Difference between New IIT and Old IIT

From their inception, the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) have been seen by state governments as prizes to wrangle from the Centre. The location of the very first IIT was to be decided by the Sarkar Committee but even before a final report was out, the then chief minister of Bengal, B.C. Roy, convinced Nehru to pick his state. So, based on a draft report and a decision to have Hijli Jail house the institution, Kharagpur became the first home of an IIT. This was 1951.

Over the next decade, IITs sprung up in Bombay, Madras, Kanpur and Delhi. It took thirty years and Rajiv Gandhi’s support for the next one to come up at Guwahati in 1994. The last of the ‘old’ IITs was in Roorkee, converted from an existing college in 2001. The next batch of IITs came up in 2008 and 2009: Bhubaneswar, Gandhinagar, Hyderabad, Jodhpur, Patna, Ropar, Indore and Mandi.

This ‘new’ group was rounded out with the conversion of the engineering department of Benaras Hindu University (BHU) into an IIT in 2012. The latest batch of IITs was announced over the last two years: Palakkad, Tirupati, Bhilai, Goa, Jammu, Dharwad and the Indian School of Mines, Dhanbad. This takes the total to 23, which covers most of the country except India’s northeast.

In the beginning, the IITs acted primarily as teaching institutions for undergraduates. But for the last few decades, they’ve been transforming into ‘world class’ research universities. A recent paper in Current Science by researchers from South Asian University (Delhi), BHU and the National Institute of Science, Technology and Development Studies (Delhi), analysed the research performances of the first and second batches of IITs over the last five years with interesting results.

Note: The data for IIT (BHU) or Varanasi is only from when it was converted till 2014 – about two years.
While the difference in scale between the output of the older and newer IITs is stark, it’s clear that for the older IITs, the last 5 years have been a hugely productive time in terms of research. Guwahati (and Roorkee to a lesser extent) has seen the majority of their papers come in the last five years despite being operational for much longer. Comparing this data from the period 2010-2014 (a five-year period) with data from 1999-2008 (a 10 year period) in an older paper, the picture becomes even more interesting. It isn’t ideal to compare periods of unequal length but the lack of data in the public domain is a major constraint.

For Kharagpur and Madras, the five year period from 2010-2014 has seen them almost equal their productivity for the ten year period from 1999-2008. Kanpur hasn’t showed much of an improvement but both Delhi and Bombay show a growth in rate of research output.

In terms of citations, each of them for which data is available (except Kanpur) show a much higher number in the recent five year period compared to the more distant ten year period. This data is hard to interpret as it could be the result of factors outside of the control of the institutions themselves such as an improvement in the indexation mechanism, improvement in access to research, global rise in citation numbers, etc. But relative observations can be safely made. Previously, Kanpur seems to have been the national leader but now it seems to have slipped to 5th place, just above Roorkee. Kharagpur (which now leads the pack), Madras and Roorkee seem to have grown the most.

It’s relevant to note that IIT (BHU) is being compared with a period before it was converted. While we don’t have the data to make any judgements, the fact that it has exceeded its output of ten years in just the two year from 2012-2014 is weak evidence that there was a ‘reputation boost’ that came with being turned into an IIT.

To clarify our analysis, this chart limits its focus to the last five years and throws citations into the mix. Roorkee’s actual age (as it was technically founded in 1847) shows through. Its performance is almost exactly the same as the older, more respected Kanpur. But a clear segregation is still visible: the older IITs to the top-right and newer ones to the bottom-left.

But faculty sizes vary greatly across these institutes so looking at papers per faculty member and citations per paper will give us a fairer basis to compare performance.

Now we see that despite having relatively high citations per paper (only Bombay has more), Guwahati has much lower number of papers per capita than the rest of the older IITs. In fact, the newer IITs at Indore and Ropar have been performing on par with the older IITs in terms of citations per paper which is very promising. While IIT (BHU) seems to be quite productive in terms of quantity of papers, it is clearly underperforming in terms of quality as measured by citation numbers, lagging behind the other members of its cohort. One study that analysed BHU’s research output for the period 2004-2013 found that 61% of paper were published in journals not included in the Science Citation Index Expanded and almost 75% of their papers were not even cited once. Another study found wildly different results which seem to be too high to be accurate.

One explanation for Bombay’s leadership in citations per paper is its large number of international collaboration papers. These papers by dint of their global nature tend to be cited more and are favoured in global university rankings.

