Hyundai and Air Liquide aim to achieve a target of 1000 ventilators in the first phase of production and scale up subsequently.
Chennai :
Hyundai Motor India (HMI) has entered into a partnership with Air Liquide Medical Systems (ALMS) to augment the production and supply of ICU ventilators in Tamil Nadu and other states amid the COVID-19 crisis.
Through this partnership, HMI and ALMS aim to achieve a target of 1000 ventilators in the first phase of production and scale up subsequently.
Ventilators are medical devices used by healthcare professionals to treat patients who are unable to breathe on their own by delivering air with a high concentration of oxygen to their lungs. For patients severely affected by COVID-19, ventilators are critical to ensure continuous oxygen is supplied to overcome respiratory insufficiency.
Commenting on the arrangement with ALMS, SS Kim, MD & CEO, Hyundai Motor India Ltd, said, “Hyundai and Air Liquide Medical Systems are working together to ensure a steady supply of ventilators in India.”
Anil Kumar, managing director, ALMS India, said, “Air Liquide is one of the very few global companies with a dedicated research and development team to manufacture ventilators in India.”
“Air Liquide Medical Systems is employing all the resources available to manufacture innovative, easy-to use and high-performing ventilators and will hold the reins to deliver quality service across the country during this time of need and to spearhead the Make in India initiative,” a release stated.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Tamil Nadu / by Express News Service / April 18th, 2020
The group has supplied around 25,000 shields so far and has an order for nearly 30,000 more
The shields were distributed to Home Guards on Saturday | Photo Credit: S.R. Raghunathan
Four students from the Indian Institute of Technology Madras, in collaboration with an entrepreneur, have developed face shields which have been provided to healthcare professionals and police personnel who come in direct contact with COVID-19 infected people.
The students initially used 3-D printing technology to develop the shields. Their effort was much appreciated and soon demand for the shields increased after which a Chennai-based company came to their help.
Now, the group has shifted to the injection moulding method to cater to the demand. “Now we make 4,000 pieces a day,” said Pranit Mehta, a third-year dual degree student of Engineering Design.
The other students are Hari Ramachandran, a fifth-year dual degree student of Metallurgy; Anuj Khandalikar, third-year dual degree student of Engineering Design and Denil Chawda from the M.S. Aerospace Engineering department. They were guided by a couple of alumni and Professor Satya Chakravarthy of the Aerospace Engineering department.
The group has supplied around 25,000 shields so far and has an order for nearly 30,000 shields. They have supplied to hospitals in Cuddalore, Puducherry and Kanniyakumari so far.
The students are currently helping units replicate their model in Delhi, Indore and Mumbai after they received requests for the shields. “It is a social impact project. We are giving the shields free of cost to the police and we are running a fund-raiser campaign. We have got donations from people now,” Pranit said.
The need for funds came up as the cost of the shields rose. “With 3-D printing it cost us ₹100 each, but with injection moulding it costs ₹60 per piece. It is a not-for-profit initiative. The more people we reach, the more the impact will be,” he said.
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An earlier version of this copy mentioned that the prices of 3D printing and injection mold incorrectly. The error is regretted.
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source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Chennai / by R. Sujatha / Chennai – April 18th, 2020
The list of these five hospitals has been communicated by the Ministry of Railways to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare who in turn has shared the same with State governments.
These isolation cabins will be an addition to around 1,000 quarantine/isolation beds provided by SCR at railway hospitals, health units, training institutes spread over 30 locations.
Tiruchy :
In its April 17 edition, TNIE reported Southern Railway (SR) has earmarked 11 railway hospitals to treat coronavirus cases. Eight hospitals are in Tamil Nadu and three in Kerala.
It was also reported SR has kept 1,236 beds ready in these hospitals to treat COVID-19 patients. Following this, SR in a statement said 1,135 is the total number of beds in all Southern Railway hospitals.
