How One Device Can Reduce the Number of Deaths Due to Road Accidents in India….

January 13, 2016NatarajanLeave a comment

With Raksha SafeDrive, a device placed inside your vehicle, you don’t need to worry about calling for help in case of an accident or road emergency. The device will do it for you. This is how.

The year was 2013. Prasad Pillai was back in Trivandrum, his hometown, after living in the US for 15 years. One day, while travelling on a highway, his wife and he narrowly escaped an accident. The brakes of their car snapped when their driver tried to slow down to let a lorry coming from the opposite direction pass. It was then that Prasad realized how different the situation on the roads between the US and India was. While no one was hurt, it was extremely difficult for them to get aid in the face of this crisis here.

They were stranded on the highway without help.

Prasad Pillai

“We came across a pedestrian but he did not know whom to call and how to assist us…We were just going around trying to find a place to get the car repaired. After being unable to find any immediate help, we took some other means of transport, went home and sent someone back to pick up the car. There was a lot of confusion,” says Prasad.

Motivated to help others who might find themselves in similar or even worse conditions, he brought together a team of six people to set up eLsys Intelligent Devices Pvt Ltd, with his friend Jayanth Jagadeesh.

Today, his organization has developed Raksha SafeDrive – a device meant to reduce the time in which help reaches road accident victims, or those stuck in some kind of road emergency.

Jayanth Jagadeesh (L) and Prasad Pillai

“India sees a large number of accidents every year. We have simply accepted this hard reality and are moving on with it. But things have to change,” says Prasad.

Raksha SafeDrive is a dedicated Internet of Things (IoT) device that is kept inside the car as an accident management system.

IoT is basically a network of physical objects embedded with electronics, software, sensors, and network connectivity. The network enables these objects to collect and exchange data.

Raksha SafeDrive can be used in all kinds of vehicles, like cars, auto rickshaws, bikes, trucks, etc. Here are some of its important features:

The team

1. Advanced crash sensors:

With its crash detection technology, Raksha SafeDrive ensures that help will reach when needed without any unnecessary delay. The device automatically detects crashes and uses its cellular connectivity – a SIM card that makes it operate like a phone — to contact help. In the case of a crash, the device automatically alerts local emergency responders like friends, family, police officials, and hospitals, even if the driver and other people are unable to do so. The team is currently working on developing a safety platform called Raksha. This will be the base (a call centre) where people will automatically receive a call from the device in case of an emergency. So, no one needs to report an accident as such.

Up to five primary contacts can be configured by the user and the device will keep calling until someone picks up.

The device uses an algorithm to find out the severity of the accident. The sensors also distinguish between potholes, road bumps, and sudden braking to avoid false alarms.

2. GPS tracker:

With the help of a GPS tracker placed inside the device, call centre executives and all emergency contacts will know where the accident took place.

3. Panic Button:

In case of an accident or roadside emergency like a flat tyre in the middle of nowhere, the panic button on the device can be pressed and it opens a two-way voice call communication channel between the user and the call centre. The call centre is a 24×7 support centre, which is able to help via the phone, providing information on how to deal with a particular situation.

4. Driver performance:

The device also tells users how well their driver is driving. It analyses the speed of the vehicle and other parameters to let the passengers know if they need to caution the driver. This could be helpful for people who have employed a new driver or in monitoring public vehicles.

“Many people die on Indian roads because they don’t get immediate help. The onlookers are not well equipped with the required information to help accident victims. But we can avoid such chaotic situations. We don’t need to wait for people to call someone,” says Prasad.

“Our aim is to give people peace of mind when people are travelling. We think that this is something India deserves. Roads in the country are getting better. Our cars are also getting better. So why is the rate of death due to accidents not coming down? It’s because emergency services are not as structured as they should be and we are trying to change that,” adds Prasad’s partner, Jayanth.

The duo set up an online campaign to collect funds to start this project and also to make people aware about the existence of such a device.

A prototype of Raksha SafeDrive is now ready and is being tested by the team.

