Saturday, April 29, 2017

UCLA Engineers Develop a New Technique to Control Laser Polarization

Engineers at UCLA have developed a new technique to control the polarization state of a laser that could lead to a new class of powerful, high-quality lasers for use in medical imaging, chemical sensing and detection, or fundamental science research. The new approach operates purely electronically, without any moving parts. Think of polarized sunglasses, which help people see more clearly in intense light. Polarizing works by filtering visible light waves to allow only waves that have their electric field pointing in one specific direction to pass through, which reduces brightness and glare. Like brightness and color, polarization is a fundamental property of light that emerges from a laser. The traditional way to control the polarization of a laser was to use a separate component like a polarizer or a waveplate. To change its polarization, the polarizer or waveplate must be physically rotated, a slow process that results in a physically larger laser system. The team from the UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science developed a specialized artificial material, a type of “metasurface,” that can tune the laser’s polarization state purely electronically, without any moving parts. The research was published in Optica. The breakthrough advance was applied to a class of lasers in the terahertz range of frequencies on the electromagnetic spectrum, which lies between microwaves and infrared waves. “While there are a few ways to quickly switch polarization in the visible spectrum, in the terahertz range there is currently a lack of good options,” said Benjamin Williams, associate professor of electrical engineering and the principal investigator of the research. “In our approach, the polarization control is built right into the laser itself. This allows a more compact and integrated setup, as well as the possibility for very fast electronic switching of the polarization. Also, our laser efficiently generates the light into the desired polarization state — no laser power is wasted generating light in the wrong polarization.” Terahertz radiation penetrates many materials, such as dielectric coatings, paints, foams, plastics, packaging materials, and more without damaging them, Williams said. “So some applications include non-destructive evaluation in industrial settings, or revealing hidden features in the study of art and antiquities,” said Williams, who directs the Terahertz Devices and Intersubband Nanostructures Laboratory. “For example, our laser could be used for terahertz imaging, where the addition of polarization contrast may help to uncover additional information in artwork, such as improved edge detection for hidden defects or structures.” The work is based on the group’s recent development of the world’s first vertical-external-cavity surface-emitting laser, or VECSEL, that operates in the terahertz range. Their new metasurface covers an area of 2 square millimeters and has a distinct zigzag pattern of wire antennas running across its surface. An electric current runs through the wires, selectively energizing particular segments of the laser material, which allows a user to change and customize the polarization state as needed. The lead authors of the research are electrical engineering graduate student Luyao Xu and electrical engineering undergraduate student Daguan Chen. Other authors include electrical engineering graduate student Christopher Curwen; Mohammad Memarian, a postdoctoral scholar in UCLA’s microwave electronics lab; John Reno of Sandia National Laboratories; and UCLA electrical engineering professor Tatsuo Itoh, who holds the Northrop Grumman Chair in Engineering. The research was supported by the National Science Foundation and NASA. 


Friday, April 28, 2017

System cans 3-D print an entire building
Tech could enable faster, cheaper, more adaptable building construction