Of these, 384 beds in five hospitals – three in Tamil Nadu and two in Kerala- are being made ready by Southern Railway for treating COVID-19 positive patients, both for Southern Railway and non-railway patients if the situation so warrants.
The list of these five hospitals has been communicated by the Ministry of Railways to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare who in turn has shared the same with State governments.
Of these, in two hospitals at Palakkad and Tiruchy, only part of the hospitals has been earmarked for CoVID-19, as the remaining beds are required for other patients.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / by Express News Service / April 18th, 2020
Hundreds of doctors of Indian origin came together under the banner of Global Indian Physicians COVID-19 Collaborative on Saturday to share knowledge and foster cross-system learning in the fight against COVID-19.
Addressing the first virtual meeting of the collaborative, Prathap C. Reddy, chairman, Apollo Hospitals, and founder-president of the Global Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (GAPIO), said that the pandemic was unlike anything he has seen in his 65 years of practicing as a doctor.
Stressing on the need for collaboration by breaking all barriers, he said that the pandemic had made medical professionals realise their amazing ability to find solutions in record time.
Indian response
Vinod K. Paul, NITI Aayog member and co-chair of the Empowered Committee for COVID-19 Response in India, said that India’s response has been calibrated, graded, and it was yielding results.
On the availability of PPEs, he said that the present availability was adequate for the present situation and in a matter of two to three weeks, the availability of PPEs would be sufficient to cater to even worst-case and extreme scenarios.
He said that India was also focusing on developing vaccines for COVID-19, with four possible vaccine candidates being worked on in four of the country’s laboratories.
Sudhir Parikh, secretary general of GAPIO, expressed hope that convalescent plasma therapy would prove to be an effective treatment for COVID-19 and highlighted, in the American context, the need for creating a database of persons who had recovered from COVID-19, for plasma donation.
Patrice A. Harris, president, American Medical Association, highlighted the need for increased collaboration at international, national and local levels, and accurate data collection.
“For instance, the African-American population seemed to be disproportionately affected by the disease. However, we do not have data at the national level,” she said.
Kamlesh Khunti, director, Centre for Black and Minority Ethnic Health in the U.K., said that early data had indicated that South Asians and Black minorities were disproportionately affected by the disease in the U.K. as well.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Chennai / by Staff Reporter / Chennai – April 12th, 2020
Three students from Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research have won an opportunity to pursue research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
They were among the 40 international medical students who participated in a virtual hackathon, ‘COVID 19 Beat the Pandemic’ contest that MIT organised from April 3 to 5.
The winners — Jayanthi Anbalagan, Ph.D. scholar of Centre for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research; Aswathy Narasimhan and Aishwarya Chander, biomedical sciences students designed a reusable and recyclable personal protective equipment and an integrated testing module.
Each winner will receive $500 as prize too.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Chennai / by Special Correspondent / Chennai – April 13th, 2020
The Greater Chennai Corporation has developed an app to geographically map people having fever, the most common symptom of COVID-19.
Chennai :
The Greater Chennai Corporation has developed an app to geographically map people having fever, the most common symptom of COVID-19. Touted as the first such technology to be used in any city in the country, the app, named as GCC Corona Monitoring, will mark people in home quarantine as well as the areas where crowd gathers against social distancing norms. The app developed by a team of volunteers from Mr Cooper will be officially launched within a week, confirmed official sources.
“Currently, most of the urban civic bodies in the country are actively monitoring only people under home quarantine. But, there could also be a cluster of people with fever symptoms in a particular area. Since most people are staying indoors, nobody knows if the person next door is having fever. This can lead to community spread,” said M P Azhagu Pandia Raja, a research fellow with Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, who conceptualised the app for Greater Chennai Corporation.
How it works?
1) Click on the option in app
2) Photo of house for location
3) As more people notify fever symptoms, officials can identify clusters and send health workers
Home-quarantined people
1) App geo-tags people
2) Will help civic body to channelise more resources
3) Over 1,000 have downloaded the app and marked themselves
Notifying about crowds
There is an option to notify the civic body about crowd in an area. Anyone can click the picture of a group and send it through the app
Where to get it?
