Thursday 29 May 2014

Google unveils self-driving car, sans steering wheel

Google unveils self-driving car, sans steering wheel

The two-seater prototype relies on built-in sensors and a software system to safely maneuver around obstacles.
Google has built a self-driving car from scratch -- a vehicle that has no steering wheel or accelerator or brake pedals.
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A two-seater prototype of the vehicle was unveiled Tuesday by Google CEO Sergey Brin during an onstage interview at the Recode Code Conference in Palos Verdes, Calif. Instead of the car controls indispensable to today's drivers, Google's prototype relies on built-in sensors and a software system to safely maneuver the vehicle.
"We took a look from the ground up of what a self-driving car would look like," Brin said.
The goal of the project is for self-driving cars to be "significantly" safer than human-driven cars in a few years, Brin said. He said that that the project has experienced no crashes during testing, but the cars only operate at speeds of around 25 miles per hour, which gives them more time to react to obstacles.
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Google's self-driving car is an ambitious project that hopes to end human error behind the wheel with a very Google-y solution: software. The tech titan's robo-cars have logged more than 700,000 miles since it began working on the vehicles in 2009. Google expects to have them ready for public use between 2017 and 2020.
A demonstration earlier this month by Google's Self-Driving Car Project team shows how the vehicle depends on a Google-made topographical map to get a sense of what it should expect. The map includes the height of the traffic signals above the street, the placement of stop signs and crosswalks, the depth of the sidewalk curb, the width of the lanes, and can differentiate lane markings from white and dashed to double-yellow.
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The company announced major progress last month in improving how the system responds to objects not on a map. In a YouTube video, the Web giant demonstrated some of the circumstances its self-driving cars now handle, such as bicyclists signaling to move across a lane of traffic, railroad crossings, and parked cars protruding into the lane of traffic.

While Google has been at the forefront of developing and testing self-driving technologies, it's not alone in its driverless vision for the future. Nissan, General Motors, and automotive supplier Continental expect self-driving cars on the road by 2020. Ford Motor Co. has unveiled a self-driving prototype car. Telsa Motors wants its system to handle 90 percent of driving duties by 2016 -- a more aggressive schedule and one that's more like what Google has said is attainable.

Monday 26 May 2014

Tesla’s Electric Car To Hit The UK Market And It Will Run For 300 Miles On A Single Charge

Tesla’s Electric Car To Hit The UK Market And It Will Run For 300 Miles On A Single Charge

Automobile industry is moving forward at quite a pace and we are witnessing newer and more powerful super cars every year. However, they all rely on gasoline and we know that it is a non-renewable source of fuel and that’s exactly why the scientists are working on alternate energy sources for cars. So far we have seen solar powered cars and electric cars. The issue with those cars or what hinders us from phasing out the old cars and moving to these cars is probably the myriad of insecurities and issues associated with these new cars. For instance; what happens to the solar powered car after sunset? What will happen if it runs out of power? The same goes for electric car; what if the batteries run out in the middle of nowhere?
Tesla-R-and-Tesla-S_webThis is where Tesla comes in with an exciting promise; the users of Tesla electric cars will be able to drive through Britain with only one break of charging for 20 minutes, as told by the founder Elon Musk. The electric car in question is the right hand drive models of Tesla’s Model S Performance Plus car which will cost £70,000 and will be arriving in Britain next month. The company claims, as stated above, that the car will be able to travel 300 miles on a single charge and a charge of 20 minutes will result in increasing the mileage by 130 miles. Right now, company is focusing on providing supercharging stations along the highway or the electric highway as the company calls it. This stretch will begin from Dover and Bristol continuing up to M25 north along the length of M1.
TeslaModelS Superchargers MapFor comparison’s sake, we would like you to guess what currently available electric cars in Britain can deliver in one charge? Well, the answer is 100 miles and after that, they need to be charged overnight. Tesla hopes to change the negative perception that surrounds electric cars and bring something that can give a good figure when it comes to mileage. Oh and the charging for Tesla cars will be free at the charging stations.
Electric Car Charging Tesla Super ChargerAccording to Edmund King, President of AA, Tesla might come up as a game changer and if their Model S fulfills the claims, it would satisfy 98% of the drivers.

