News from the world of Education:

Pune Knowledge Cluster (PKC), in collaboration with Lenovo, recently launched the ‘Teach with Tech’ programme for school students and teachers in Maharashtra. It aims to provide an opportunity for students and teachers to access and adopt digital content related to Science, Maths, and Technology.



M.Sc Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine

The University of Sheffield, the U.K., invites applications for its M.Sc Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine course starting in September 2023.

Eligibility: A three-or-four-year Bachelor’s degree from a recognised university in a Biomedical-related subject. Overall IELTS score of 6.5 with a minimum of 6.0 in each component, or equivalent, is required.

The university’s students have raised over £85,000, and dedicated 33,000 hours volunteering in the local community, in the past year.

MRes Physics

The University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, invites applications for its MRes Physics course starting in January 2023.

Eligibility: First-class or upper second-class (2:1) UK Honours degree, or overseas equivalent, in physics or a related subject, from a recognised educational establishment. IELTS minimum score of 6.5 (with no component below 6.0)

For details, visit, https://bit.ly/3SNADk2

M.Sc. Advanced Mechanical Engineering with Aerospace

The University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, invites applications for its M.Sc. Advanced Mechanical Engineering with Aerospace course starting in January 2023. Scholarships are available.

Eligibility: A first-class or second-class honours degree (or international equivalent) in Engineering or Physical Sciences, or equivalent professional qualification is required; a lower-class degree may be considered with relevant work experience. IELTS (Academic): 6.5 overall (no individual band less than 5.5).

For other details, visit, https://bit.ly/3Vhn6Tt

PG Cert Global Mental Health and Wellbeing

The University of Essex Online invites applications for the October intake of its online PG Cert Global Mental Health and Wellbeing.

Eligibility: For the academic entry route, students must have an undergraduate degree from an approved institution, equivalent to a U.K. Honours degree, or a relevant professional qualification. For the work experience entry route, students must have at least three years of work experience (voluntary or paid) within a relevant field, supported by two appropriate references. Applicants have to undergo an aptitude test. English language ability should be equivalent to IELTS Academic score of 6.5.

Deadline: October 20

Apply at https://online.essex.ac.uk/apply/

PGDM admissions open

Goa Institute of Management has opened admissions for its two-year residential PGDM Programmes in in Core Management, Healthcare Analytics, Big Data Analytics, and Banking, Insurance and Financial Services.

Eligibility: Performance in competitive exams such as the XAT, CAT, GMAT, or CMAT. Personal interviews, work experience, and previous academic records will be considered in the final round.

Deadline: November 15 for early round. Two more rounds will be held in December before the final call for applications in early January 2023.

To apply, visit, www.gim.ac.in

Masters in DevOps for IT graduates

Xebia Academy recently launched Masters in DevOps for IT graduates. For details, and to apply, visit, https://www.xebiaacademyglobal.com/course/careerpro/master-programs/devops

Sustainability and ESG Courses for the Fashion and Textile Sector

Sasmira’s Institute of Design and Textiles (SIDT) and The Academy for Sustainability (TAS) recently announced a collaboration to launch various courses on Sustainability for the Fashion and Textile Sector. They have launched a series of programmes, ranging from training through Certificate and Diploma programmes to various tailor-made corporate training programmes.

PGDM and PGDM (BM) programmes

Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan’s S.P. Jain Institute of Management and Research (SPJIMR) recently opened admissions to Post Graduate Diploma in Management (PGDM) programme, and a Post Graduate Diploma in Management-Business Management (PGDM-BM) programme, two-year, full-time residential programmes.

Eligibility: Bachelor's degree or equivalent in any discipline from a recognised university; students in their final year of graduation can also apply. Scores of CAT 2022 or GMAT (Jan 2020 onwards); Work experience is not mandatory

Deadline: November 25

To apply, visit, https://pgdmadmissions.spjimr.org/spjimr-2023-25

New PG courses at Macquarie University

Macquarie University recently introduced two new postgraduate courses — Master of Information Technology in Artificial Intelligence (only applicable to students with prior experience in fields such as Information Technology, Statistics, Maths, Engineering, Science, Actuarial Studies, Data Science, Statistics, and Computing) and Master of Information Technology in Internet of Things (students from Cybersecurity, Computer Security, Information Technology, Computer Science Software Engineering, Network Engineering, Telecommunications Engineering can apply), slated to begin in 2023.

