Category Archives: Science & Technology

IIIT-Hyderbad team develops software to detect fake news

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Ramachandran and his team aim to monetise the software in the future and equip media houses with the software so that fake news can be easily identified.

Hyderabad :

So, how do we combat fake news? In what seems to be a novel solution, the IIIT-Hyderabad has developed an artificial intelligence-based laboratory that is equipped to identify fake news by a single tap of the keyboard. Called the Fake-O-Metre, the software can determine whether the headline of an article,its link or content is fake within seconds.

“It uses a range of options to tell you how much of the content is fake,” says Vijayasaradhi, an MS student involved in development of the software. “You can enter multiple headlines at the same time and derive results at one go.” During a demo presentation, the software analysed a bunch of headlines and gave varying range of colour-coded answers.

For instance, for the headline “The State is going to polls on December 7” it will give a green bar with a value below 30 per cent. “If it’s below 30 per cent, it means that the content is true. Similarly, if the value is above 60 per cent and the bar is red then it means that it is a fake content.” But how does the AI work? Vijayasaradhi added: “We collected around 10,000 potential fake news statements and fed it to the machine. This is like teaching by example. Now the AI will try to find a pattern from the 10,000 and try to determine whether the input that is being fed is fake or not.”

J Ramachandran, CEO of Gramener technologies and the industry expert for the AI lab at IIIT, said: “We are aiming to make this technology available in regional languages. For that we have introduced similar Fake-O-Metre in Spanish and Chinese on an experimental basis. “One of the most important requirement in doing a vernacular-specific fake news buster is that you need data. Since it is artificial intelligence, data has to be fed to churn out results. The software has to learn from the fed data as to what constitutes, or what words usually frame fake news in regional languages.”

For collecting this data Ramachandran is looking towards Facebook, Twitter and other social media. “Hate speech is prevalent on Twitter. So one can find specific hate speech by using that hashtag, which can later be culled to form data,” added Vijayasaradhi. Ramachandran and his team aim to monetise the software in the future and equip media houses with the software so that fake news can be easily identified.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Hyderabad / by Aihik Sur / Express News Service / November 13th, 2018

Aurobindo Pharma to acquire R&D assets of Australian firm

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Aurobindo Pharma on Monday said it is acquiring a product under development and related research and development (R&D) assets from Advent Pharmaceuticals Pty Ltd of Australia.

The $12.5 million acquisition will lead to enhancement of R&D capabilities in complex speciality generics, the company said in a regulatory filing.

The acquisition, providing an opportunity to acquire assets that would be used for speciality generics business, is to be undertaken through AuroScience Pty Ltd, Melbourne, a wholly owned subsidiary of Aurobindo Pharma USA Inc.

Advent Pharmaceuticals is into the business of R&D in complex speciality generics. According to the Australian firm’s website, the company was founded in 2001 with the aim of developing generic inhalation products for global markets.

With regard to turnover of the target entity, Aurobindo Pharma said certain R&D assets were being acquired and “no revenues [were] generated during the 12 months ended September since it is engaged in R&D activity.” No sales were expected in the first 12 months of the acquisition, the filing said.

The transaction is expected to be completed by January 2019.

Besides the acquisition, Aurobindo Pharma also announced results for the quarter ended September, a period that saw it clocking a consolidated net profit of ₹.611.44 crore. This was a decline of 21.70% compared to the ₹780.97 crore registered during the year earlier period.

Total income of the company increased by 7.45% to ₹4,777.66 crore (₹4,446.16 crore). Total expenditure was ₹3,964.20 crore (₹3,468.36 crore). The Board of Directors also approved an interim dividend of 125% or ₹1.25 per equity share (of ₹ 1 each), the company said.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Hyderabad / by Special Correspondent / Hyderabad – November 13th, 2018

A perfect place to tinker, innovate

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A model on display at the Hyderabad edition of Maker Faire, at Hitex on Friday.