Since Playstore is taking down apps related to COVID to stop spread of fake news, it will be released on GCC’s website
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Chennai / by KV Navya / Express News Service / March 31st, 2020
Dr. Panchanathan, who completed his bachelors degree in University of Madras, is currently the Chief Research and Innovation Officer at the Arizona State University
U.S. President Donald Trump has picked Indian-American computer scientist Sethuraman Panchanathan to lead the prestigious National Science Foundation.
The National Science Foundation (NSF) is a U.S. government agency that supports fundamental research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering. Its medical counterpart is the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
“Dr. Sethuraman Panchanathan brings to this position a wealth of experience in research, innovation, academic administration, and policy as exemplified by his long and distinguished career,” Kelvin Droegemeier, Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, said on Thursday.
Dr. Panchanathan, 58, would succeed France Cordova when her six-year term as the NSF Director ends in 2020. NSF Director is a Senate-confirmed position.
Dr. Panchanathan is currently the Executive Vice President and the Chief Research and Innovation Officer at the Arizona State University (ASU). He is also the Founding Director of the Centre for Cognitive Ubiquitous Computing at the ASU.
Appointed to the National Science Board (NSB) in 2014, Dr. Panchanathan served as the Chair of the Committee on Strategy for the NSB. He also served as a member of the National Advisory Council on Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
“Dr. Panchanathan brings numerous achievements and well-earned recognition including from his role as a member of the National Science Board,” Mr. Droegemeier said. “As the Trump administration continues its undeterred focus on ensuring American global leadership in science and technology, Dr. Panchanathan’s commitment, creativity and deep insights will be instrumental in leading the National Science Foundation on its continued path of exploration and discovery,” he said.
Dr. Panchanathan is also the Vice President for Strategic Initiatives of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI). He was the Chair of the Council on Research of the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities and Co-Chair of the Extreme Innovation Taskforce of the Global Federation of Competitiveness Councils.
He was appointed as Senior Advisor for Science and Technology by Arizona Governor Doug Ducey in 2018.
In a statement, Dr. Panchanathan said he was “humbled and honoured” to be chosen as the NSF Director.
Dr. Panchanathan earned a bachelor’s degree in Physics from the University of Madras in 1981 and in Electronics and Communication Engineering from the Bangalore-based Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in 1984.
He then earned his master’s degree in Electrical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology-Madras in 1986 and PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Canada-based University of Ottawa in 1989.
“Dr. Panchanathan’s expertise and dedication will ensure that the NSF continues to be a driving force for US discovery, innovation, and technological growth. He will be a key partner in advancing research and development in the technologies that will benefit all Americans, from artificial intelligence to quantum information science and high performance computing,” said Michael Kratsios, Chief Technology Officer of the United States.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> International / by PTI / Washington , December 20th, 2019
India’s most sophisticated, indigenously designed battle tank, Arjun Mk-1A, has cleared all trials and is ready to go into production.
Arjun Mk-1A
Chennai :
It’s the most lethal, sophisticated and all-weather battle tank that India has indigenously designed and conceptualised till date. Meet Arjun Mk-1A main battle tank, a 68-tonne rugged bull, waiting to join the Indian army. It will be a star attraction at the DefExpo India 2020 to be held in Lucknow in February.
Armoured Corps cleared the tank after successful completion of final integration tests conducted earlier this year in the western sector of Rajasthan. Arjun Mk-1A is an improved variant of Arjun Mk-1, whose two regiments (124 tanks) are in service.
Scientists of Chennai-based Combat Vehicles Research and Development Establishment (CVRDE), a Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) lab, are the architects of this improved avatar of Arjun. The Heavy Vehicles Factory in Avadi is expected to commence production after receiving the order.
