When Technology meant Manufacturing Technology

My first book `Management of Technology Change' was written in 1994, the beginning of Liberalisation & Globalisation. Information Technology was still not a popular term and Technology was generally referred to as Manufacturing Technology. 

For decades, the industry has managed technology change by importing technology (as available) from joint venture partners. Despite policymakers hoping the Indian Industry would follow MITI Japanese model- import technology, absorb the technology, and later improve the technology to export it, our industry is struck in the first phase of technology import. Technology obsolescence is pervasive and India was least prepared to face global competition when the gates were open. Adding to the pain, the joint venture partners abandoned Indian partners to start their own subsidies.

This book looked at the fundamentals- 

• What constitutes manufacturing technology?
• How to manage changes in technology?
• How Firm Specific Knowledge enhances Technological Capabilty?

Manufacturing Technology (Industry 4.0) is now on the policy horizon.  Are we repeating the mistake of managing new digital technology like in 70's and 80's with imports of capital goods and software, without calibrated Technological Capability enhancement?

Draft Rules for Clinical Electrical Thermometer for comments from stakeholders- India

 The Indian Government invited comments on the draft.

https://consumeraffairs.nic.in/sites/default/files/file-uploads/latestnews/Draft%20Rules%20for%20Clinical%20Electrical%20Thermometer%20with%20Maximum%20Device.pdf

This specification applies to battery-powered instruments which provide a digital indication of temperature. 

(4) Clinical electrical thermometers designed to measure skin temperature are not covered by this specification. 

(5) This specification does not exclude the use of any contract device based on other measurement principles that meets equivalent performance standards in determining maximum body temperature at specified time intervals. 

2. Terminology.- 

(1) A clinical electrical thermometer, as covered by this specification is a contact thermometer comprising a temperature probe and an indicating unit, and that is designed to measure human or animal body temperature. 

(2) A temperature probe is the component of a thermometer of which part is applied to a body cavity or tissue with which it establishes thermal equilibrium. It comprises a temperature sensor with associated parts including coverage, seals, inner leads, and connecting plug, where appropriate. 

Notes: 

1. A body or tissue may be the mouth (sublingual), rectum, or armpit. 2. The part of the probe in contact with a body cavity or tissue is called the ‘applied part’. 

3. An indicating unit is the component of a thermometer that process the output signal of the temperature sensor and displays the measured temperature.

Sample chapter- Top 100 Indian Innovations (2024)

 Read the sample chapter with the list of Top 100.

WIPO Intellectual Propert Indicators 2024

 Resident Indian patent owners cross 50%.

Illustrated cases of Resident Indian patent owners:

https://www.amazon.in/dp/B0DK5LWNST

(Source- WIPO)

Innovation Yearbook (2024) released

 

Links - http://motguru.com/

Guidelines for import of live seaweeds into India

 The Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying has notified the Guidelines for import of live seaweeds into India. These guidelines seek to ensure biosecurity and protect domestic marine ecosystems. The guidelines were notified on October 21, 2024.

India’s History with Seaweed

India boasts a diverse range of approximately 844 seaweed species. Among these, red algae like Gelidiella acerosa, Gracilaria edulis, G. crassa, G. foliifera, and G. verrucosa are cultivated for agar production. Brown algae such as Sargassum spp., Turbinaria spp., and Cystoseira trinodis are utilized to produce alginates and liquid seaweed fertilizers.

What do the new guidelines cover?

The new guidelines outline specific conditions for importing live seaweed, including mandatory permits and phytosanitary certificates. The import of certain seaweed species will be restricted to prevent the introduction of invasive species and diseases.

Imported seaweed will be subjected to rigorous quarantine procedures, including inspection, testing, and potential fumigation or disinfection. The government is taking steps to minimize the risk of introducing harmful pathogens and diseases that could impact domestic seaweed cultivation and marine environments.

The government aims to promote domestic seaweed cultivation and reduce reliance on imports.

Rationale for New Regulations

Seaweed can harbor various diseases and pests that can harm marine ecosystems.

Additionally, strict import regulations will help protect the domestic seaweed industry from competition from foreign-sourced seaweed. As per the recent estimate by CMFRI, India has the potential to produce around 9.7 million tonnes of seaweed per year, while the current seaweed production is only 34 thousand tonnes.

(Source: https://www.legalitysimplified.com/guidelines-for-import-of-live-seaweeds-into-india/

TOP 100 INDIAN INNOVATIONS (2024)

 

This is the third publication of the Innovation Yearbook series. The first edition- Top 100 Indian Innovations (2022) provided 100 answers to the question- Is India innovative? And with the next 100 profiled in 2023, the Innovation Yearbook has been accepted as the most authentic reference volume on Indian Innovations. With the current volume, the count goes to 300 Indian innovations. In addition to serving as a refrence book, we hope the innovation yearbook series will be widely distributed in the libraries, to inform & excite the students. Each volume explains technology trends, patent status, innovation merits, and the personal background of each innovator. This type of comprehensive information is not available to seekers in any textbook or social media We received nearly 1000 nominations, directly or indirectly, and thank all innovators & stakeholders for helping us in this task. A hundred innovations are selected from out-of-the-sourced documents. For selection, equal weight is given to ‘innovator profile’ and ‘innovation merit’.

To supplement information received along with recommendations/ nominations, additional details are collected from publicly available documents on the net. Photos of inventors/ founders are taken from their LinkedIn profiles which are also cited in select cases. The photo on the cover page is provided by Zen Technologies.

Editors

• Aynampudi.Subbarao.
• KVSP Rao,
• Sachinn Aggarwal
• Raman Teja Venigalla

Links: 

https://www.amazon.in/dp/B0DK5LWNST

https://notionpress.com/read/top-100-indian-innovations-2024?

https://www.flipkart.com/top-100-indian-innovations-2024/p/itm35c79de263d37?