They are working on setting up the backend support and the call centre. The device will be available in the market by February 2016, at a cost of Rs. 10,000. This includes one year service cost, after which users will need to pay a yearly fee of about Rs. 1,000, depending on the services they want to avail.

Source…….Tanaya Singh in http://www.the betterindia.com

Natarajan

This Guy Spent 4 Years Growing A Church From Trees…!!!

January 13, 2016NatarajanLeave a comment

The enchantingly beautiful live-tree church in New Zealander Brian Cox’s backyard is already impressive enough, but it’s even more amazing when you learn that it took him only 4 years to create!

Cox carefully selected from a wide variety of trees for his beautiful church. Some have stone-colored trunks, while, others, with sparse foliage, ensure that his church will always be illuminated by sunlight. His secret is that he owns a gardening company called Treelocations, which replants whole, live trees using enormous mechanized spades. This allowed him to plant live trees in any way he wanted, completing this church (and the iron frame supporting it) in only 4 years.

Cox was inspired by the years he spent traveling abroad and observing churches around the world; “I walked out my back door one day and thought, ‘That space needs a church’ – and so it began. I cleared the area in April 2011 and made the iron frame, drawing on all the research I had done over the years of studying churches,” he told stuff.co.nz.

Image credits: Sally Tagg

Source…….www.boredpanda.com

Natarajan

Message for the Day….” The Sun Teaches man the Lesson of Humble Devotion to Duty …”

January 13, 2016NatarajanLeave a comment

Sathya Sai Baba

For all actions, the inspirer, the performer and the experiencer is the Sun-God. For people caught up in a meaningless existence and going through an endless round of futile activities, the Sun-God stands out as the exemplar of tireless and selfless service. He enjoys no respite from work. He is above praise and censure. He carries on his duties with absolute equanimity. Everything he does is only for the well-being of the world and not to cause any harm. Draw inspiration from Sun-God. The world cannot survive without the Sun. Life on earth is possible only because of the Sun. The Sun teaches man the lesson of humble devotion to duty, without any conceit. The Sun is the supreme example for everyone that one Sushould do one’s duty with devotion and dedication. Doing one’s duty is the greatest Yoga, as pointed out by Krishna in the Gita. Let your actions and thoughts be good. You will then experience the Bliss Divine.

The Corn Palace of South Dakota………

January 13, 2016NatarajanLeave a comment

The Corn Palace in Mitchell, South Dakota, is one of America’s corniest attraction. The palace is a regular building built of out of reinforced concrete and bricks, but every spring, during the time of harvest, its exterior is completely covered with thousands of bushels of native South Dakota corn, grain and grasses that are arranged into large murals. Each year there is a different theme, and the palace is decorated accordingly. Hundreds of thousands of tourists come to see the crop art every year.

At other times of the year, to sustain the flow of tourist and revenue, “the World’s Only Corn Palace” —as it likes to call itself, hold popular events such as the Corn Palace Stampede Rodeo in July, the Corn Palace Festival in August and the Corn Palace Polka Festival in September. The Corn Palace also has an auditorium for touring celebrities and a sports arena for various school and college basketball teams.

Photo credit: Matt Hintsa/Flickr

The original Corn Palace was built in 1892 as part of a six-day festival at the height of harvest season. It was a wooden castle structure built on donated land on Mitchell’s Main Street, whose exterior was decorated with corn. The idea was to showcase the rich soil of South Dakota and encourage people to settle in the area. The success of the Corn Palace and the annual festival encouraged the townsfolk to invest in a better building in 1905, but soon this building became too small for Mitchell’s growing population. A more permanent structure, replacing a second corn palace, was erected and opened in time for the 1921 festival. This is the present Corn Palace, but the Russian-style onion domes and Moorish minarets were added later in 1937.

Every year, local artists redecorate the Palace with naturally colored corn and other grains and native grasses such as flax, rye, wheat, oats, and millet as well as bromegrass, bluegrass, and straw. Thirteen different colors or shades of corn are available for artists to work on.