Wednesday 21 May 2014

This glass sphere might revolutionize solar power on Earth

This glass sphere might revolutionize solar power on Earth

 German architect AndrĂ© Broessel, of Rawlemon, has looked into his crystal ball and seen the future of renewable energy. In this case it’s a spherical sun-tracking solar energy-generating globe — essentially a giant glass marble on a robotic steel frame. But this marble is no toy. It concentrates both sunlight and moonlight up to 10,000 times — making its solar harvesting capabilities 35 percent more efficient than conventional dual-axis photovoltaic designs.

AndrĂ© Broessel was a finalist in the World Technology Network Award 2013 with the globe’s design and afterward produced this latest version, called Betaray, which can concentrate diffuse light such as that from a cloudy day.
Let me repeat that. This is 35% more efficient than current solar panels and is able to operate on cloudy days.  It concentrates light by 10,000 times. The second video has slightly better film of it, but it is in spanish.  The first video is in english. Source: NewsDiscovery


 




 


Monday 19 May 2014

Solar Roadways!

Solar  Roadways!



Artist's rendition of an interstate at dusk
Graphic artist: Sam Cornett

Artist's rendition of Sandpoint, Idaho - Home of Solar Roadways
Graphic artist: Sam Cornett

Artist's rendition of Taco Bell with Solar Road Panels
Graphic artist: Katherine Simons

Artist's rendition of a sidewalk/parking lot application.Solar Roadways is a modular paving system of solar panels that can withstand the heaviest of trucks (250,000 pounds). These Solar Road Panels can be installed on roads, parking lots, driveways, sidewalks, bike paths, playgrounds... literally any surface under the sun. They pay for themselves primarily through the generation of electricity, which can power homes and businesses connected via driveways and parking lots. A nationwide system could produce more clean renewable energy than a country uses as a whole (http://solarroadways.com/numbers.shtml). They have many other features as well, including: heating elements to stay snow/ice free, LEDs to make road lines and signage, and attached Cable Corridor to store and treat stormwater and provide a "home" for power and data cables. EVs will be able to charge with energy from the sun (instead of fossil fuels) from parking lots and driveways and after a roadway system is in place, mutual induction technology will allow for charging while driving. 

Did you know: 

  • Solar Roadways has received two phases of funding from the U.S. Federal Highway Administration for research and development of a paving system that will pay for itself over its lifespan. We are about to wrap up our Phase II contract (to build a prototype parking lot) and now need to raise funding for production. 

  • Our glass surface has been tested for traction, load testing, and impact resistance testing in civil engineering laboratories around the country, and exceeded all requirements.
  • Solar Roadways is a modular system that will modernize our aging infrastructure with an intelligent system that can become the new Smart Grid. We won the Community Award of $50,000 by getting the most votes in GE's Ecomagination Challenge for "Powering the Grid" in 2010. We had the most votes again in their 2011 Ecomagination Challenge for "Powering the Home".
  • On August 21, 2013, Solar Roadways was selected by their peers as a Finalist in the World Technology Award For Energy, presented in association with TIME, Fortune, CNN, and Science.
  • Solar Roadways was chosen by Google to be one of their Moonshots in May of 2013. 
  • Solar Roadways was chosen as a finalist in the IEEE Ace Awards in 2009 and 2010.
  • Solar Roadways has given presentations around the country including: TEDx Sacramento, Google's Solve for X at Google's NYC Headquarters, NASA, Keynote Speaker for the International Parking Institute's Conference and much more...
  • Solar Roadways is tackling more than solar energy: The FHWA tasked us with addressing  the problem of stormwater. Currently, over 50% of the pollution in U.S. waterways comes from stormwater. We have created a section in our Cable Corridors for storing, treating, and moving stormwater.
  • The implementation of our concept on a grand scale could  create thousands of jobs in the U.S. and around the world. It could allow us all the ability to manufacture our way out of our current economic crisis.

“Drinkable Book” Filters Water for Four Years.