Admission: The applications for the February and July 2023 intakes are now open

Those interested, apply at, https://bit.ly/3RQaFv1

Research conducted by psychologists from the university’s mental health service, MindSpot, found five behavioural traits to good mental health — meaningful activity, healthy thinking, having goals and making plans, healthy routines, and, social connections.

University of Dundee scholarship for Indian students

The University recently announced that its Vice-Chancellor’s Scholarships for South Asia (https://bit.ly/3EuXpZK) will be offered to applicants from any South Asian country — Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka.

Eligibility: The scholarship is available for all undergraduate applicants for entry in September 2023with the exception of those applying for Medicine and Dentistry, and all taught postgraduate applicants for entry in September 2023 or January 2024.

Other scholarships, from the university’s scholarship fund, are also available for undergraduate and postgraduate students from India, including the Global Citizenship Scholarship (https://bit.ly/3fQp6SB), the Global Excellence Scholarship (https://bit.ly/3fXSmXK), and the JaintiDass Saggar Memorial Scholarship for Excellence (https://bit.ly/3EyWcka) worth £5,000.

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India's top quantum computing research institutes

Highlights


Quantum computing can be helpful in fields such as material science, agriculture, and cryptography, among others. The digital revolution has increased interest in quantum technologies. See the top universities that specialize in quantum computing research.


In 2022, quantum computing has gotten off to an excellent start. India has significant capabilities in quantum technologies. Let's look at the best universities in India with quantum computing research.

In September 2018, PitchBook released a report that said investors had put $1.02 billion into quantum computing companies until September 2021. The World Economic Forum just put out the first guidelines for Quantum Computing. In addition, universities worldwide are investing money into research to help move this technology forward. Let's look at a few of the best places for research in quantum computing.

Indian Institute of Science – Initiative on Quantum Technologies (IQT@IISc)

IISc launched its Quantum Technology Initiative (IQTI) in September 2020 to establish a solid foundation for the field of quantum technologies and create a framework to encourage collaborations between physicists, material scientists, computer scientists, and engineers. In addition, national and international associations would use the Institute's research expertise in quantum technologies while establishing an innovative research and development platform. This program is more than just academic research; it will actively collaborate with businesses and other strategic partners to develop technology that will have both positive economic and social effects.

Indian Institute of Technology Jodhpur

IIT Jodhpur's Quantum Information and Computation (QIC) group investigates classical and quantum correlations. Such correlations play a critical role in the quest to comprehend and harness the power of quantum mechanics and the fundamentals of quantum information processing. We are addressing some essential issues of characterizing multiqubit entanglement as a group. Quantum key distribution, quantum dense coding, quantum teleportation, quantum cryptography, quantum game theory, and secure quantum communication are the applications covered by the spectrum. When implementing any quantum information task, it is critical to consider the role of noise in the chosen task. The group is interested in using Open Quantum Systems ideas and techniques to systematically study quantum information and computation in realistic scenarios, including the effect of ambient noise.

Indian Institute of Technology Madras

The Center for Quantum Information, Communication, and Computing at IITM. The centre works on various quantum technologies, including communication, sensing, measuring, and computing. The Center was to find new ways to use quantum technologies in secure quantum communications. This centre includes quantum essential delivery, quantum random number generation, quantum sensing and metrology, and quantum computing innovations.

Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) – Quantum Measurement and Control Laboratory

TIFR's Quantum Measurement and Control Laboratory (QuMaC) focuses on quantum phenomena in superconducting circuits. These nanofabricated electrical circuits are programmed to act like "artificial atoms" with quantized energy levels. We can combine two of these levels to form a quantum bit (qubit), which We can use to store and process data. With such qubits, We can build powerful computing machines capable of providing exponential speedup for some mathematical issues. Their lab aims to address the fundamental challenges of building and controlling such quantum systems.

Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Pune

The Department of Science and Technology (DST) and IISER Pune have established a Quantum Technology Innovation Hub. The technology hub, known as the I-Hub Quantum Technology Foundation (I-Hub QTF), has now been selected as a Section-8 company at IISER Pune. The I-Hub QTF will work to create quantum computers, quantum communication devices and systems, novel quantum materials, and quantum sensors for everyday use.

Quantum Information and Computing (QuIC) lab at the Raman Research Institute, Bangalore

The Quantum Information and Computing (QuIC) lab at the Raman Research Institute in Bangalore was one of the first in India to manufacture and use heralded and entangled photon sources for various quantum technology applications. Prof Urbasi Sinha established the Quantum Information and Computing Lab, which employs several scientists. The team's significant bang results in quantum communications have wowed the research community and the popular media.

Harish-Chandra Research Institute (HRI) – Quantum Information and Computation Group

At the Harish-Chandra Research Institute (HRI), Prayagraj (Allahabad), the Quantum Information and Computation (QIC) Group conducts research on a variety of quantum information and computation-related topics. This centre covers entanglement theory, quantum algorithms, quantum communication, and quantum cryptography. The QIC group is also actively involved in the recently emerging field at the intersection of quantum information and quantum many-body physics. Other areas of interest include quantum optical systems and realizable quantum computers in extremely cold gasses. They also work on related topics such as the theoretical underpinnings of quantum mechanics, geometric phases, and quantum information processing in the presence of closed time-like curves.

for more info :https://indiaai.gov.in/article/india-s-top-quantum-computing-research-institutes

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Without a Data Privacy Law, India Must Consider Hazards of 'Deanonymisation' of Non-Personal Data

 

Deanonymisation is performed by combining anonymised datasets to identify information about a particular user in different contexts, which can reveal layered and comprehensive personal information about an individual




Large datasets are useful for research, governance, or commerce – they often contain a mix of personally identifiable data alongside descriptive data related to that individual. This data, which supposedly does not identify a person, can be useful to access and analyse. However, as long as it sits alongside personal data (which is usually protected by data protection laws), processing it poses privacy risks to individuals.

So, to make use of this information, organisations and governments ‘scrub’ datasets of personal data. This supposedly leaves them full of ‘non-personal data’ that is ‘anonymised’ because it doesn’t actually link back to an individual anymore or harm their privacy. The datasets are then released for public use.

The guidelines were another step for non-personal data governance in India

Like many countries, the Indian government is pushing for the utilisation of anonymised non-personal data to improve governance, research and competition between businesses. State governments are keen on the idea of utilising anonymised non-personal data too – in April, the Tamil Nadu government released ‘masked’ data on the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission selection process under its open data policy.

for more info: https://thewire.in/rights/deanonymisation-in-non-personal-data   

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Advanced cancer research center to be set up at IIT-Guwahati

 

GUWAHATI: A centre for research on advanced and affordable diagnostics solutions for non-communicable diseases, primarily cancer, will be set up at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Guwahati.
The higher education and research institute has entered into an MoU with Karkinos Healthcare Private Limited (KHPL) for the purpose, an official release said here on Friday.
The MoU was signed by IIT-Guwahati director TG Sitharam and KHPL CEO R Venkataramanan on the occasion of the 29th Foundation Day of IIT-Guwahati.
As part of the agreement, a Centre of Advanced Research on Diagnostics in Cancer (C-CARD), the first of its kind in the country, will be set up on the premises of IIT-Guwahati. It will be equipped and operated by KHPL. Both entities will collaborate on establishing next-generation sequencing and whole-genome sequencing facilities to identify the India-specific genetic origin of this giant killer besides preparing a comprehensive cancer atlas of the northeast.
The collaboration will also include capability development of high-end data analytics using AI and machine learning techniques, high-quality informatics for research and development through comprehensive genomic landscape identification, capacity development through academic collaboration on clinical excellence and partnerships with biotech and pharma majors. Sitharam said, "In the near future, we envision extending this Centre of Excellence with the activities of Assam Advanced Healthcare Innovation Institute - the upcoming multi-speciality hospital at IIT-Guwahati to inculcate next-generation scientific and tech innovations in healthcare."

Read more : 

Is AI Ethics Just An Eyewash?