Besides the annual corn festival, the palace building is used for various events including exhibits, dances, stage shows, meetings, banquets, proms, graduations arena for Mitchell High School and Dakota Wesleyan University as well as district, regional and state basketball tournaments.

Photo credit: Mike Ault/Flickr

Photo credit: Scott Robinson/Flickr

Photo credit: Mike Ault/Flickr

Photo credit: Robin Zebrowski/Flickr

Photo credit: josephbergen/Flickr

Source……..www.amusingplanet.com

Natarajan

Expressive and Whimsical Watercolor Art……

January 13, 2016NatarajanLeave a comment

Artist Luqman Reza creates expressive animal paintings using watercolor paint. He has always had a knack for art, even as a child. Having grown up in the countryside in a modest family, Luqman’s parents did not have much money to buy their son toys. They gave him a drawing book and a set of markers instead. From that moment on, Luqman would sketch and draw instead of play. For him, a piece of paper is his playground – a blank space that could be filled with anything. “I have the freedom to build my imagination and I knew from the very beginning that I have found my joy in life.” As the years rolled on, Luqman began to experiment with his art using various mediums – including pencils, crayons and oil. But then he discovered water color paint, from that point on, his art became expressive and whimsical. Let’s take a look:

See more of Luqman’s work by clicking here.

Timescape

Animal Watercolor Art

Autumn

Animal Watercolor Art

Lonely

Animal Watercolor Art

Lay me by your side

Animal Watercolor Art

See you in heaven

Animal Watercolor Art

Big surprise

Animal Watercolor Art

Burning sky

Animal Watercolor Art

Ma boy

Animal Watercolor Art

Memories

Animal Watercolor Art

Spring

Animal Watercolor Art

Reflected in the blue sky

Animal Watercolor Art

Leo

Animal Watercolor Art

Peace

Animal Watercolor Art

Have a nice dream

Animal Watercolor Art

Lovely spring

Animal Watercolor Art

Deer

Animal Watercolor Art

Taken

Animal Watercolor Art

h/t: boredpanda.com

Source…………www.ba-bamail.com

Natarajan

Message for the Day….” As Vivekananda said, you should have nerves of steel and muscles of iron. You must brim in hope and joy as your unshakable resolution, not display despair and dejection.”

January 12, 2016NatarajanLeave a comment

The greatest disease is the absence of peace. When the mind is peaceful, your body will be healthy. So everyone who craves for good health must pay attention to their emotions, feelings, and motives that animates them. Just as you wash clothes, you must wash your mind free from dirt every day. To cleanse your mind you should mix in good company and avoid dirt elements like falsehood, injustice, indiscipline, cruelty, hate, etc. Truth, righteousness, peace, love – these form the clean elements. If you inhale the pure air of clean elements, your mind will be free from evil bacilli and you will be mentally sturdy and physically strong. As Vivekananda said, you should have nerves of steel and muscles of iron. You must brim in hope and joy as your unshakable resolution, not display despair and dejection.

How an Anonymous Group of People Came Together to Paint over 250 Flyover Pillars in Bengaluru…

January 11, 2016Natarajan1 Comment

The Ugly Indian, the anonymous collective that is working a slow revolution in Indian streets (and mindsets), has done it again.

After cleaning up the streets of Bangalore with a vengeance, they have found their next target: flyover pillars. These massive structures are common targets for promotional posters and the accumulated dust and filth on our streets, and can (and do) easily become public eyesores.

The Ugly Indian has till date cleaned and painted over 250 of these pillars.

Their latest target was area under the flyover (what is called the UFO area) of the Bhadrappa Layout flyover in Bangalore. Over a 100 civic-minded citizen volunteers and BBMP personnel came together to reclaim this public space. The drive saw people of all ages turn up and work, from young children to senior citizens.

They didn’t just paint the pillars, either; they also fixed up walls, footpaths, and road medians in the area.