“Drinkable Book” Filters Water for Four Years. Wait, What?

books1If you think books are old tech, you may be dismissing them too soon. The latest application for the folio design is a collection of water filters that are long-lasting and also provide information about consuming unsafe water. The humanitarian group WaterisLife and the ad agency DDB have teamed up to bring these books to developing countries with unreliable water sources.
<i>The Drinkable Book</i>'s Pages Purify Water
Millions of people around the world don't have access to clean water for basic needs like drinking, cooking, and bathing. And 3.4 million people die every year from waterborne diseases. WaterisLife points out that though options are limited in these settings, many people who ingest unsafe water don't even know that it could hurt them. So the goal of the “Drinkable Book” is to provide cheap and effective water filters while also educating people about how dangerous contaminated water can be.
Working with researchers at Carnegie Mellon and the University of Virginia, WaterisLife and DDB supported scalability work and design based on research conducted by Teri Dankovich for her Ph.D. at McGill University. Dankovich found a way to coat cardstock with silver nanoparticles that attract bacteria and toxins when water trickles by. Dankovich says her research indicates that the filters leave water more than 99.9 percent pure. Each page of the book can filter about 30 days’ worth of clean drinking water, and the whole book can last about four years.
After finishing up her Ph.D., Dankovich began a post-doc at the University of Virginia. “I led a team of undergraduates in field tests in South Africa of this antibacterial paper,” she wrote in an email. “All of the chemicals used [to treat the paper] have been selected because they are safe, renewable, and nontoxic.”
The project's designer, Brian Gartside, contacted Dankovich about the project about a year ago. “I came across Theresa Dankovich’s research and was immediately blown away by the potential of her filters," Gartside wrote in an email. “One of WaterisLife’s biggest challenges (beyond providing clean water) is teaching proper sanitation/hygiene, so this was a perfect opportunity to not only introduce the new filters, but also to do it in a way that meaningfully addresses both problems.”
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Pulling a filter out of the book.

Each page of the book is divided by perforation into two squares. The top half has information printed in English, while the bottom half is printed in a locally spoken language. The first run was printed in English and Swahili to be distributed in Kenya, but the goal is to expand printing for languages spoken in all 33 countries where WaterisLife operates.
Gartside says that the design process for the book was driven by both uncontrollable factors and aesthetic choices. The book’s distinctive orange color comes from the silver nanoparticle coating, and its presence indicates that the right chemical reactions have happened in adhering the coating to the cardstock. The group also had to find a vendor that would make food-grade ingestible ink that could be used for letterpress printing. The first run was about 100 books, and the group worked with Bowe House Press in Virginia to make sure the presses were completely clean.
When Gartside used the book himself, he says he was impressed with its effectiveness and ease of use. "I was skeptical at first that water would even be able to make it through the paper (the stock is very thick), but it filters at a rate that I'd estimate to be comparable to the filter jug I have sitting in my fridge," he says.
The group is still negotiating manufacturing costs, and the first press run of “Drinkable Books” isn’t a good indicator because some costs were higher (filtration trays were 3-D printed instead of injection molded) and some costs were lower (many companies donated their services to the cause) than they will be when the books are being produced at scale. But Gartside says the goal is, of course, to produce the books as cheaply as possible, hopefully for pennies a page. The chemical treatment is inexpensive and already fits into this price point.
It’s not exactly a beach read, but if “Drinkable Books” can be widely distributed they might actually have an impact on the spread of waterborne diseases. And once again, books are on the cutting edge of technology.

