India’s first digital water bank sets up shop in Bengaluru

India, and possibly the world, got its first digital water bank, an initiative to aggregate water resources under a single platform, on Monday. 

Science and Technology Minister Dr CN Ashwath Narayan, who inaugurated the water bank in Bengaluru, extended the state government’s full support for the initiative, undertaken by AquaKraft Ventures, a company that specialises in sustainable initiatives to provide drinking water and sanitation to all. 

source: newindianexpress.com

Bengaluru Metro’s First Vinyl-Wrapped Train Flagged off . Marks 75 Years of Independence

The first Metro train in Bengaluru with its exterior wrapped completely in vinyl was inaugurated on Friday from Platform 2 of the Kempegowda Metro station towards Kengeri on its Purple Line.

This initiative by the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) to commemorate 75 years of Independence was flagged off by its Managing Director Anjum Parwez at 10.15 am.

source: newindianexpress.com

* IISc-Bangalore develops paper sensor to detect hydrogen peroxide

Researchers from the Department of Organic Chemistry at the IISc have developed a paper-based sensor for detecting tiny volumes of hydrogen peroxide, a chemical used widely in household and healthcare products like hand sanitiser as a disinfectant, in rocket fuel as a propellant, in biological cells, and also as a starting material in peroxide-based explosives. 

SCIENCE : Scientists of IISc, India and QBI, Australia have devised new Math Model to predict Coronavirus Vaccine Efficacy

A mathematical model that predicts how antibodies made by COVID-19 vaccines protect against symptomatic infections has been developed by scientists at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru and the Queensland Brain Institute (QBI) in Australia.

A paper about the study was published in Nature Computational Science.

** ISRO inspires Channapatna rockets as engineers collaborate with artisans

The Indian Space Research Organisation offers its achievements in a language that connects, just in time for National Science Day, with DIY rocket models, Mangalyaan jigsaw puzzles, T shirts and more

“What we do is rocket science,” proclaims a tee-shirt. Created by Indic Inspirations for the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the tee -shirt is a part of its Vyom collection. Most of the products, which include jigsaw puzzles based on Mangalyaan, rocket collectible matchboxes, mySpace PSLV notebooks and fridge magnets, come with a storyline.

“This collection is about ISRO’s achievements in space science and technology. We had to create a line that would interest a child and adults alike,” says Yogesh Dandekar, architect and chief product designer of Indic Inspirations. “India is doing a lot of work in space technology and people should know about this.” He adds that minute details on the models build up curiosity.

** New tech comes to Bengaluru cancer hospital

The Sri Shankara Cancer Hospital & Research Centre (SSCHRC) has added True Beam STX and Da Vinci technologies to the Radiotherapy and Robotic Surgery sections. Vice-Chancellor of Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences Dr MK Ramesh, who was present at the inauguration, said SSHRC provides a high level care at lower rates.

“Hospitals like SSCHRC must train nurses as they will be exposed to quality training. They must increase the intake of nurses. Installation of state-of-the-art surgical system and Trubeam STX is a crucial step towards bringing sophisticated medical technology to patients from all over South India.” Dr BS Srinath, head of the institution, said, “The two machines make cancer care targeted and precise. The patients get to access the latest surgical solution that is globally available.” Robotic-assisted surgery is a minimally invasive procedure that helps patients return to their daily routine faster. True beam STX emits photons for treating cancers and is accurate, giving physician confidence to treat small tumours. 

Innovation Lab Inaugrated at PDA Engineering College (Kalaburagi) in Collaboration with Danish Enterprises

H.E. Freddy Svane, Ambassador of Denmark inaugurated an innovation lab established at the college as part of a collaboration with Danish companies and institutes.

After inaugurating the innovation lab, which has been set up to facilitate and develop innovations in the fields of Internet of Things, green energy, climate change mitigation, agricultural applications and electric vehicle systems, among others, Mr. Svane stressed the need for the development of in-house skilling to face global challenges such as global warming.

Manager of Karnataka Skill Development Corporation Kavita Gouda, President of Hyderabad Karnataka Education Society Bhimashankar Bilgundi, Principal of PDA College of Engineering S. S. Kalashetty, CEO and MD of Flexitron R.S. Hiremath and others were present.

source: thehindu.com

 ** AIISH Hosts 53rd National Communication Meet . Awards Presented at Event.

A two-day 53rd national conference of the Indian Speech Language and Hearing Association (ISHA), Mysuru chapter, began at All India Institute of Speech and Hearing (AIISH), Manasagangothri campus this morning.

The event, titled ISHACON, began at the Knowledge Park of the AIISH and is being organised by the Mysuru Indian Speech Language and Hearing Association (MyISHA). More than 1,300 delegates are participating in the event that will be a venue for over 16 plenary talks, 36 oral research paper presentations and 115 poster presentations.

At the conference, three eminent personalities in the field of speech and hearing were felicitated with prestigious oration awards in recognition of their contribution to the field — Dr. M. Pushpavathi, Director, AIISH, received Dr. N. Rathna Oration award, Dr. U. Ajith Kumar, Professor of Audiology, received Prof. S. Kameswaran Endowment Oration award and S. Rajapandian received Prof. R.K. Oza Oration award. Dr. Kalyani Mandke, Director, Mandke Hearing Services, Pune, received the “Bharat award” in recognition of her services as the President of ISHA during 2011-12.

* Student develops mini-oxygen plant in just eight months, all by himself

A 19-year-old engineering student has single-handedly invented a prototype of a mini-oxygen plant that produces up to 94.5 per cent pure oxygen and can be used in homes, hospitals as well as industries.

Called OxiPlant, the device works on the pressure swing adsorption (PSA) process.

It took Tejas P Karanji, a first-year student of electronics and communication engineering at PES University, all of eight months to conceptualise, design, fabricate and develop the product.

* Kidwai Memorial Institute gets bone marrow transplant facility

Health and Medical Education Minister Dr K Sudhakar on Tuesday launched a bone marrow transplant (BMT) centre at the Bengaluru-centred Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology (KMIO) to facilitate free treatment for children from economically weaker sections. He also announced plans to set up Kidwai regional centres in each district to make cancer treatment easily accessible to people across the state.

The bone marrow transplant centre has been opened to ensure that no child is deprived of such treatment in the fight against cancer, he noted.