The local government is clearly thrilled with these enthusiastic and dedicated workers — since BBMP personnel work along with them, this is, in a way, a public-private partnership.

There may be something to what they’re painting onto the pillars too. The 3-D pyramid design seems to work wonders at dissuading advertisers from using them as notice boards.

In contrast to their previous bedraggled condition, the painted pillars remain spotless. It’s clear that a single move in the right direction can lead to sustained positive change.

Clean, beautiful public spaces can make even the make living in cities a joy. The Ugly Indian, whose motto is “kaam chalu, mooh bandh” (“stop talking, start doing”), is showing us that moralising, debating, and blaming will lead us nowhere till we pick up broomsticks and paintbrushes in our own hands — and get to work.

Because our cities belong to us.

All photos from The Ugly Indian’s Facebook page.

Source…….Vandita Kapoor in http://www.the betterindia.com

natarajan

This Mumbai-Born Girl Living in the UK May Just Be Smarter than Einstein…!!!

January 11, 2016NatarajanLeave a comment

Kashmea Wahi, an 11-year-old Indian-origin girl living in the UK, has achieved the highest possible score of 162 on a Mensa IQ test.

Kashmea, who was born in Mumbai, now lives in London. Her parents Vikas and Pooja Wahi are IT management consultants at Deutsche Bank. She took the test to prove a point to them — she wanted to convince them that she didn’t need to spend all her time studying (something that they were insisting she do).

This score puts her among the top 1 percent of people in the world for IQ.

The IQ of geniuses such as Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking, who have changed our perception of the world, is estimated to be 160.

Source: Wikimedia

“It’s overwhelming to be compared with the likes of Stephen Hawking and Albert Einstein, the comparison is implausible and I believe it would take loads of achievements for anyone like myself to be able to get into the league of such legends. Anyways, I am buzzing with excitement,” Kashmea said.

Her parents are also thrilled at this news. They say that while they always knew she was smart, this further confirmation has made them hopeful that she will do “something wonderful” in the future.

Kashmea is a member of school’s maths team. She also takes part in chess tournaments — she has won a number of awards — and plays net ball and lawn tennis.

Mensa is the largest and oldest high-IQ society in the world. Membership is open to anyone whose IQ is in the top 2 percent of the population. A Mensa spokesperson has confirmed that Wahi is among the youngest people ever to have received a score of 162.

Featured image source: Twitter (left); Wikimedia (right)

Source…….vandita kapoor in http://www.the betterindia .com

Natarajan

” ஆற்றல் ஞாயிறு: என் வாழ்வில் திருக்குறள் “……

January 11, 2016Natarajan1 Comment

ஓவியம்: ஆர்.ராஜேஷ்

குறள்:

யான்எனது என்னும்செருக்கு அறுப்பான் வானோர்க்கு

உயர்ந்த உலகம் புகும் (346)

பொருள்:

நான் மற்றவர்களை விட உயர்ந்தவன் என்ற செருக்கு இல்லாதவரும் எல்லாப் பொருட்களையும் தனக்குரியது என்று கருதாதவரும் தவப் பெரியோர்கள் என்னும் எட்டாத இடத்துக்கு உயர்ந்துவிடுவர்.

விளக்கம்:

இந்தியாவின் வடகிழக்கு மாநிலம் அருணாச்சலப்பிரதேசம். 2003-ம் ஆண்டு அங்கு நான் 3,500 மீட்டர் உயரத்தில் அமைந்துள்ள ‘தாவாங்சூ’ என்ற இடத்துக்குச் சென்றிருந்தேன்.

ஒருநாள் முழுவதும் அங்கு தங்கியிருந்து, புத்த பிட்சுகளுடன் பேசி மகிழ்ந்திருந்தேன். அங்கு கடுமையான குளிரும், வாழ்வதற்கு மிகவும் சிரமமான சூழ்நிலையும் நிலவியது. அப்படிப்பட்ட குளிர் மிகுந்த சூழ்நிலையிலும் அங்கு இருந்த அனைவரும் சிரித்த முகத்துடன் புன்னகை தவழ வீற்றிருப்பதைப் பார்த்தேன்.