Three-day Maker Faire begins at Hitex

Hyderabad got its first taste of Maker Faire on Friday as dozens of innovators trooped into a hangar at Hitex to showcase their effort. The three-day event aims at helping create an environment of innovation, tinkering, hacking and creating.

“Curiosity and innovation are innate part of childhood when children take apart toys and dolls. But somehow, it gets lost in the chase for marks, exams and competition. Only now we are realising the importance of innovation,” said Jayesh Ranjan, IT Secretary, Government of Telangana, in his keynote address.

“The last decade and a half has seen transformative ideas. We need to create an ecosystem of innovation. We have lot of problems and we need a pool of brilliant solutions,” said Mr. Ranjan.

On the first day, one section of the event resembled a science fair put up by students. “This is a device that can be used by visually-impaired. The frequency of vibration changes when the object gets closer,” said Soumyadeep Sahu, who promised adding more features to his device once his 12th class exams get over.

There were a number of such innovative ideas using proximity sensors, light sensor, movement detectors and even weather monitors. Unfortunately, most of the sensors, IOT devices and chips were off-the-shelf imported stuff. “Our education system with its focus on marks stamps out any leaning towards innovation. We need problem-solving mindset. We now have 5,400 tinkering labs and hopefully, they will bring about a change in the mindset of people,” said Ramanan Ramanathan, the mission director of Atal Innovation Mission.

The event is a brainchild of Sujai Karampuri of T-Works. “In 2014 at San Mateo in the U.S., I attended a Maker Faire and thought why not in Hyderabad. Here it is. We want to create a one-stop prototyping facility at T-Works,” said Mr. Karampuri. The event would go on till Sunday, 8 p.m. and entry is free.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Hyderabad / by Special Correspondent / Hyderabad – November 09th, 2018

Startoon Labs first from WE Hub to raise equity funding

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The startup is into product development, designing and developing industrial-grade IoT products and smart electronics systems from the fields of embedded systems and robotics.

Hyderabad :

Hyderabad based early-stage startup, Startoon Labs has become the first startup incubated at the WE Hub, incubator of Telangana government for women entrepreneurs, to raise first round of equity funding.

The startup is into product development, designing and developing industrial-grade IoT products and smart electronics systems from the fields of embedded systems and robotics.The money raised through equity funding will be used by Startoon Labs to build their product – Pheezee, a smart physiotherapy toolkit. The device is designed to monitor and report on patient rehabilitation and recovery by tracking their mobility and muscle strength.

The startup is led by Mythreyi Kondapi alumnus of IIM Ahmedabad and her husband Susurla VS Suresh, alumnus of IIM Kolkata, was established in November 2017. Kondapi is part of the first cohort of 26 women-led startups selected for incubation at WE Hub.

“My team and I are really excited that a hardware product company from Hyderabad is the first of the WE Hub startups to raise equity funding. We are working towards building on Startoon Labs’ momentum by creating a robust, outcome-oriented roadmap for growth”, said Deepthi Ravula, CEO of WE Hub.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Hyderabad / by Express News Service / November 04th, 2018

Indian student’s algorithm helps in leading driver directly to empty parking spot

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Sai Nikhil Reddy Mettupally at The University of Alabama in Huntsville has also won second prize at the 2018 Science and Technology Open House competition

An Indian student in the U.S. has created a space-detecting algorithm that can help tackle the problem of finding a parking spot by using big data analytics and save a person’s time and money.

Sai Nikhil Reddy Mettupally, a student at The University of Alabama in Huntsville, has also won second prize at the 2018 Science and Technology Open House competition for his creation.

According to a university presser, Mr. Sai’s creation relies on big data analytics and deep-learning techniques to lead drivers directly to an empty parking spot.

Big data analytics is a complex process of examining large and varied data sets to uncover information including hidden patterns, unknown correlations, market trends and customer preferences.

Mr. Sai conceived the idea shortly after the university transitioned to zone parking last fall.

“Finding a parking spot as soon as a person enters the parking lot is essential.”

What he needed was to find a way to identify empty spaces and then direct the driver to the location. But unlike other parking apps in the market, he wanted to develop one that didn’t rely on the purchase, installation, and maintenance of expensive in-ground sensors.