Top DRDO officials confirmed the new variant of Arjun had passed the rigorous army evaluation. “The tank has fulfilled all user specifications and undergone elaborate field trials. We expect the order of intent any time soon.” Officials said 72 improvements were made to Arjun MBT Mk-1A, of which 14 were major upgrades specifically requested by the army.
CVRDE Director V Balamurugan said the fundamental parameters of a battle tank are “fire power, protection and mobility”. Arjun MBT Mk-1A is improved on all these fronts.
Four upgrades were made to firepower. An improved Gunner’s Main Sight (GMS) integrated with Automatic Target Tracking (ATT) was fitted. This helps the crew track moving targets automatically, making it easy for the gunner to fire even when the tank is moving. The Commander’s Panoramic Sight (CPS Mk II) was integrated with Thermal Imager that enables the commander to effectively conduct surveillance in both day and night through eye-safe Laser Range Finder with advanced Hunter Killer Capability. Besides, additional varieties of ammunition were incorporated to enhance the lethality of the battle tank. Other than conventional Fin Stabilised Armour Piercing Discarding Sabot (FSAPDS) and High Explosive Squash Head (HESH) ammunition, Thermo Baric (TB) and Penetration Cum Blast (PCB) ammunition were developed.
Lastly, the vehicle was upgraded with a Remote Controlled Weapon Station that provides the loader capability of engaging ground and aerial targets from the protective envelop of the tank armour. It provides an additional capability to fight in urban areas called Hatch-closed firing.
Extra protection for crew
The battle tank will have a crew of a commander, gunner, loader and driver. Keeping them out of harm’s way is paramount. For this, Arjun Mk-1A comes with a slew of new features. Balamurugan said Track Width Mine Plough (TWMP) is a significant addition, which provides capability for the tank to easily cross minefields as the plough mounted to the front creates a mine-free path by tossing mines to the sides of the tank. The Explosive Reactive Armour (ERA) panels are provided for effective protection against ever-evolving anti-tank threats like shoulder-fired anti-tank grenades and missiles. These were mounted along the frontal arc of the hull and turret.
Another new feature is a Containerised Ammunition Bin with Individual Shutter (CABIS) that provides enhanced protection to the crew from inadvertent burning of ammunition stored in the ready round bin. Hot gas generated by ammunition burning is vented out by blow-off panels from the roof of the turret.
Besides, Arjun Mk-1A has protection against chemical attacks. A special chemical sensor is mounted to detect the presence of harmful toxic chemicals around the tank. “The sensor detects harmful chemicals, triggers an alarm and the Nuclear Chemical warfare system increases the pressure in the tank compartment to a level higher than in the atmosphere outside preventing toxic air from entering. The crew gets air through a particulate filter,” officials said.
The Roof Mounted Driver’s Seat protects the driver from shocks and enhances driving comfort. Other upgrades include a Laser Warning and Counter Measure System that protects the crew by creating a smokescreen between itself and the enemy and Anti Infra Red/Anti Thermal Imaging paints that reduce the tank’s signature when viewed through IR/TI cameras or goggles making it difficult for enemies to detect.
Mobility-related improvements
Officials said one of the challenges in making of Arjun MBT Mk-1A was the overall weight. Every improvement comes with baggage, which the user may not like as it may compromise mobility. To counter added weight, an Advanced Running Gear System was developed where the hydro-pneumatic suspension system was redesigned to enhance the tank’s agility. Tweaking the final drive also ensured the required agility.
An Advanced Land Navigation System was added to provide enhanced navigation capability in desert terrains during war. It provides accurate information of where the tank is using Inertial Navigation or GPS or both and where the tank needs to go in the absence of any signage in the war theater. An uncooled Night Vision camera for the driver has been provided. The obsolete Image Intensifier for the driver has been replaced with un-cooled Thermal imager with binocular sights, providing him with a capability to travel at reasonable speeds even in pitch-dark conditions.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Tamil Nadu / by S V Krishna Chaitanya / Express News Service / December 09th, 2019
In a lengthy interaction, the artistes spoke about their style and schooling – that they will look to bridge and unify into something truly harmonious.