Desperate times call for desperate measures and no other big tech company is feeling the heat more than Meta Platforms Inc. A report published by Wall Street Journal last week revealed the strict new policy it has imposed on some employees asking them to either look for new positions somewhere else within the company or face termination. Meta has announced that it plans to cut costs by 10%. In the earnings released for the previous quarter, Meta’s results looked grim. The company had lost close to 50% of its value by the second-quarter of this year. The company also reported an outlook predicting higher-than-expected losses for the third-quarter.

In a bid to rid itself of all excesses, the axe fell first on the company’s Responsible Innovation Team (RIT). The team was a crucial part of Meta’s efforts to redress the many blows that have been dealt to its reputation in the past few years. The company has had more than its fair share of scandals including Cambridge Analytica—which was recently settled—breeding political extremists and spreading misinformation during the US elections, violation of children’s privacy in Ireland and staking its money on the metaverse.
Turbulent times in Meta

In 2018, a vice president of product design with the company—Margaret Stewart—established the team to tackle the “potential harms to society” caused by Facebook’s products. Ironically, just last year, Stewart posted a blog titled, ‘Why I’m optimistic about Facebook’s Responsible Innovation efforts’, stating that she inherently believed that a lot of good could come from technology and Meta was ready to put in the work for it. “Goodness isn’t inevitable. It comes through sustained hard work, investing time in foresight work early in the development process, surfacing and planning mitigations for potential harms, struggling through complex trade-offs, and all the while engaging with external stakeholders, including members of affected communities, “ Stewart explained.

Despite dissolving the team, Meta has promised that the team which comprised two dozen engineers and ethic specialists will continue with its work albeit in a scattered way. Eric Porterfield, a spokesman with the company, said that employees from the RI team would work in safety and ethical product design with specific issues in teams. He also stated that they weren’t guaranteed new jobs.

For more info : https://analyticsindiamag.com/is-ai-ethics-just-an-eyewash/

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Why Researchers Working on AI Argue It Could Cause ‘Global Disaster’

The new magic pill on the market is amorphous and versatile. The consensus among many researchers is that artificial intelligence’s efficiency will aid everything from healthcare and firefighting to hiring, art, and music. Even environmental catastrophes like the Bengaluru floods could benefit from five nifty A.I. solutions, the prophesied promise goes.



But skepticism surrounds its intent and purpose. What are the perils of A.I., in a world where it promises so much? A new paper written by researchers working on A.I. argues that such pervasive reliance on algorithms and machine learning could cause a global catastrophe on par with a nuclear disaster. The key isn’t that it’s the machines’ fault per se — it’s us. Whom we appoint to create and control them, and what they, in turn, instruct, can have devastating consequences for us all. It points to a need for understanding A.I. as a public good, with public consequences — bolstering the need to democratize our engagement with it.

The root of the current bout of anxiety around A.I. can be traced back to a paper authored by a working group of experts for RAND Corporation, an American non-profit. The experts included people working in A.I., government, national security, and business, some of whom concluded that the integration of quicker and smarter A.I. could create a false sense of fear. For instance, the rise of open-sourced data may be inferred to mean that a country’s nuclear capacity is at risk of exposure, which may push the country to take steps. Another scenario is that A.I.’s data may be used to decide where to strike. Overall, A.I. can manufacture a series of events where country A would be in a capacity to target country B, and that “might prompt Country B to re-evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of acquiring more nuclear weapons or even conducting a first strike.” A.I. “could considerably erode a state’s sense of security and jeopardize crisis stability,” the paper argued. If fake news meets A.I., the thinking is, it could lead to a third war.

This is neither a novel nor a unique fear: that A.I. could one day wipe out humanity or cause human extinction is a scenario many have dissected in all its dystopic scenarios. “Scary A.I.” is a sub-genre of its own, with many observing with suspect fascination about the “wild” things A.I. can do, and others preparing to enter the future with them. Pop culture gives plenty of references; The Matrix, The Terminator, and Ultron in Avengers all reflect a reality where A.I. entities cultivate a hatred for humans and are set on a warpath.