To help put his plan in action, Mr. Sai turned to Vineetha Menon, an Assistant Professor of Computer Science.

As the director of UAH’s Big Data Analytics Lab, Mr. Menon also had access to the high-performance computing power that Mr. Sai needed to create and train his machine-learning model, which relies on a robust parking-lot data set provided by the Federal University of Parana in Brazil.

Mr. Sai, who graduated in electronics and communications engineering from the Birla Institute of Technology and Science in Pilani, hopes to develop a parking-support mobile app—dubbed InstaPark—that can display the real-time grid layout of empty and occupied parking spots using the phone’s GPS.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Sci-Tech> Technology / by PTI / Houston – October 31st, 2018

For producing dry fish of impeccable quality

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An NIRDPR team demonstrating the working of solar-powered hybrid dehydrators to fisherwomen from Telangana at a workshop held on its campus in Hyderabad recently.

NIRDPR’s Rural Technology Park develops solar-powered dehydrators

The National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj (NIRDPR)’s Rural Technology Park has developed solar-powered hybrid dehydrators to produce dry quality fish under hygienic conditions. This technology would help pack and seal fish in pouches, which is likely to fetch a better price for fishermen.

The institute and its technology partner have decided to train 4,000 fishermen from across the country in adopting modern technologies to improve catch and reduce wastage in collaboration with the National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB).

“We have also developed a fish bone separator keeping in view the demand for higher quantity of fish, which will increase productivity among fishermen community,” said NIRDPR Deputy Director Radhika Rastogi and NFDB Chief Executive I. Rani Kumudini on Friday.

About 150 fisherwomen from Telangana were trained during a one-day workshop-cum-demonstration held at the institute last week as part of ‘Rastriya Mahila Kisan Diwas’, supported by Commissioner of Fisheries C. Suvarna, they said.

RTP Project Director Ramesh Sakthivel urged the Fisheries Departments of all the States to take advantage of the training facilities available at the institute. The institute was also exploring options to conduct such trainings at different places to reach out to more people.

Technologies such as solar hybrid dehydrators, designed chilling chambers, freezers, mobile moped-mounted freezers and ice machines that are user-friendly, compact with high quality materials, and of low maintenance, have been developed at the RTP.

Leftover catch fish after selling can be stored in chilled chambers to avoid spoilage of fish, and can be transported to various destinations through moped mounted freezer.

Fisherwomen, who took part in the training programme, expressed keen interest in the newly-developed technologies and some fishermen societies have even agreed to install chilling chambers for preservation of fish, he claimed.

The RTP has, in fact, developed several new approaches for promoting hygienic ways of handling, preserving and drying fish, he added.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Hyderabad / by Special Correspondent / Hyderabad – October 26th, 2018

The ‘padwomen’ of Telangana

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Successful venture: Adivasi women working at the sanitary napkin unit in Bhadrachalam, Telangana

Sanitary napkins made by adivasi women of the State are in great demand.

In Telangana’s tribal belt, since February this year, adivasi women have been running four small units that produce sanitary napkins for free distribution to students in the tribal welfare hostels and ashram schools. Now, the region is set to get four more sanitary napkin production units, thanks to the demand for pads among young women in the adivasi community.

While the State has four such units currently running in Bhadrachalam, Utnoor, Mannanur and Eturnagaram, with a collective production capacity of 6,000 to 7,000 pads per month, the facilities in the pipeline are expected to increase the total production of napkins to 40,000 per quarter.

All the existing units were commissioned under the Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA). Christina Z. Chongthu, Commissioner, Tribal Welfare, has already consulted with the ITDA to support the proposed units. As per the Commissionerate of Tribal Welfare in Hyderabad, talks are on with NGOs and commercial sanitary napkin units to support adivasi youth in sanitary napkin production in districts where tribal population is high.