German violinist, composer, arranger and Founder of the artistic collective, Pool of Invention, Florian Willeitner was in the city for a very special performance – conceptualised and hosted by the Goethe-Institut along with Rotary Club of Madras East – titled, Classical Strings Violinkonzert, along with the renowned duo of Ganesh and Kumaresh. The medium of exchange was the violin. In a lengthy interaction, the artistes spoke about their style and schooling – that they will look to bridge and unify into something truly harmonious.
Ganesh and Kumaresh
Excerpts:
Importantly, how have you been keeping out the sounds of firecrackers?
Ganesh & Kumaresh: Our motherland reflects a life of celebration. We deal with various kinds of sounds at the most critical junctures, so dealing with the sounds of the festival is a joy. We believe in the concept of internal silence while the rest of the world is still alien to that concept. So, the sound of firecrackers is musical to us.
Florian: It is, of course, necessary to rehearse in a space where we can fully concentrate on the music. Also, the Goethe Institut’s hall is a very good room to rehearse. There weren’t any rehearsals taking place on Diwali, so no firecrackers came in our way. Actually, I was practising in my hotel room on these days, and almost died of several heart attacks, as there were detonations all over the place… but luckily, I survived!
All three of you were music scholars at a young age. Give us a sense of how similar, or different, your study routines were?
G&K: The discipline in formative years is of paramount importance for a free-spirited exploration in the romance with musical days. Freedom without discipline is an open recipe for disaster in any walk of life, and it is the same with music as well…
FW: I am grateful for the strictness of Western classical education, as I see it as one of the best ways to actually, really get to know your instrument in every technical aspect. I dislike the absence of creativity in this tradition though, as the main focus is on interpreting written music by composers. Therefore, I have always been looking for creativity through other musical styles and approaches, and I am now fighting very much to bring creativity back to Western classical education.
How difficult or easy has it been, to bring together your styles, and schools of music?
G&K: When two personalities from different cultures meet, there are bound to be differences. Music by default is an indivisible medium – it is the human mind and the society that has divided the sound of music like this and that. So, we found a way in which there’s a musical synergy to what we presented, so the audience got to listen to a very new, dynamic and traditional sound of music!
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> The Sunday Standard / by Jaideep Sen / November 03rd, 2019
True to the idea The house is both sustainable and local
Madurai architects Vignesh Sekar and Shamini Lakshmanan are winning global attention for a climate responsive Chettiar House they built in Thiruppathur near Madurai
One national award, five nominations (including four international) and nine articles in appreciation in journals of repute over the last 10 months have put architects Vignesh Sekar and Shamini Lakshmanan in the spotlight; a feat they never imagined to win at 25.
In fact, both were set to go overseas for higher studies after completing a challenging project in Thiruppathur, 64 kilometres East of Madurai, last November. “The client wanted a house with contemporary aesthetics while combining the cultural essence, traditional architecture and context of his native Chettinad region,” says Vignesh. “We debated and researched a lot, developed a timeline and came up with several innovative low cost ideas. It turned out to be much above everybody’s expectations,” says Shamini.
Until then, they mostly worked on public spaces in Hyderabad, Chennai and Bengaluru. However, their first major project was in Madurai in 2016 when immediately after graduating from Thiagarajar College of Arts, they were commissioned by the Madurai Corporation Commissioner to transform the abandoned Bharathiyar Park.
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Project highlights
The house was built in the middle of a grove of 200 plus coconut trees. Only three were felled as they were damaged but were used for concrete shuttering.
A lotus pond at the entrance has a crocodile sculpture made with stones collected from the site. Big boulders from the surroundings have been used as steps to climb on to the front verandah. Stones of different shapes and sizes have been moulded into a statue that works as a railing to the steps.