Friday 16 May 2014

OutRunner is the world’s first remote control running robot and it can beat you



OutRunner is the world’s first remote control running robot and it can beat you

There are many remote control robots out there, usually in the shape of cars, trucks and even animals. Now we have seen the world’s first running robot with legs, the OutRunner, made available to the public and it could beat you on the running track as it is able to run up to 20 mph.
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 [Image Courtesy of Kickstarter/OutRunner]
The OutRunner has been brushing off the competition thanks to some of the most amazing capabilities such as being able to self-balance. The remote control robot is able to run up to a maximum of 20 mph on surfaces that include grass, dirt and asphalt. The OutRunner remote control robot has a battery life of around two hours and the company behind the kickstarter project said that it is very easy to control and the robot can be upgraded. At the moment the robot is unique as there is nothing like it on the market for remote control toys.
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[Image Courtesy of Kickstarter/OutRunner]
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[Image Courtesy of Kickstarter/OutRunner]
The OutRunner will be offered in two different versions. There is the OutRunner Core and this is all you will need if you just want to have a little bit of fun controlling a running robot. Then there is the more powerful version of the robot in the form of the OutRunner Performance. This version is for the remote control robot enthusiast as it comes with many state of the art sensors for epic racing against other robots.
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[Image Courtesy of Kickstarter/OutRunner]
The OutRunner Core version of the running remote controlled robot can run as fast as 10mph and owners get around 1 hour battery life before having to charge the robot up again. The robot is controlled through a standard controller and it gets about on six legs, plus it has a universal camera mount. There is also the option to have a sensor upgrade, if you don’t want to pay out more for the performance version. The OutRunner core version comes in at around 3 pounds in weight and is 1.5 feet in height.
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[Image Courtesy of Kickstarter/OutRunner]
If you want more “bang for your buck” and have more bucks to spend on a remote control running robot then there is the OutRunner Performance robot. The robot is available in a choice of designs and has a brushless motor that is more powerful than the standard core version. If you plan on having races with the robot this is the model you will need as it is able to run up to 20 mph and the battery will last twice as long as the core version, with it offering up to two hours of fun.
It has 12 legs but the robot is able to run with 6, 8, 10 or 12 legs. It can be controlled using the remote or through a smartphone. For performance the robot is packed with an Inertial Measurement Unit, this consists of an Accelerometer and Gyroscope, giving it 6 degrees of freedom. There is also a HD camera offering video recording in 720p and 30 frames per second, along with another universal camera mount. The video along with sensor data may be streamed live to the smartphone through Wi-Fi connection. The OutRunner Performance version comes in at 5 pounds in weight and is around 2 feet in height.
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[Image Courtesy of Kickstarter/OutRunner]
It was made to emulate behaviour of any legged animals as it reproduces their step pattern, thanks to it having a mass/length distribution that is very similar. It has a centre of mass that is lower than that of the leg axis of rotation, while the buoyancy effect means that it is stable, thus doing away with the need for sensors and complex algorithm controls, which would have been expensive. Energy efficiency comes from exploitation of the same feature that is found in legged animals, in that they use their legs as the energy storage system and this allows for fluctuation along with conservation of kinetic energy when running. Steering is down to shifting the centre of mass of the running robot and having it lean to the side which induces a turn.
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[Image Courtesy of Kickstarter/OutRunner]
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[Image Courtesy of Kickstarter/OutRunner]

Tuesday 13 May 2014

Titan Arm: The affordable robotic arm that gives you super human strength

Titan Arm: The affordable robotic arm that gives you super human strength

Those who suffer from an accident, a stroke or a debilitating injury typically have to face an extremely long and difficult ordeal having to make a recovery or get back to any resemblance of normal lifestyle. Going through physical therapy can be a long and hard journey and there is often no guarantee of that person making a full recovery. While there are such things as robotic exoskeletons that can provide support and help for people, they usually come with very high cost and generally need to be plugged into an electrical outlet. However students from the University of Pennsylvania have built what they say is a portable and affordable robotic arm exoskeleton.
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[Image Courtesy of Marius Bugge]
The students are a team of mechanical engineers and over two semesters, many long hard working nights and weekends, Elizabeth Beattie, Nicholas McGill, Nick Parrotta, and Nikolay Vladimirov came up with what they have called the Titan Arm. The invention is an exoskeleton that is not only lightweight and efficient but also very powerful. The electronic muscle would be able to offer resistance when undertaking therapeutic exercises and allows the person wearing it to be able to pick up and additional 40 pounds in weight without breaking into a sweat.
Thanks to the Titan Arm having been made a lot slimmer than other robotic arms, it is easier for patients to use. To do this the team placed the actuator in a backpack instead of placing it into the actual limb of the robotic arm. Load bearing parts of the exoskeleton were milled from aluminium so as to keep the weight down as much as possible along with the amount of power used. The electronics lead, McGill, came up with a software and sensor package that can track the arm movements and the relay the data wirelessly. This means that the Titan Arm could be used by the patient at home while their therapist could monitor exercises remotely.
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[Image Courtesy of Marius Bugge]
There are many potential uses for the Titan Arm and the team have already had encouragement from a snowboarder that was injured and many victims of a stroke, all of which have gone towards pushing the goal of a finished product from the $2,000 prototype. The team are now looking into designing a new prototype which is more refined. One of the designers said that they were looking into 3D printing so that they would be able to customise parts, much the same way as someone has a suit tailored to fit them.
The exoskeleton arm is powered by a Lithium-polymer battery that will offer the wearer a full day’s use. While the muscle comes courtesy of an electric motor that is stored in the backpack and which winds steel cables so that pulleys are rotated and make the arm move. A support system was also designed that would distribute the weight safely across a back plate, elbow straps and hip belt. The clever part of the robotic arm comes from software that can read the magnetic sensors positions within the steel joints and then tell the arm to move; the operator the arm is able to control this via a handheld device.