The list of materials that can be produced by 3-D printing has grown to include not just plastics but also metal, glass, and even food. Now, MIT researchers are expanding the list further, with the design of a system that can 3-D print the basic structure of an entire building. Structures built with this system could be produced faster and less expensively than traditional construction methods allow, the researchers say. A building could also be completely customized to the needs of a particular site and the desires of its maker. Even the internal structure could be modified in new ways; different materials could be incorporated as the process goes along, and material density could be varied to provide optimum combinations of strength, insulation, or other properties. Ultimately, the researchers say, this approach could enable the design and construction of new kinds of buildings that would not be feasible with traditional building methods. The robotic system is described this week in the journal Science Robotics, in a paper by Steven Keating PhD '16, a mechanical engineering graduate and former research affiliate in the Mediated Matter group at the MIT Media Lab; Julian Leland and Levi Cai, both research assistants in the Mediated Matter group; and Neri Oxman, group director and associate professor of media arts and sciences. The system consists of a tracked vehicle that carries a large, industrial robotic arm, which has a smaller, precision-motion robotic arm at its end. This highly controllable arm can then be used to direct any conventional (or unconventional) construction nozzle, such as those used for pouring concrete or spraying insulation material, as well as additional digital fabrication end effectors, such as a milling head. Unlike typical 3-D printing systems, most of which use some kind of an enclosed, fixed structure to support their nozzles and are limited to building objects that can fit within their overall enclosure, this free-moving system can construct an object of any size. As a proof of concept, the researchers used a prototype to build the basic structure of the walls of a 50-foot-diameter, 12-foot-high dome -- a project that was completed in less than 14 hours of "printing" time. For these initial tests, the system fabricated the foam-insulation framework used to form a finished concrete structure. This construction method, in which polyurethane foam molds are filled with concrete, is similar to traditional commercial insulated-concrete formwork techniques. Following this approach for their initial work, the researchers showed that the system can be easily adapted to existing building sites and equipment, and that it will fit existing building codes without requiring whole new evaluations, Keating explains. Ultimately, the system is intended to be self-sufficient. It is equipped with a scoop that could be used to both prepare the building surface and acquire local materials, such as dirt for a rammed-earth building, for the construction itself. The whole system could be operated electrically, even powered by solar panels. The idea is that such systems could be deployed to remote regions, for example in the developing world, or to areas for disaster relief after a major storm or earthquake, to provide durable shelter rapidly. The ultimate vision is "in the future, to have something totally autonomous, that you could send to the moon or Mars or Antarctica, and it would just go out and make these buildings for years," says Keating, who led the development of the system as his doctoral thesis work. But in the meantime, he says, "we also wanted to show that we could build something tomorrow that could be used right away." That's what the team did with its initial mobile platform. "With this process, we can replace one of the key parts of making a building, right now," he says. "It could be integrated into a building site tomorrow." "The construction industry is still mostly doing things the way it has for hundreds of years," says Keating. "The buildings are rectilinear, mostly built from single materials, put together with saws and nails," and mostly built from standardized plans. But, Keating wondered, what if every building could be individualized and designed using on-site environmental data? In the future, the supporting pillars of such a building could be placed in optimal locations based on ground-penetrating radar analysis of the site, and walls could have varying thickness depending on their orientation. For example, a building could have thicker, more insulated walls on its north side in cold climates, or walls that taper from bottom to top as their load-bearing requirements decrease, or curves that help the structure withstand winds. The creation of this system, which the researchers call a Digital Construction Platform (DCP), was motivated by the Mediated Matter group's overall vision of designing buildings without parts. Such a vision includes, for example, combining "structure and skin," and beams and windows, in a single production process, and adapting multiple design and construction processes on the fly, as the structure is being built. From an architectural perspective, Oxman says, the project "challenges traditional building typologies such as walls, floors, or windows, and proposes that a single system could be fabricated using the DCP that can vary its properties continuously to create wall-like elements that continuously fuse into windows." To this end, the nozzles of the new 3-D printing system can be adapted to vary the density of the material being poured, and even to mix different materials as it goes along. In the version used in the initial tests, the device created an insulating foam shell that would be left in place after the concrete is poured; interior and exterior finish materials could be applied directly to that foam surface. The system can even create complex shapes and overhangs, which the team demonstrated by including a wide, built-in bench in their prototype dome. Any needed wiring and plumbing can be inserted into the mold before the concrete is poured, providing a finished wall structure all at once. It can also incorporate data about the site collected during the process, using built-in sensors for temperature, light, and other parameters to make adjustments to the structure as it is built. Keating says the team's analysis shows that such construction methods could produce a structure faster and less expensively than present methods can, and would also be much safer. (The construction industry is one of the most dangerous occupations, and this system requires less hands-on work.) In addition, because shapes and thicknesses can be optimized for what is needed structurally, rather than having to match what's available in premade lumber and other materials, the total amount of material needed could be reduced. While the platform represents an engineering advance, Oxman notes. "Making it faster, better, and cheaper is one thing. But the ability to design and digitally fabricate multifunctional structures in a single build embodies a shift from the machine age to the biological age -- from considering the building as a machine to live in, made of standardized parts, to the building as an organism, which is computationally grown, additively manufactured, and possibly biologically augmented." "So to me it's not merely a printer," she says, "but an entirely new way of thinking about making, that facilitates a paradigm shift in the area of digital fabrication, but also for architectural design. ... Our system points to a future vision of digital construction that enables new possibilities on our planet and beyond."