‘‘இப்படிப்பட்ட சூழ்நிலையில் இங்கு எப்படி அமைதியும் சாந்தியும் நிலவுகிறது?’’ என்கிற கேள்வி என்னுள் எழுந்தது. இதைத் தொடர்ந்து நான் அங்கிருக்கும் தலைமை புத்த பிட்சுவிடம், ‘‘இங்கு எப்படி அமைதியும் சாந்தியும் நிலவுகிறது… இது எப்படி சாத்தியமாகும்?’’ என்று கேள்வி எழுப்பினேன்.

அதற்கு அவர் என்னிடம்,‘‘நீங்கள் நாட்டின் குடியரசுத் தலைவர். உங்களுக்குத் தெரியாததா?’’ என்று வினவினார். அவரை நான் விடாமல் ‘‘எனக்கு நீங்கள் பதில் சொல்லியே தீர வேண்டும்” என்று வலியுறுத்தினேன்.

அதற்கு அவர் சொன்னார்: ‘‘இந்த உலகத்தில் நமக்குப் பல்வேறு பிரச்சினைகள், நம்பிக்கையின்மை, சுயநலம், சமூகப் பொருளாதார வேறுபாடுகள், கோபம், வெறுப்பு அதன் மூலமாக வன்முறை ஆகியவை நிலவுகின்றன. இப்படிப்பட்ட சூழலில் பவுத்த மடம் என்ன செய்தியைப் பரப்புகிறது என்றால், நாம் ஒவ்வொருவரும் ‘நான், எனது’ என்கிற எண்ணத்தை நம் மனதில் இருந்து அகற்றினால் நம்மிடம் உள்ள தற்பெருமை மறையும்; தற்பெருமை மறைந்தால் மனிதர்களுக்கு இடையில் இருக்கும் வெறுப்பு அகலும்; வெறுப்பு மனதைவிட்டு அகன்றால் வன்முறை எண்ணங்கள் நம்மைவிட்டு அகலும்; வன்முறை எண்ணங்கள் நம்மைவிட்டு மறைந்தால் அமைதி நம் மனதை தழுவும்” என்று பதிலளித்தார்.

குறள்

எப்பொருள் எத்தன்மைத்து ஆயினும் அப்பொருள்

மெய்ப்பொருள் காண்பது அறிவு. (355)

பொருள்:

எந்தப் பொருளும் நமக்கு எப்படியும் தோற்றம் தரலாம்; ஆனால் அந்தப் பொருளில் அழியாமல் என்றும் நிலைத்திருக்கக்கூடியது எது என்று கண்டறிய வேண்டும். எனவே உண்மையான இயல்பையும் கருத்தையும் அறிந்து கொள்வதே அறிவாகும். நாம் காண்கிற பொருட்கள் பலவிதமானவை. அவை உருவம், குணம், நிறம் என்று பலவிதத்தில் ஒத்ததாகவும் வேறானதாகவும் நமக்குத் தெரிகின்றன. ஆனால் ஆராய்ந்து பார்க்கும்போதுதான் அவற்றின் உண்மைத் தன்மை நமக்குப் புலப்படும்.

விளக்கம்:

உத்தரப்பிரதேசத்தில் உள்ள மீரட் நகருக்குச் சென்றபோது ஒரு குடும்பத்தைச் சந்தித்தேன். மூன்று தலைமுறையைச் சேர்ந்தவர்கள் அந்தக் குடும்பத்தில் இருந்தனர். அவர்கள் கீர்த்தனைகளைப் பாடும்போது அவர்களோடு நானும் உடனிருந்து ரசித்தேன். ஒவ்வொருவரும் பாடலின் ஒவ்வொரு வரியையும் சுவைத்து, திளைத்து பாடினர். அவர்களிடம் அது குறித்துப் பேசினேன். எது செய்வதாக இருந்தாலும் இறைவனுக்காகச் செய்யும் சிந்தனையோடு செய்வதாகச் சொன்னார்கள். அவர்கள் அத்தனை பேரின் செயல்பாடுகளும் தெய்வீகம் பொருந்தியதாகவே இருந்தன.