Sunday 11 May 2014

China To Build An Under-Sea Bullet Train From Beijing To USA

China To Build An Under-Sea Bullet Train From Beijing To USA

China is on fire,politically and economically.  The country is coming up with ambitious plans and one of these plans includes constructing a railway, which will connect China to United States of America.
TO USASo yes, we are talking about travelling from China to USA without flying. The obvious advantages include less cost for travellers and no chance of an incident like the one with Malaysian Airlines MH370.
According to Beijing Times, China is planning to connect China to lower 48 states of USA by employing a high-speed railway. Going into the specifics; the route will start from northeastern China and will then go via Siberia to the Bering Strait. From Bering Strait an underground railway (tunnel) would make its way through the Pacific Ocean in order to connect Alaska and Russia and afterwards, the train would keep moving south crossing Canada and finally stopping when it’s in USA.

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The whole project, if you ask us, seems a bit ambitious but the most ambitious part is the construction of the under sea tunnel that will allow the train to cross the pacific. The tunnel will be 125 miles in length and this is 4x the length of the Channel Tunnel, which currently connects France and United Kingdom. This whole project would be quite challenging for all the engineers out there and if it does get sanctioned, it will open new avenues in construction industries.
The entire trip will span over 8,100 miles and is being called as; ‘China-Russia-Canada-America’ line. According to the experts, this journey would take two days to complete if the train makes the journey at an average speed of 220 Mph. China Daily has reported that the funds and construction of this project will be China’s responsibility.
Wang Mengshu from the Chinese Academy of Engineering stated; ‘Right now we’re already in discussions. Russia has already been thinking about this for many years.’
ChinaThere are still many details that need to be cleared and straightened out before this project can begin if it has to begin (feasibility analysis from experts, specifically railway experts). However, this news sure does portray how ambitious China is and how Chinese are focusing on installing new routes to other countries.

Thursday 8 May 2014

Great Indian Hindu Sages who revolutionised the field of Science

Great Indian Hindu Sages who revolutionised the field of Science

Aryabhatt (476 BCE) - Master Astronomer and Mathematician

Aryabhatt

Born in 476 CE in Kusumpur ( Bihar ), Aryabhatt's intellectual brilliance remapped the boundaries of mathematics and astronomy. In 499 CE, at the age of 23, he wrote a text on astronomy and an unparallel treatise on mathematics called "Aryabhatiyam." He formulated the process of calculating the motion of planets and the time of eclipses. Aryabhatt was the first to proclaim that the earth is round, it rotates on its axis, orbits the sun and is suspended in space - 1000 years before Copernicus published his heliocentric theory. He is also acknowledged for calculating p (Pi) to four decimal places: 3.1416 and the sine table in trigonometry. Centuries later, in 825 CE, the Arab mathematician, Mohammed Ibna Musa credited the value of Pi to the Indians, "This value has been given by the Hindus." And above all, his most spectacular contribution was the concept of zero without which modern computer technology would have been non-existent. Aryabhatt was a colossus in the field of mathematics.

