying taxis that use eVTOL technology designed to fulfil requirements starting from land security and surveillance, delivery, rail inspections and monitoring, mapping, to emergency response in urban environments.

The MoU covers the work scope of electronics design and development, PCB assembly, system integration and testing of these UAVs and drone components. The UAVs of ePlane have successfully demonstrated their product capabilities in terms of range, battery life and unique design.

Prof. Satya Chakravarthy, founder and CEO of ePlane, said, “We aim to unlock the full potential of indigenisation, design, engineering and manufacturing that would contribute to the evolving advanced air mobility market and the Make-in-India scheme as well.”

Narendra Narayanan, founder and Managing Director of Vinyas Innovative Technologies, said, “The MoU aims to bring the best of drone technology solutions to many strategic entities. The partnership is a no-brain drainer, as our joint vision has matched up perfectly.”

According to Kiran and Abhishek, who represent Printalytix: “We witness the growing demand and need for drones in various sectors while the supply chain and manufacturing ecosystem in India are catching up to be able to support this growth.”

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

KARNATAKA: RURAL INNOVATION / AGRICULTURE : Siddapur Farmer Vidyadhar Bhat Designs Wonder Modified Vehicle that carries 300 kilos of load

 Though the vehicle looks like a scooter, it does work of an autorickshaw. It is also quite useful for the farmers.

A farmer who was tired of carrying things on his shoulders has designed this vehicle, which is developed from his old TVS moped.

The farmer who has designed this unique vehicle is none other than Vidhyadhar Bhat, a resident of Unchalli of Siddapur taluk of the district.

An old TVS moped that was lying in Vidhyadhar Bhat’s house was getting rusted. So Bhat thought of using it as a cart vehicle and a sketch was made in cooperation with local engineer Prashanth. Later, they developed a three-wheeler vehicle having tyres of a scooty and an auto.

The vehicle has the engine of CT 100 and has brakes of an Omni vehicle. A  container that is fitted on the backside can carry up to 300 kilos of load. The vehicle has a fan and an intercooler as well.

The vehicle gives a mileage of 20 km to a litre if the load is full. Otherwise it can give up to 30 to 35 kilometers to a litre. On the whole, this wonder vehicle is farmer-friendly. This vehicle allows the farmer to finish off his work without depending much on labourers for farm-related work.

source/content: daijiworld.com (headline edited)