Trail Blazers:BTech II Semester : DR. Homi Jahangir Bhabha

          Dr. Homi Jahangir Bhabha was an all time genius whose altruistic efforts actuated a meteoric revolution in the scientific world. He brought the name of India in the list of seven nuclear powers of the world. He was a true Indian who put the welfare of the country above personal aggrandizement. His profound and relentless efforts in nuclear research will always be a source of inspiration. We can imbibe many lessons from his life.

          Dr. Bhabha’s life was an embodiment of noble ideas from which many a lesson can be imbibed. He was a man of integrity. He always puts service before self. He earned his engineering degree in 1930. That was the decade when the world witnessed numerous scientific advancements in the field of physics.

         In 1945 founded the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research. He was the first chairman of Atomic Energy Commission of India. He led the team of scientists in setting up Asia’s first atomic sector Apsara at Trombay.

          The nuclear plants at Tarapur, Rana Pratap Sagar and Kalapakkam are the fruition of his efforts. He firmly believed that atomic energy should be utilized for constructive purposes alone. As recognition of his  efforts and service to the nation he was offered a place in the Union Cabinet, Bhabha refused it.

          A talented individual Bhabha took keen interest in music and art. A bachelor all his life, Homi Jahangir Bhabha dedicated his time and energy to scientific purposes. He played an important role in scientific temper in the masses. Instead of searching for employees and scientists for his institute, he founded the institute in order to bring out the vast potential in young scientists and budding talents. His work on atomic energy brought him many honorary degrees of D.Sc. and Phd in India and abroad.

           His mantra ‘work is worship’ was so inspiring that when he died the employees of the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, worked extra hours to mourn his death. Today when the world is divided on the issue of nuclear energy, with the super powers adopting double standards and other countries pursuing policies with vested interests, Bhabha’s life should be a shining example and a token of peace and development in the present nuclear age.

       In fact, Dr. Bhabha initiated the process of harnessing nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. Hence, he can be called the architect of Pokhran I and II, which too are meant for maintenance of peace in the subcontinent in view of nuclear threats from our Northern and Western neighbours.

Emerging Technologies : 1.Solar Power 2. Cloud Computing 3. Nanotechnologies

                             1. Solar Power

          Spain is fast becoming a leader in innovation and generating advanced solutions in the industries .The country is determined to deepen and intensify its productive specialization in industries that depend on technology and innovation.

           Researchers are creating novel types of photovoltaic devices that could finally make solar power a broadly practical source of renewable energy in Spain. At the Solucar solar plant outside Seville, the light rays are coming out of a high tower and falling on tilted upturned mirrors. The truth of the situation is that the upturned mirrors are tracking the sun and radiating its power onto a blindingly white square at the top of the tower creating the equivalent of the power of 600 suns. This tower uses concentrating solar technology (CSP). Solar thermal energy is a technology which harnesses solar energy for thermal energy requirement in industries, residential sector and commercial setup. It works by utilizing heat of the sun.

            Spanish companies and research centers are taking the lead in the revival of  CSP. Its installation is quite expensive. Hence, it is effective only in a large scale. At the same time, the photovoltaic system is growing exponentially huge which converts the energy of light directly into electricity by the photovoltaic effect. Spanish companies are investing huge in photovoltaic fields and investigate the next generation of this technology in its large production. In contrast, a solar thermal collector supplies heat by absorbing sunlight, for the purpose of either direct heating or indirect electrical power generation. CSP has until recently cost nearly twice as much as traditional natural gas or coal power plants, and it is efficient only on large scale.

      The tower technology works on the same principle as  the troughs – the sun’s heat –but uses curved mirrors called heliostats. It directs the sun’s light to a central receiver at the top of the tower. The tower in the Solucar plant is also provided by a small amount of natural gas in a rainy or cloudy weather prevents the plant’s full operation.              

              ***********************************************

                             2. Cloud Computing

Cloud computing is a computing term or metaphor that evolved in the late 2000s, based on utility and consumption of computer resources. It involves deploying groups of remote servers and software networks that allow different kinds of data sources be uploaded for real time processing to generate computing results without the need to store processed data on the cloud. Clouds can be classified as public, private or hybrid.

Deployment models:

·         Private cloud

Private cloud is cloud infrastructure operated solely for a single organization, whether managed internally or by a third-party, and hosted either internally or externally.