Thursday, April 27, 2017


Artificial Intelligence will impact IT and Make in India


The nature of blue collar, at times, even white collar employment could undergo a tectonic shift going ahead. That's because of the rise of machines, particularly artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics. While AI has been around since the 1950s, the ability of a computer or a computer-enabled robotic system to process information and produce results has jumped multi-fold - machines today are able to make decisions and solve complex problems on their own, with little human intervention. While automation may not lead to the mass obsolescence of manual labour as some predict, it would definitely lead to shrinkage of jobs in many industries. A new report on "Artificial Intelligence and Robotics - 2017" by PwC-Assocham buttresses the point. Here are some highlights:  1. Sectors that would be impacted because of robotic systems and ML algorithms taking up several tasks include IT, manufacturing, agriculture, forestry among others. 2. The implication for 'Make in India': It could strengthen India's production capabilities but "may not end up creating nearly as many jobs as it is poised to at this point in time". A separate report by Shashi Shekhar Vempati, a digital strategist, published by Carnegie India, underlines the point: "Foxconn is among the top owners of robotics patents filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office and produces thousands of industrial robots a year that in aggregate are capable of performing more than ten types of manufacturing tasks. This is expected to have a significant impact on the workforce: as many as 60,000 workers have been displaced by robots in one Foxconn factory alone in the Kunshan region of China. China is projected to have more installed industrial robots by the end of 2016 than any other country, with more than 30 robots for every 10,000 industrial workers. If China were to increase that density, employment would be further damaged." Chinese manufacturers are now investing in India - all greenfield factories are expected to have a higher degree of automation than we have seen in the past. Competitive pressures will propel Indian manufacturers to automate as well. 3. The PwC-Assocham report states that there is a positive to the robotic rise. "A scenario wherein low-skilled, repeatable labour can be assigned to robotic systems provides an incentive for part of the workforce to be trained in higher level skills such as designing, monitoring and oversight, and adjusting machine algorithms to enable AI systems to operate in a reliable and transparent manner". That's the shift in the nature of employment India is likely to experience. 

Wednesday, April 26, 2017

Architecture Library New Arrivals



ARCHITECTURE NEWS



Roomba 960 Vacuum Cleaning Robot Launched at Rs. 64,900, Available on Amazon India


Puresight Systems, the distributor of US-based iRobot products in India, on Monday launched the Roomba 960 vacuuming robot at Rs 64,900 in the Indian market. The device is available on Amazon India. "Roomba 960" extends mapping, adaptive navigation with visual localisation and cloud-connected app control to a wider range of consumers, the company said in a statement. The robot helps keep floors clean with intelligent visual navigation and can be controlled using the iRobot HOME App control with wireless connectivity. The new model has five times the power compared to previous-generation Roomba vacuum cleaners. Premium features of the Roomba series, such as tangle-free debris extractors to prevent hair tangles, have been integrated in the Roomba 960 model. The company says the Dirt Detect Series II enabled Roomba 960 to clean particularly dirty areas, and its Recharge and Resume functionality will ensure that it continues cleaning until the job is complete. "Puresight and iRobot are very happy with the response our products have received in India and we are positive about the future," said Asaf Merary of Puresight Systems.