Bhaskaracharya || (1114-1183 BCE) - Genius in Algebra

Bhaskaracharya ||

Born in the obscure village of Vijjadit (Jalgaon) in Maharastra, Bhaskaracharya' s work in Algebra, Arithmetic and Geometry catapulted him to fame and immortality. His renowned mathematical works called "Lilavati" and "Bijaganita" are considered to be unparalled and a memorial to his profound intelligence. Its translation in several languages of the world bear testimony to its eminence. In his treatise " Siddhant Shiromani " he writes on planetary positions, eclipses, cosmography, mathematical techniques and astronomical equipment. In the " Surya Siddhant " he makes a note on the force of gravity: "Objects fall on earth due to a force of attraction by the earth. Therefore, the earth, planets, constellations, moon, and sun are held in orbit due to this attraction." Bhaskaracharya was the first to discover gravity, 500 years before Sir Isaac Newton . He was the champion among mathematicians of ancient and medieval India . His works fired the imagination of Persian and European scholars, who through research on his works earned fame and popularity.

Acharya Kanad (600 BCE) - Founder of Atomic Theory

Acharya Kanad

As the founder of " Vaisheshik Darshan "- one of six principal philosophies of India - Acharya Kanad was a genius in philosophy. He is believed to have been born in Prabhas Kshetra near Dwarika in Gujarat . He was the pioneer expounder of realism, law of causation and the atomic theory. He has classified all the objects of creation into nine elements, namely: earth, water, light, wind, ether, time, space, mind and soul. He says, "Every object of creation is made of atoms which in turn connect with each other to form molecules." His statement ushered in the Atomic Theory for the first time ever in the world, nearly 2500 years before John Dalton . Kanad has also described the dimension and motion of atoms and their chemical reactions with each other. The eminent historian, T.N. Colebrook , has said, "Compared to the scientists of Europe , Kanad and other Indian scientists were the global masters of this field."

Nagarjuna (100 BCE) - Wizard of Chemical Science

Nagarjuna

He was an extraordinary wizard of science born in the nondescript village of Baluka in Madhya Pradesh . His dedicated research for twelve years produced maiden discoveries and inventions in the faculties of chemistry and metallurgy. Textual masterpieces like " Ras Ratnakar ," "Rashrudaya" and "Rasendramangal" are his renowned contributions to the science of chemistry. Where the medieval alchemists of England failed, Nagarjuna had discovered the alchemy of transmuting base metals into gold. As the author of medical books like "Arogyamanjari" and "Yogasar," he also made significant contributions to the field of curative medicine. Because of his profound scholarliness and versatile knowledge, he was appointed as Chancellor of the famous University of Nalanda . Nagarjuna's milestone discoveries impress and astonish the scientists of today.

Acharya Charak (600 BCE) - Father of Medicine

Acharya Charak has been crowned as the Father of Medicine. His renowned work, the " Charak Samhita ", is considered as an encyclopedia of Ayurveda. His principles, diagoneses, and cures retain their potency and truth even after a couple of millennia. When the science of anatomy was confused with different theories in Europe , Acharya Charak revealed through his innate genius and enquiries the facts on human anatomy, embryology, pharmacology, blood circulation and diseases like diabetes, tuberculosis, heart disease, etc. In the " Charak Samhita " he has described the medicinal qualities and functions of 100,000 herbal plants. He has emphasized the influence of diet and activity on mind and body. He has proved the correlation of spirituality and physical health contributed greatly to diagnostic and curative sciences. He has also prescribed and ethical charter for medical practitioners two centuries prior to the Hippocratic oath. Through his genius and intuition, Acharya Charak made landmark contributions to Ayurvedal. He forever remains etched in the annals of history as one of the greatest and noblest of rishi-scientists.

Acharya Sushrut (600 BCE) - Father of Plastic Surgery

Acharya Sushrut

A genius who has been glowingly recognized in the annals of medical science. Born to sage Vishwamitra, Acharya Sudhrut details the first ever surgery procedures in " Sushrut Samhita ," a unique encyclopedia of surgery. He is venerated as the father of plastic surgery and the science of anesthesia. When surgery was in its infancy in Europe , Sushrut was performing Rhinoplasty (restoration of a damaged nose) and other challenging operations. In the " Sushrut Samhita ," he prescribes treatment for twelve types of fractures and six types of dislocations. His details on human embryology are simply amazing. Sushrut used 125 types of surgical instruments including scalpels, lancets, needles, Cathers and rectal speculums; mostly designed from the jaws of animals and birds. He has also described a number of stitching methods; the use of horse's hair as thread and fibers of bark. In the " Sushrut Samhita ," and fibers of bark. In the " Sushrut Samhita ," he details 300 types of operations. The ancient Indians were the pioneers in amputation, caesarian and cranial surgeries. Acharya Sushrut was a giant in the arena of medical science.

