Sunday, May 19, 2013

Suport H4 Cause

Lately immigration is among the top debates in America. Lost in the noise are “Invisible People” and they are the H4 Visa Holders (“The H4″). The H4 are the spouses of the H1B visa holders, majority are young women from India with a degree in STEM yet not allowed to contribute to US economy where they live.
Shah Peerally Law Group PC and many others have decided that to create awareness about the problem, started a petition at http://www.change.org/petitions/give-more-rights-to-h4-visa-holders.

A movie, work of fiction (The H4 Curse) depicting the suffering of the H4 and H1B visa holders would have more impact and actually explain the problems of this group of immigrants. You can suppot the movie with small contribution. More details:
http://www.shahpeerallyproductions.com/sponsors/the-h4-curse/.
email: info@shahfilms.com or call (510) 7425887.

Saturday, May 11, 2013

Trillion dollars investment needed to add substance to India Innovation decade declaration

Innovation is on the agenda of the nation. Government declared innovation Decade, set up National Innovation Council, increased plan outlay of scientific departments, working on Rs 5000 crore Inclusive Innovation fund and private sector scene is more exciting with over 50 incubators/ accelerators and stream of announcement of startups getting seed capital, risk capital .
Amidst all the noise, the data on IP generation, acquisition, leveraging is lost.
As per BCG  developing economies and their leading companies move through five common phases of IP development: driving growth through exports, climbing the value ladder, paying the price, getting serious about intellectual property, and profiting from intellectual property. China with large exports and spurt in patenting is in Phase 2  and would need invest 50 times more to move to  next phase.
India needs to invest heavily in both IP generation and IP acquisition. Any estimate?
Read : http://www.bcg.com/documents/file14932.pdf

Friday, May 10, 2013

Understanding the Creative Economy in India: Richard Florida


Creative Capital theory and the 3Ts of economic development, which include Tolerance, Technology and Talent, provide an in- novative framework for measuring a region’s Creative Economy potential. In this paper, the core characteristics of the 3Ts are reworked to apply to the Indian context. 
 The report presents both the component sub-indices of the Creativity Index and other, related measures for regional technology, talent, and tolerance.Tolerance, the first “T” of economic development is a quality recognized as essential to objective thinking since the 19th century. In the Indian context, the Mosaic index has been used to measure the level of tolerance in a region. The Mosaic Index is calculated by the concentration of Scheduled Tribes or Castes, percent of population that is foreign born, rural and urban literacy divide, and finally, a Reli- gious Herfindahl Index which measures religious diversity within a specific State or Union Territory. 
Talent is the second “T” of economic development. Talented individuals are responsible for generating the innovative ideas that result in newly developed technologies that can stimulate economic growth and prosperity. While incubating talent through investments in employee training and education is important, the regions that can successfully attract and retain Talent will ultimately be the most competitive. The Talent Index is used to measure the amount of Talent within a region. Talent is measured as the percentage of a region’s workforce that is employed in Creative Class occupations.

Technology is a critical component for any region that seeks to achieve economic growth and pros- perity and is the final “T” in the 3T analysis. The greater the extent to which technology is part of a region raises the competitiveness of that region by improving the ability of businesses to provide new goods and services and acquire cost-saving advantages, often through productivity gains.
Three composite indexes — Tech Connectivity, Tech Education, and Computer Access are used to calculate a region’s level of technological capability and together, these measures are used to produce  what is called the Technology Index. Tech Connectivity is composed of three sub-categories: the shares of households per 100,000 with broadband internet access, hard line telephone access, and mobile phone access. Tech Education is measured by combining the numbers of universities, colleges, technical colleges, and technical research institutions in a region. Finally, internet connectivity is measured by the share of households with a computer or laptop and access to the internet .
Download paper: 

  http://martinprosperity.org/media/Creative%20India%20Insight_v01.pdf

 

Sunday, April 28, 2013

Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) laboratory for the testing of Hazardous Substances established at C-MET, Hyderabad

RoHS Regulation (Directive 2002/95/EC) enforced w.e.f. July 1, 2006, restricts the manufactures or importers of electrical and electronic equipment to use six banned substances: lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cd), hexavalent chromium (Cr6+) Polybrominated Biphenyls (PBB) and Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDE), exceeding certain permissible concentrations. 
An "ISO 17025 accredited Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) laboratory for the testing of Hazardous Substances", has been established at C-MET, Hyderabad with the financial support of  Department of Information Technology (DIT), Government of India. The facility is now open to offer the services to the industry for RoHS analyses and certification. This is the only RoHS analysis facility established as Government of India laboratory in the country.

