The Toshiba America Foundation (TAF) has announced nearly $50,000 in grants for 15 innovative classroom STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematic) projects in grades 6-12. Due to COVID-19 and the shift to remote learning TAF expanded the scope of its grant review process to support distance learning and teaching using novel ways to use incorporate…
The increasingly sophisticated applications of Virtual Reality
Recent years have seen increasing use of immersive virtual reality (VR) engineering systems that enable engineers to view their project in 3D quality and spot any flaws or potential risks before implementation. The use of 3D modelling tools and visualization techniques has no doubt become an essential part of the design process as it enables…
Autonomous vehicle – Long, bumpy road ahead
As AV (autonomous vehicle) technology undergoes continuous improvement, the sight of AVs taking to city streets is gradually veering into the realm of probability. Major automobile manufacturers have begun to invest significant resources in AV research. It is estimated that the auto industry globally has invested $80 billion in AV development in the last three…
Feasibility of an all-renewable electric grid
Given the imminent threat of climate change due to excessive consumption of fossil fuels, the need to have fully renewable electric grids has acquired critical urgency. To achieve this, we need to run everything on electricity – vehicles, trains, buildings, industrial applications, and so on. But is the transition to a post-fossil-fuel future really feasible,…
5G – Towards a ubiquitous world
The fifth-generation or 5G wireless technology started hitting the market towards 2018-end. Now it is on the threshold of picking up momentum across the world. Among other things, 5G wireless networks herald the progression from mobile internet to massive IoT (Internet of Things) applications, tactile internet, and robotics. The technology is expected to establish a…
Neural engineering devices – Decoding the brain
Neural engineering – involving the design of brain implants connected with external technology based on restoration and augmentation of human function via direct interactions between the nervous system and artificial devices – is a rapidly evolving field. Currently, intensive research is underway to study the coding and processing of information in the sensory and motor…
Virtual hospitals – The future of healthcare
With newer technologies making it easier for doctors to attend to patients from anywhere, the concept of virtual hospitals is gradually taking root. The phenomenon of virtual hospitals, however, goes beyond just telemedicine. In a virtual hospital, there are specialist physicians in a call centre environment — equipped with a variety of screens and technological…
How wearable electronics are transforming healthcare
Wearable technology today has made inroads into diverse fields such as navigation systems, advanced textiles, entertainment, and healthcare. The integration of wearables into healthcare, in particular, has been a focus of intense research and development in recent times. Thanks to advancement in electronics, healthcare wearables are gaining in popularity. With plenty of medical applications for…
Electric aircraft: The future of flying
With NASA announcing its preparedness to roll out the first all-electric aircraft called X-57 Maxwell or Mod II, the spotlight is on the next level technologies for the aeronautics sector. For this latest version of the aircraft, the typical combustion engines have been replaced with electric cruise motors. The development has opened the floodgates of…
High time to switch to 3G/4G modems
2G networks will be soon a thing of the past, as will the GSM/GPRS modems based on it. In the past few years, 2G modems such as the SIM800 and SIM900 from SIMcom have been popular in embedded systems, particularly hobby projects. As the telecom sector moves forward, 4G has pretty much become the norm.…
Smart Lighting – Illuminating a sustainable world
Technology has had transformative effects on the world, and in the lighting industry, it has brought about revolutionary changes. The push for technology has been propelled by the need for efficient, affordable, and environmentally sustainable sources of energy for the rapidly expanding limits of cities that now accommodate around 55 percent of the world’s population…
DronStudy: Educating India’s students one at a time
Dronstudy.com is an e-learning platform designed to further education in India. Educating in the traditional brick-and-mortar fashion is challenging with the growing population of young people. The Surat-based ed-tech startup Dronstudy went on to built a foundation to create a repository of online and offline audio-visual educational content enriching the learning endeavors of city and…