Uplift, upgrade,relaunch: Two-wheelers tweak offerings to stay relevant
An uplift, upgrade or relaunch of a product has to contribute to overall sales to boost growth
Honda was inspired by the success of its Unicorn 150cc motorcycle to launch a new version with a 160cc engine, but it failed to grow overall sales 


Periodic and timely interventions are critical to building a healthy and powerful brand. One of the explicit manifestations of these is longevity and sustainability of the brand. In recent times a majority of the product categories, particularly two-wheelers, have seen their ownership cycle reduce drastically. Over the past decade, the average ownership of a two-wheeler has come down from 10 to five years. In order to drive sales and stay relevant, manufacturers are continuously working to refresh and extend the longevity of a popular parent brand even as they woo consumers with new launches.“It is the need to stay relevant that drives brands to evolve its offerings. Many more positive outcomes like creating conversations around the brand and attracting new consumer franchises are equally important goals of such interventions,” says Aniruddha Haldar, V-P, marketing (scooters), TVS Motor Company.A number of players undertake brand revamp, vehicle upgrade and at times relaunch select offerings to ensure a popular vehicle continues to enjoy a longer product life cycle and has a positive impact on the sales volumes and bottom line of a company.TVS has managed to widen the scope of one of its key offerings, TVS Scooty.TVS Scooty was for long synonymous with female mobility. Taking cues from social media conversations of its target audience (TG), TVS realised that the female riders were looking for greater power and pickup. This led to the launch of TVS Scooty Zest 110 with the best power-to-weight ratio in its class. TVS also went on to introduce the Himalayan Highs — a special edition TVS Scooty Zest 110 commemorating a 21-year-old girl triumph on the highest motorable road with a TVS Scooty.Haldar says the launch was in tune with the young TG’s search for “authentic experiences”. Scooty sales have picked up since.
According to Sumeet Narang, vice-president, marketing (motorcycles), Bajaj Auto, any attempt aimed at increasing the shelf life of a product has to be seen as an opportunity to lift the sales volumes significantly. Therefore, a new variant or upgrade comes about as a result of a needs gap or a problem that needs to be solved. One could also be looking to create and tap into a new TG with a new variant.For Bajaj, Avenger has been one of the best selling brands for the last 10 years. Building further on its success, the company re-launched Avenger in 2015 in two variants — Street and Cruise. The two variants cater to two different kinds of customers. Avenger Street 220 and 150cc are sportsters and more city amenable while, Cruise 220cc appeals to people who love open roads and long leisure rides.According to Yadvinder Singh Guleria, senior vice-president, sales and marketing, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India, any bid to extend the life cycle of a product is determined by factors such as how successful the parent brand has been, to what extent its core values can be amplified and the enhanced value that a revised version can deliver to the customer.A product upgrade or relaunch comes with a lot of risks. Launched in 2004, Honda’s CB Unicorn 150cc was doing good business with monthly sales of about 20,000 units. Inspired by it, Honda decided to extend the brand and launched the motorcycle with a 160cc engine with new look and design. In the process, it discontinued CB Unicorn 150cc. But the new variant failed to grow the overall sales for the brand which hovered around 15,000 units.Luckily, because of an emotional connect with CB Unicorn 150cc the company continued to receive a lot of queries for the original brand from west and south India. Honda relaunched CB Unicorn 150cc and continued with CB Unicorn 160cc too, since it had invested significantly in the model. Today, both models collectively sell 25,000 to 30,000 units per month.
                     Guleria says Honda has had more success with product relaunches or upgrades than failures.Honda has kept up the momentum, with as many as 50 brand extensions for one of its largest selling scooters, Activa. Launched in 2001 and with a monthly sales average of 250,000 units, the two-wheeler continues to charm buyers with the 4th generation Activa 4G.Bajaj’s Narang points out that the key challenge with extending the life cycle of a parent brand is determining the quantum of change that one wants to carry out. Cosmetic changes fail to excite customers. And if the changes are big and too visible they may confuse buyers who seeking the assurance of a trusted product. The only way out is to carry out meaningful changes to the brand while staying true to the core value of the product.

A company has to be equally mindful of managing the complex supply chain and retail network. This is so because retailers have limited space and unlike others two-wheelers are not low-ticket products which can be stocked easily. Each model has variants. And each brand needs a differentiated retail environment to lure buyers.