Jugaad Innovation: A reference point or Indigenous solution.

For many decades a pipeline bursting with research projects represented innovation potential of an commercial organisation. All research did not result in commercial gains, technology push model was replaced by Stage Gate model  , evaluating technology potency & market attractiveness at every stage and killing lurking disasters  at early stage gained acceptance. Now, with Open Innovation, enterprises look beyond universities and competitors for  supply of ideas/ talent.
In catching up economy like India , innovations initially flowed from Joint ventures , technology acquisition contracts and creative imitation. India is at cross roads ( for long since liberalization & globalization of 90's) ; there are experts who suggest we should learn best practices from Indian MNC R&D centers operating in India. An opposite view also prevails, there are experts who feel that we have something unique to offer to other nations, in the area of Innovation & entrepreneurship. 

Prof Rishikesha
Prof Rishikesha addressed several policy issues in this earlier book `From Jugaad to Systematic Innovation' and now addresses innovation at firm level in his book 8 Steps to Innovation.Co-Author. consultant Vinay codifies his decades of learning from consultancy and training. The book is all about managing idea funnel effectively. Managing idea funnel involves pursuing three goals: one, building and sustaining the idea pipeline, two Improving idea velocity, and three improving the batting average.

Step 1: lay the foundation.A well designed idea management process pays attention to the source of ideas, their scope, the number of stages an idea will go through, the back end technology to be used, the idea selection process and how ideas will be supported and sponsored.
Step2: create a challenge book, where the organization identifies and lists problems, desires, needs .banks on collective wisdom of its people to address them.
Step3: build participation. Motivating individuals to participate in an innovation Programme is an important challenge.
Step 4: experiment with low cost at high speed. And experiment is a planned activity to validate one or more assumptions of an idea. The outcome of experiment is learning.
Step5: go fast from prototyping to incubation. Organizations can help ideas move faster by holding effective innovation reviews an by supporting the incubation of new ideas.
Step 6: iterate on the business model. Use scenarios.
Step7:build an innovation sand box. Identify the boundaries and constraints within which the experimentation takes place.
Step 8: create a margin of safety so that failures do not cripple permanently.
The result is a practical work book and innumerable Indian examples create a can-do feel.
Navi Radjou
The authors of popular book `Jugaad Innovation', Navi Radjou, Jaideep Prabhu & Simone Ahuja project Jugaad as an unique Indian Innovation solution. Some excerpts:
Principles of Jugaad innovation- frugality, flexibility and following yr instincts.
Jugaad mindset- one that is frugal,flexible and sharply focused on outcomes.
Jugaad reflects a rich Indian tradition of ingenuity in the face of challenge.

Jugaad represents a bottom up innovation model that India excels in.
The six principles of Jugaad:
1.Seek opportunity in adversity
2.Do more with less
3.Thank an act flexibly
4.Keep it simple
5.Include the margin
6.Follow your heart.



The supportive illustrations include grass root innovators, Airtel of Mittal, Nano car of Tata , open source software company Ushahidi , Newsoft from China and Steve jobs.

In my opinion,the distinguished authors presented a compilation of best innovations from across the globe and label them wrongly under Jugaad.  

what is your view?


Saturday, April 06, 2013

Technologies from NaMET

Several technologies are on offer from NaMPET ( National Mission on Power Electronics Technology), an initiative of TK Sarkar ,implemented at CDAC Trivendrum.


  • Medical Electrical Safety Analyser
  • Grid interactive Solar Photo Voltaic System
  • Power Assisted Bicycle
  • Grid Connected PV Inverter
  • ON Line Double conversion UPS System for Medium / High Capacity range
  • Three phase STATCOM
  • Single Phase STATCOM
  • Unified Power Quality Controller.


Technologies and Products developed under BIRAC

Several technologies in Healthcare and Agriculture are developed under BIRAC.