Arguably, catastrophe will not come at a machine’s whim. But there is merit to thinking deeply about Scary A.I. as a future and what, and who, may give machines enough power to wipe out an entire civilization. “The problem isn’t that AI will suddenly decide we all need to die,” as scientist Dyllan Mathews noted, “the problem is that we might give it instructions that are vague or incomplete and that lead to the A.I. following our orders in ways we didn’t intend.” Scary A.I. has more to do with us, our wild ambitions and unchecked dreams. This complicates how we look at ethics, transparency, and research within A.I. itself.

The legitimacy of the concern aside, the paper reflects the helplessness of a world where A.I. leads and we follow. But there is a significant context to this. Computer scientist Stuart Russell literally wrote the book on how A.I. could be disastrous for humans. And while he agrees we’ve set ourselves up for failure, he argues that it’s because the “objective” we’ve set for the A.I. are themselves misleading and vague.

For more info : https://theswaddle.com/why-researchers-working-on-ai-argue-it-could-cause-global-disaster/

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"Robotic vacuum cleaner market in India grows 24% YoY in H1 22, says report"

The adoption of robotic vacuum cleaners continues to grow in India even after the return to normal. The market for robotic vacuum cleaners grew 24% year-on-year (YoY) in terms of shipments during the first six months of calendar year 2022, said market researcher Counterpoint in its latest report, published Thursday. Analysts at Counterpoint attributed the growth to growing product awareness among consumers and increase in demand from hybrid workers. Counterpoint didn’t disclose the exact number of units shipped.Though robotic vacuum cleaners can cost close to ₹1 lakh, Counterpoint report shows that devices in the ₹16,000- ₹24,000 price band were most popular, followed by those in the ₹10,000- ₹16,000 price band.



“The market which gained momentum due to the covid-19 pandemic is also finding itself relevant in current times. People are returning to offices and realizing that robot vacuum cleaners are among the best options available to help them with their household cleaning," said Varun Gupta, research analyst at Counterpoint.

In terms of market share, Xiaomi was the leading brand accounting for 30% of shipments at a 45% YoY growth rate. Mop-P was the most shipped robotic vacuum cleaner by Xiaomi.

Eureka Forbes, which was one of the first brands to launch robotic vacuum cleaners in India, shipped the second-highest number of units. It accounted for 22% market share and grew at 40% YoY.

iRobot, which was acquired by Amazon last month, slipped to the fourth position with an 8% market share as its shipments fell 38% YoY. ILIFE has moved to the third spot with 10% of the market. Eufy and Milgrao with 8% and 6% market share, respectively, were the other remaining brands in the top five during H1 2022, according to the report.

For more info : https://www.livemint.com/news/india/robotic-vacuum-cleaner-market-in-india-grows-24-yoy-in-h1-22-says-report-11663920323015.html

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Amazon’s robots are getting closer to replacing human hands

In 2019, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos predicted that within a decade, robotic systems will be advanced enough to grasp items with the dexterity of a human hand. Three years later, Amazon looks to be making progress toward that goal.

A recent video published on the company’s science blog features a new “pinch-grasping” robot system that could one day do a lot of the work that humans in Amazon warehouses do today. Or, potentially, help workers do their jobs more easily.

The topic of warehouse automation is more relevant than ever in the retail and e-commerce industries, especially for Amazon, which is the largest online retailer and the second-largest private sector employer in the US. Recode reported in June that research conducted inside Amazon predicted that the company could run out of workers to hire in the US by 2024 if it did not execute a series of sweeping changes, including increasing automation in its warehouses.

At the same time, the company is facing the prospect of US workers starting to unionize after the victory by the Amazon Labor Union in the historic Staten Island vote, and another upcoming union election in October in Upstate New York. Labor activists have long speculated that Amazon might ramp up automation efforts in response to unionization activity.

In a statement provided by an Amazon spokesman, the company’s director of Robotics AI, Siddhartha Srinivasa, said: “[W]e have an incredible opportunity to help advance the science of robotic manipulation in ways that meaningfully benefit our employees and our customers. Our investments in robotics and technology are helping make jobs in our facilities better, easier, and safer, as well as creating new career opportunities for our people.”

For more info : https://www.vox.com/recode/2022/9/27/23373588/amazon-warehouse-robots-manipulation-picker-stower

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