The main door to the house is seamless matching the facade of the wall. It is made with finest form of marble, egg whites and white cement. The interior walls have leaf imprints of the trees in the vicinity
Instead of a big puja room, a smaller one has been built with a big lounge that can accommodate more peopleand one side wall has a vertical garden to purify the air
The terracotta jaalis that dapple the light and thermally insulate have been fool proofed for security. Iron rods have been inserted in each brick and the bricks have been further twisted and shaped for aesthetics
The design of the house is complemented by rustic finishes like the exposed concrete on the ceilings, a combination of wood and Athangudi tiles on the floors
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“Encouraged by the positive feedback we received, we submitted it to the Arch Daily, a social forum and an online magazine from New York,” says Vignesh, “but it was rejected.” But there was an upside to it. Impressed by their design , the owner of a hotel in Thiruppathur approached them to design his dream house over 5,000 sq.ft. inside a coconut grove. “He told us not to mimic the Chettinad architecture but retain the spirit of a Chettiar house, in terms of lay-out and play of natural light and air,” says Shamini
Combining aesthetics with contemporaneity, the architects consciously chose to be sustainable and vernacular. “We started from the scratch in July 2017 and handed over the project in November 2018. After Arch Daily wrote about the house in January this year, the recognition from various associations, platforms.i
Combining aesthetics with contemporaneity, the architects consciously chose to be sustainable and vernacular. “We started from the scratch in July 2017 and handed over the project in November 2018. After Arch Daily wrote about the house in January this year, the recognition from various associations, platforms and publications has been overwhelming,” says Vignesh.
So much so that the duo have not only postponed their idea of studying overseas but also opened an office in Madurai two months ago for their company STOMP (Studio for Modernism & Practical Aesthetics).
“Till now, we were mostly travelling and working from home but now international agencies ask for our official address while approaching us for articles and awards,” notes Shamini.The duo has won the Young Designers Award 2019 given by India Architects & Builders (IAB).
So what is special about the building they created? “We incorporated an earthy palette of native materials either sourced from the site or from within 50 kilometres and juxtaposed them with traditional aspects of Chettinad region like its colours, fabric and (Athangudi)tiles. We employed local labour and artisans for every aspect of the work,” notes Vignesh. “We stuck to the client’s brief howsoever difficult it appeared,” adds Shamini.
For instance, the owner chose a large front yard to the typical open courtyard and wanted the three layers of a typical Chettinad house to remain — the public frontage in the front called the thinnai; the semi public area in the centre (like the puja and living room and the dining area) and the private bedrooms at the farthest end. The terracotta facade of the building and the skylights on the first floor ceiling allow natural play of light and ventilation and minimise use of electricity. The house runs on solar power and there are only four fans installed. Customised clay pots in the skylight made from the soil at the site reduce the temperature by five degrees.
“There was a purpose in the enhanced spatial, functional and permeable structure we planned and executed for a lifetime living experience”, says Vignesh, “and we are glad that it is garnering attention,” says Vignesh. “We faced our challenges gracefully and the awards are fuelling our passion now,” adds Shamini.
A WINNING DUO
They are among the top three contenders and the only ones from South India for the FOAID (Festival of Architecture & Interior Designing) -2019, a genex competition for young designers. From 250 submissions, they were among the six shortlisted in the first round. The finalist will be announced on November 29.
Their design was among the 20 selected projects from around the world and only one from India featured in the 45th issue of Australian publication, Habitus Living in September-November 2019. They also made it to the top five in one of the categories that describes the designers as champion paying attention to materiality.
It has been shortlisted for the prestigious Women In Architecture Awards – the only Indian project on the list that includes some of the world’s most important practitioners.
From 500 entries it was one among four Indian teams to have been shortlisted among top 100 for the Merit List 2019 announced by Cycle by Matter.
Out of 550 projects from 54 countries, it has been shortlisted for Continental Architectural Awards 2019 in Spain
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Life & Style / by Soma Basu / November 01st, 2019