THUMB RULE

  • An uplift, upgrade or relaunch of a product has to contribute to overall sales to boost company growth
  • Companies have to be careful to ensure the extension of a popular parent brand does not end up overshadowing new launches

Tuesday, April 25, 2017

Reliance Jio Says It Has 108.9 Million Subscribers, Confirms Home Broadband Trials


Reliance Jio user base stood at 108.9 million on March 31, as per a regulatory filing by Reliance Industries Limited. This figure shows a marginal rise in the company’s customer base since February, when it announced that it had breached the 100 million-users mark. Since the announcement in February, Jio has launched offers to turn its free users into paying customers via ultra-low cost data plans, and other freebies. The filing says, “It crossed 50 million subscribers in just 83 days, and 100 million in 170 days, adding at an average rate of 6 lakh subscribers per day.” Jio also revealed that its users consuming 110 crore GB of data per month and make roughly 220 crore minutes of voice and video calls 220 crore a day. The company says its users are today consuming nearly as much data as on all the mobile networks in the USA and 50 percent more data than mobile networks in China, which it takes as “a clear indication that India will adopt digitisation and digital life faster than anyone else in the world.” Talking about hardware products, 2.6 million Lyf-branded smartphones and JioFi pocket routers were sold by the Reliance Retail unit in the January-March period. The total sales of the hardware products are close to 10 million units, the filing says. Reliance Jio is also working on the roll-out of its Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH) broadband service, and has started beta trials in some locations. It also said the scope of beta trials would be expanded over the next few months. Regarding network strength and reach, the Reliance Industries regulatory filing says, “Jio has the world’s largest greenfield 4G LTE wireless broadband network, with over 100,000 mobile towers, and it will add another 100,000 towers to the network in the coming months.” Reliance Jio claims that in the past quarter, it continued to solve its interconnection congestion issues with the leading telecom operators, and there has been noteworthy improvement in local access in recent weeks. However, National Long Distance (NLD, essentially STD) interconnection remains an issue in some service areas, it added.

Monday, April 24, 2017

Powerful Supercomputers Provide New Evidence of Dark Matter
Using powerful supercomputers, astronomers at Durham University reveal further evidence of the existence of dark matter – the mysterious substance that is believed to hold the Universe together. The scientists used computer models to simulate the formation of galaxies in the presence of dark matter and were able to demonstrate that their size and rotation speed were linked to their brightness in a similar way to observations made by astronomers.
Alternative theories
Until now, theories of dark matter have predicted a much more complex relationship between the size, mass and brightness (or luminosity) of galaxies than is actually observed, which has led to dark matter skeptics proposing alternative theories that are seemingly a better fit with what we see.The research led by Dr Aaron Ludlow of the Institute for Computational Cosmology, is published in the academic journal, Physical Review Letters. Most cosmologists believe that more than 80 per cent of the total mass of the Universe is made up of dark matter – a mysterious particle that has so far not been detected but explains many of the properties of the Universe such as the microwave background measured by the Planck satellite.
Convincing explanations
Alternative theories include Modified Newtonian Dynamics, or MOND. While this does not explain some observations of the Universe as convincingly as dark matter theory it has, until now, provided a simpler description of the coupling of the brightness and rotation velocity, observed in galaxies of all shapes and sizes. The Durham team used powerful supercomputers to model the formation of galaxies of various sizes, compressing billions of years of evolution into a few weeks, in order to demonstrate that the existence of dark matter is consistent with the observed relationship between mass, size and luminosity of galaxies.
Long-standing problem resolved

Dr Ludlow said: “This solves a long-standing problem that has troubled the dark matter model for over a decade. The dark matter hypothesis remains the main explanation for the source of the gravity that binds galaxies. Although the particles are difficult to detect, physicists must persevere.” Durham University collaborated on the project with Leiden University, Netherlands; Liverpool John Moores University, England and the University of Victoria, Canada. The research was funded by the European Research Council, the Science and Technology Facilities Council, Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research, COFUND and The Royal Society.



Thursday, April 20, 2017