Varahmihir (499-587 BCE) - Eminent Astrologer and Astronomera

Varahmihir

renowned astrologer and astronomer who was honored with a special decoration and status as one of the nine gems in the court of King Vikramaditya in Avanti ( Ujjain ). Varahamihir' s book "panchsiddhant" holds a prominent place in the realm of astronomy. He notes that the moon and planets are lustrous not because of their own light but due to sunlight. In the " Bruhad Samhita " and " Bruhad Jatak ," he has revealed his discoveries in the domains of geography, constellation, science, botany and animal science. In his treatise on botanical science, Varamihir presents cures for various diseases afflicting plants and trees. The rishi-scientist survives through his unique contributions to the science of astrology and astronomy.

Acharya Patanjali (200 BCE) - Father of Yoga

Acharya Patanjali

The Science of Yoga is one of several unique contributions of India to the world. It seeks to discover and realize the ultimate Reality through yogic practices. Acharya Patanjali , the founder, hailed from the district of Gonda (Ganara) in Uttar Pradesh . He prescribed the control of prana (life breath) as the means to control the body, mind and soul. This subsequently rewards one with good health and inner happiness. Acharya Patanjali 's 84 yogic postures effectively enhance the efficiency of the respiratory, circulatory, nervous, digestive and endocrine systems and many other organs of the body. Yoga has eight limbs where Acharya Patanjali shows the attainment of the ultimate bliss of God in samadhi through the disciplines of: yam, niyam, asan, pranayam, pratyahar, dhyan and dharna. The Science of Yoga has gained popularity because of its scientific approach and benefits. Yoga also holds the honored place as one of six philosophies in the Indian philosophical system. Acharya Patanjali will forever be remembered and revered as a pioneer in the science of self-discipline, happiness and self-realization.

Acharya Bharadwaj (800 BCE) - Pioneer of Aviation Technology

Acharya Bharadwaj

Acharya Bharadwaj had a hermitage in the holy city of Prayag and was an ordent apostle of Ayurveda and mechanical sciences. He authored the " Yantra Sarvasva " which includes astonishing and outstanding discoveries in aviation science, space science and flying machines. He has described three categories of flying machines: 1.) One that flies on earth from one place to another. 2.) One that travels from one planet to another. 3.) And One that travels from one universe to another. His designs and descriptions have impressed and amazed aviation engineers of today. His brilliance in aviation technology is further reflected through techniques described by him:
1.) Profound Secret: The technique to make a flying machine invisible through the application of sunlight and wind force.
2.) Living Secret: The technique to make an invisible space machine visible through the application of electrical force.
3.) Secret of Eavesdropping: The technique to listen to a conversation in another plane.
4.) Visual Secrets: The technique to see what's happening inside another plane.
Through his innovative and brilliant discoveries, Acharya Bharadwaj has been recognized as the pioneer of aviation technology.

Acharya Kapil (3000 BCE) - Father of Cosmology

Acharya Kapil

Celebrated as the founder of Sankhya philosophy, Acharya Kapil is believed to have been born in 3000 BCE to the illustrious sage Kardam and Devhuti. He gifted the world with the Sankhya School of Thought. His pioneering work threw light on the nature and principles of the ultimate Soul (Purusha), primal matter (Prakruti) and creation. His concept of transformation of energy and profound commentaries on atma, non-atma and the subtle elements of the cosmos places him in an elite class of master achievers - incomparable to the discoveries of other cosmologists. On his assertion that Prakruti, with the inspiration of Purusha, is the mother of cosmic creation and all energies, he contributed a new chapter in the science of cosmology. Because of his extrasensory observations and revelations on the secrets of creation, he is recognized and saluted as the Father of Cosmology.