எடுத்துக்காட்டாக, அந்தக் குடும்பத்தைச் சேர்ந்த தோட்டக்காரர் கடவுளுக்குக் காணிக்கையாகும் மலர்களைப் பெறுவதற்காகத் தோட்ட வேலை செய்வதாக நினைத்தார். அலங்காரம் செய்பவர் கடவுளுக்கான இடத்தைக் கடவுளுக்காக அழகாக்குவதாக எண்ணி அதில் ஈடுபட்டார். கீர்த்தனை பாடும் குழுவினர் கடவுளை வழிபடுவதற்கு ஏற்ற ராகங்களைத் தேர்ந்தெடுத்து பாடினர். இறை எண்ணத்தோடே இறைவன் புகழைப் பாடினார்கள். அதனால் அந்த இடமே தெய்வீகமாக மிளிர்ந்தது. அந்தக் குடும்பத்தின் தலைவர் தனது குடும்ப உறுப்பினர்களையும், குழுமியிருந்தவர்களையும் தெய்வப் பிரதிநிதிகளாகவே கருதினார். ஒவ்வொர் உறுப்பினரும் என்ன செய்தாலும் தங்களுடைய செயல் ஆன்மிக எண்ணங்களுக்கு சிறப்புச் சேர்ப்பதாகவே கருதினர்.

பல்வேறு துறைகளின் தகவல்களை அறிந்துகொள்ளும்போது அதில் பொதிந்திருக்கும் பேருண்மையை ஆராயும் மனதை ஒவ்வொருவரும் கொண்டிருக்க வேண்டும். அப்படி ஆராய்ந்து கண்டறிவதுதான் மெய்ப்பொருளாகும். அத்தகைய மெய்ப்பொருளை மீரட்டில் நான் சந்தித்த அந்தக் குடும்பத்தினர் ஒவ்வொருவரும் கைவரப் பெற்றிருந்தனர்.

Source….www.tamil.thehindu.com Keywords: அப்துல் கலாம், இறுதி எழுத்துக்கள் தொடர், திருக்குறள், கலாம் குறள்

Natarajan

Mango Phone: Here’s an iPhone killer….?

January 11, 2016NatarajanLeave a comment

Apple’s iPhone will soon have an interesting competitor in smartphone markets around the globe with the launch of MPhone — the Mango Phone.

Not very surprisingly, the company has also decided on a mango as their logo. The new handset is expected to hit Indian markets by the end of this month.

The company, reportedly helmed by group of Malayalis, was founded on an initial investment of Rs 3500 crore. In what could be more interesting to prospective buyers, a fresh handset also packs a bluetooth headset, wireless charger, power bank and a selfie stick!

The handset will be brought to the markets by MPhone Electronics and Technologies Limited with 4G and 3D technology assistance from Korea. MPhone Electronics and Technologies Limited is learnt to be partnered by Anto Augustine, Roy Augustine and Josekutty Augustine from the Wayanad district of Kerala.

It is also learnt that the handset employs a 6050 mah battery that assures three days charge life for a fully charged handset. Shock resistant Gorilla screen glass, 23 MP primary and 8 MP secondary camera are other major attractions of the upcoming competitor of the iPhone. Reportedly, the handset will be providing an internal memory of 32 GB, which can be extended up to 128 GB. A 3 GB RAM module will speed up the handset.

As per unofficial reports, the MPhone will be priced around Rs 35,000. While it may not be wise to compare apples to oranges mangoes, it will certainly make for some interesting competition in this space!

Deepu

Source:

http://www.rediff.com

Natarajan

Take off with Natarajan

Airport Natarajan's Digital home

leadership

Message for the Day….” The Sun Teaches man the Lesson of Humble Devotion to Duty …”