  • A rapid cost-effective point-of-care diagnostic device with microPCR to diagnose multiple diseases presently Malaria, Dengue & Typhoid developed -Bigtec Pvt. Ltd. Bangalore is ready for market.
  • Device for execution procedure for tumor ablation using Maxico (The Integrated planning navigation and Training Platform for Tumor Ablation) launched in the market - Perfint Healthcare Pvt. Ltd.
  • Immunodiagnostic kit for detection of autoimmune diseases developed - Amar Immunodiagnostics Pvt.Ltd.
  • Affordable fluorescence reader for point-of-care diagnostics being developed - Design Innova, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi.
  • DX Phone - Software platform for using mobile phone to analyse blood glucose test strips - Janacare Solutions Pvt. Ltd., All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Narayana Hrudayalaya Hospital.
  • Insect pest and virus resistance tomato -Advanta India Ltd., Indian Agriculture Research Institute, New Delhi (IARI).
  • Insect pest resistant Brinjal - Sri Biotech Laboratories India Ltd., University of Delhi South Campus.
  • Virus resistant Okra - Nirmal Seeds Pvt. Ltd., University of Delhi South Campus.

Development and Transfer of Technology from Queensland University of Technology, Australia to India for Bio-fortification and Disease Resistance in Banana

Queensland University of Technology, Australia has developed bio-fortified banana under the Grand Challenges in Global Health Program to alleviate vitamin A and iron deficiency in Uganda. They have also developed technologies related to Banana Bunchy Top Virus (BBTV) and Fusarium Wilt resistance in banana. QUT is willing to share these technologies with India.  An agreement was signed between BIRAC on the behalf of Government of India and QUT, Australia for “Development and Transfer of Technology from Queensland University of Technology, Australia to India for Bio fortification and Disease Resistance in Banana” on 24th August, 2012.
For details:BIRAC

Thursday, March 28, 2013

Microsoft shares data on 40,786 patents it owns or controls: How many of them are from India?

Microsoft’s initiative showcases a new openness, stripping away the cloak of corporate secrecy, while embracing the existing patent system. The company has gone so far as to provide a downloadable data file of all Microsoft patents: all 40,786 of them as of March 25.
(Read more at http://venturebeat.com/2013/03/28/microsofts-new-patent-tracker-shows-us-every-one-of-the-40786-patents-it-owns-or-controls/#JVg5zFytxx4rW8kY.99 )
How may of them are from India?
Wedge Blluetooth Touch Mouse
Computer Mouse
Table-Based Low-Level Image Classification System
Ergonomic and Functionally-Efficient Race-Track Button Arrangement Circumferentially Coupled to a Display Device
Veda - keyboard, 
Veda - computer housing
Icon For A Portion Of A Display Screen (69)
User Interface For A Portion Of A Display Screen(131 patents)
Task Bar (6)
Alt-Tab Window (transparent window)
List View Slider (updated)
Start Menu - Updated Comprehensive Smoked Glass
Set of Portions of a Display Screen(4)
Portion of a Display Screen(33)
Friend With Controller Icon
Xenon Skin File Icon
Xenon Signed Out Icon
Xenon Console/Signed In Icon
Xenon Console Icon
Aux Display UI Static with Taskbar
Aux Display UI Static without Taskbar
Inverted Start Menu white and black swapped
Start Menu- Inverted layout opaque
Start Menu - comprehensive opaque smoke glass
Core UI  (9)
Login Progress Bar
Login Screen Entry - tile, 2 boxes, arrow
Start Menu - Left Column Appearance
Control Panel - Personalization icon
Connection Manager icon
Network Fax Icon
Network Map Icon
Network Icon
Network and Sharing Center icon
Network Folder Icon
desktop USB base (small phone) - overall design
tanjay base (large phone)
Icon for a Portion of a Display Screen (Apps - Updated Blue Journal by itself and with new orientation)
Method and systems for asymmetric supersampling rasterization of image data
Media Case
system for storing session data to a specified data offset on a sequential access storage medium
BATTERY COVER FOR A GAME CONTROLLER
GAME CONTROLLER (7)
An apparatus for adaptively routing messages and method thereof
channel selection in wireless networks with network nodes equipped with more than one radio transceiver
MOTION SENSOR
HANDSET (3)
Method for processing video data
managing data with backup server indexing
Method to configure a bluetooth logical link control and adaptation protocol channel
creating frequent application-consistent backups efficiently
retaining shadow copy data during replication
Secure Media Path Methods, Systems, and Architectures
System and method for visual group interface for group connectivity
Process mode independent single implementation driver model
A computer -implemented method to manage access to a plurality of shared storage units
EXTENDING MOBILE PHONE NETWORKS
Systems and methods for creating virtual network topology
system and methods for providing controllable texture sampling
Formatting multimedia programming information for electronic transfer
A computer system and a method for operating a platform portable virtual machine running on the computer system.

It is time that our R&D data is revised taking into account work done at MNC R&D centers in India?