Expansion plans
Speaking to The Hindu, N. Vijaykumar, deputy general secretary of the Girijan Cooperative Corporation, which distributes the pads among the adivasi students, said, “With the new units, we will be able to produce 40,000 sanitary napkins per quarter.” The napkins will then be supplied to women in the adivasi community who live in the tribal pockets near each manufacturing unit.

As per the 2018 report of the National Family Health Survey, 62% of women use cloth instead of sanitary pads. In most of the adivasi villages in Telangana, women were found to be using cloth or ash for menstrual protection. The pad-making units were set up primarily to support adolescent girls and young women enrolled in schools.

The decision to start more units came after demand for the pads increased, officials said. Once funds are sanctioned for starting the units, the four existing units will also undergo a technological upgrade. While the units in operation do not make the extra safe winged variety of pads, the new technology that is set to be introduced will make it possible.

The units have provided jobs to around 30 women in each unit, with altogether 120 adivasi women employed in the four facilities.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Telangana / by Nikhila Henry / Hyderabad – October 15th, 2018

DD-Hyderabad turning 41

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Doordarshan Kendra-Hyderabad will be inviting film and TV artists, who made their debut through the channel, and felicitate them on its 41st Formation Day celebrations on October 23 at its premises.

DD in Telangana has a viewership of over 1 crore, claimed channel head M. Vijay Bhagwan on Sunday.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Hyderabad / by Special Correspondent / Hyderabad – October 21st, 2018

Dutch firm opens facility in Jadcherla

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Dutch multinational firm Royal DSM has set up its second animal nutrition and health premix plant in India at Jadcherla, near Hyderabad.

With the facility, which was formally opened on Monday, the company aims to serve the growing Indian market in tune with the objective of providing solutions tailor-made for local needs. DSM Animal Nutrition and Health Business Unit Director (South Asia) Ravindra Vyawahare said the company has been in the region for over 20 years.

“We see strong potential for growth in the animal premix industry. The Jadcherla plant gives us far greater geographic reach and increases our production capacity to meet the growing industry demands,” he said in a release. The first plant of the company in India is in Maharashtra.

DSM, which is listed on Euronext Amsterdam, and its associated companies had annual net sales of about €10 billion and a headcount of about 23,000 people.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Hyderabad / by Special Correspondent / Hyderabad – October 15th, 2018

Thinking caps on, students present out-of-the-box ideas

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Young innovators share 175 ideas at Startup India boot camp

There has been overwhelming response to the Startup India Telangana Yatra with students sharing 175 ideas at the boot camp organised at the Jyothismathi Institute of Technology and Sciences (JITS) on Monday.

To promote entrepreneurship in Tier-II and Tier-III cities, Telangana State Innovation Cell launched the Startup India Telangana Yatra to bring budding entrepreneurs together to brainstorm and present their ideas. JITS was selected as the nodal centre for the programme.

The boot camp witnessed the participation of over 400 students from various engineering colleges such as JNTU Kondagattu and Manthani, NIT-Warangal, SR Engineering College and KITS-Huzurabad, apart from schools like Sidhartha High School in Karimnagar town. Among them, 175 students shared their ideas and innovations.

Of those, the best ideas would make it to the grand finale at JNTU-Hyderabad. The winners would be attached to seven incubators in the State and provided all assistance to start their business. On this occasion, the students of JITS have exhibited their innovations and won accolades.

A working model on prevention of accidents on ghat roads in the wake of Kondagattu bus mishap was appreciated by visitors. Third year civil engineering students S. Ashritha, E. Sucharitha and A. Laxmi Prasanna designed the model by erecting roller barricades, which would prevent vehicles from plunging into the gorge.

Startup India Telangana representatives Radhika Meenakshi Shankar, Nikitha Rupasri, Amith Sharanya, Spoorthi, Major Sunil Shetty, Tarun, Raj Janagam and Swetha clarified doubts raised by the students about startup ideas and innovations. JITS chairman J. Sagar Rao, director K. Venkat Rao and principal G. Laxminarayana were also present.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Telangana / by Special Correspondent / Karimnagar – September 25th, 2018