·         Public cloud

A cloud is called a "public cloud" when the services are rendered over a network that is open for public use. Public cloud services may be free. Technically there may be little or no difference between public and private cloud architecture, however, security consideration may be substantially different for services (applications, storage, and other resources) that are made available by a service provider for a public audience and when communication is effected over a non-trusted network.

·         Hybrid cloud

Hybrid cloud is a composition of two or more clouds (private, community or public) that remain distinct entities but are bound together, offering the benefits of multiple deployment models. Hybrid cloud can also mean the ability to connect collocation, managed and dedicated services with cloud resources.

  Cloud Computing Service Architecture :

* Infrastructure as a Service   (IaaS)

* Platform as a Service ( PaaS)

* Software as a Service ( SaaS)

Security and privacy

Cloud computing poses privacy concerns because the service provider can access the data that is on the cloud at any time. It could accidentally or deliberately alter or even delete information. Many cloud providers can share information with third parties if necessary for purposes of law and order even without a warrant. That is permitted in their privacy policies which users have to agree to before they start using cloud services. Solutions to privacy include policy and legislation as well as end users' choices for how data is stored. Users can encrypt data that is processed or stored within the cloud to prevent unauthorized access.

  

                      ********************************************************

                                          3.Nanotechnology

         Nanotechnology is qualified as basic research and development that is happening in laboratories all over the world. Nanotechnology products that are on the market today gradually improved ones.

         Much of Nano science and many nanotechnologies are producing new and enhanced materials. The two technologies that can be used in producing these are top down and bottom up. In top down technique, very small structures are produced from larger structures. The same can be done in bottom up technique.

         Long term and short term are the two main ways, which are used in non-materials. Sunscreen and cosmetics, composites clay and tougher and harder cutting tools are the short-term ways. Carbon Nanotube composites, medical implants, machine ceramics water purification etc are the examples of long-term ways.

         Carbon Nano Tubes have exceptional mechanical properties mainly high tensile strength and light weight. Magnetic material such as computer hard disk which has the ability to magnetize small areas of a spinning disk to record the information. In future the computer chips could use the magnetic properties of these electrons called spin which has numerous advantages.

          CNT based water filtration devices have already developed by many researchers. These filters cannot only block the smallest particles but also kill most bacteria. Enhance nonmaterial’s from the basis of a state of the art “battle suit” is being developed by the institute for soldier Nano technologies at the MIT. There is a guess that developments could include materials which monitor physiology while a soldier still on the battlefield and uniforms with potential medical applications such as splints for broken bones.

Water The Elixir of Life BTech II Semester

In this essay “Water-The Elixir Of Life”, Sir C.V.Raman brings out how water is indispensable to plant and human life and how it also causes evils like soil-erosion. He also tells excess of water can be preserved for good purposes.                                          

 In the first part of the essay, he talks poetically of the beauty of water. Water trickling down the rocks or water collected in small ponds that satisfy the thirst of passing cattle is beautiful sights. Big tanks play a vital role in South Indian agriculture. Much of the rice is grown under them. It is a beautiful sight to watch the sun reservoir set over them.

One of the most remarkable facts about water is that it carries silt to far-off places where it is finally deposited .The land where silt is deposited is usually very fertile. The silt that mixes with the salt water of the sea precipitates rapidly. The color of the water changes successively from the muddy red or brown to yellow and green and finally to the blue of the deep sea. These varying shades are also fascinating.

The flow of water has undoubtedly played a great part in geological processes. Rapidly flowing water carries away the rich top layer of the soil. This phenomenon is called soil erosion. The problem of soil erosion is of major significance in various countries especially in India. Soil erosion in the initial stage is unnoticed. Later, it results in the formation of deep gullies, ravines and ruts. These things affect agriculture. The terracing of the land, the construction of bunds to check the flow of water, the practice of contour cultivation and the planting of some types of vegetation are the measures that can be used to check soil erosion.                                                                                                                                             

Water is the basic of all life. Every animal and plant contains water in its body, water is essential for its body. Moisture in the soil is equally important for the life and growth of plant trees.

The conservation and proper utilization of water is fundamental for human welfare. At present streams and rivers wastefully empty themselves into the sea. It is clear that the adoption of techniques preventing soil erosion would help to conserve and keep the water where it is wanted.