Interactive version

The above chart shows Bombay having the most number of collaborations almost across all the countries listed. While the United States is clearly the country’s biggest research collaborator, Germany, the UK and Canada appear to be other major sources of collaboration.

The paper also provides information on the subjects in which the IITs are publishing their research. While focused on engineering education, a large number of their research papers seem to come in the areas of physics, chemistry and mathematics. But it’s relevant to note that while it looks like engineering isn’t a priority that is partially because it is broken down into sub-disciplines. If they were aggregated together, the total amount of research in engineering would look more impressive.

Professor Milind Sohoni of IIT Bombay takes a more critical stance of these priorities. He’s been a regular campaigner against the ‘internationalisation’ of research i.e. of research that takes what’s globally trending as its subject. Sohoni argues for an engineering education that goes back to its roots as a discipline that solves local problems – especially in water, sanitation, transport, etc. Since they count for a majority of the centre’s higher education spending, a renewed focus on finding engineering solutions for major infrastructural challenges would be well-received. But to avoid blinkered solutions without any connection to the ground, engineering won’t be enough. Sociology and a more interdisciplinary approach will be required.

Interactive version

As a concluding point, this analysis has very particular implications for the latest batch of IITs that were started over the last two years. It shows that it will probably take more than 10 years for these institutes to even register on the Indian research landscape. For them to become global players will require much more. Looking at the performance of IIT Roorkee and IIT (BHU), there is some evidence that the strategy of converting existing institutions works better than starting a new one from scratch. But most of the newest batch (except for the Indian School of Mines, Dhanbad) don’t have this advantage. It’s also unclear whether learnings from the other IITs are being utilised to speed up their development, other than the general mentoring process. It remains to be seen whether state governments will be happy just having IITs or whether they’ll push for them to become centres for research and change.

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India's Mangalyaan satellite lifts off successfully

In its its first-ever launch outside the Earth's sphere of influence in
its 44-year-long history, India's premier space agency, ISRO, today
launched the Mangalyaan satellite successfully as PSLV-C25 lifts off
from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, about 100 from
Chennai.
India's first mission to Mars started at 2.38 pm on Tuesday.
The 44.4-metre tall trusted workhorse of the Indian Space Research
Organization (ISRO) stood on its launchpad as its tanks were filled
with fuel that will power the rocket over its four stages into space
to insert the spacecraft into an Earth orbit. Final destination: Mars,
the Red Planet, 400 million km and 300 days' journey away.
The actual launch operations will
only involve about 43 minutes of
rocket flight. But it is still set to
be the longest initial flight for any
launch in ISRO's history.
"If the rocket has to function and
the vehicle is able to put the
satellite into an orbit of 23,500
km-by-250 km, that is sufficient.
There is a band 675 km plus or
minus this number. Anywhere
within that if it is put, it is a
success," ISRO chairman K
Radhakrishnan said of the
expectations for the initial flight
— the first step in the long
journey to Mars.
If all goes well on Tuesday, the next major test for the mission will
come on November 30, when the spacecraft is scheduled to begin
its journey to Mars: The trans Martian injection. And then again in
September 2014, when it will inject the Mars orbiter into the Mars
orbit.
The launch will involve 23 minutes of flight when the rocket will be
visible to ISRO through its own ground station at Biak near
Indonesia. The subsequent operations, during which the rocket will
disengage the spacecraft and place it in a Earth orbit, will be
tracked by special ship-borne terminals: Nalanda and Yamuna in the
South Pacific Ocean.
The specific operations that the ship-borne terminals will monitor
are the ignition of the fourth stage of the rocket at 33 minutes, and
the separation of the satellite from the rocket at around 43
minutes. After the initial 23 minutes, the rocket will coast for about
10 minutes before the fourth stage ignition takes place.
"Up to 23 minutes of flight we can have visibility. Beyond that we
don't have visibility. These ship terminals are placed in two
positions in such way that the ignition of the fourth stage is seen
and the separation of the satellite is seen. Immediately after the
separation of the satellite we also have the deployment of the solar
panel, which happens automatically based on the command stored
in the spacecraft," the ISRO chairman said.
"It is a leap forward. It is a turning point for the country if we are
able to accomplish this. Any progress we make in this is new
learning. Any progress we make from then onwards is a learning for
us," he said.
DESTINATION MARS
A 299-day journey of 400 mn km at a cost of Rs 450 cr
LIFT-OFF: TODAY
PSLV-C25 lifts off from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, at
2.38 pm. In 42-min first phase of the flight, Mangalyaan will be put
into a 248 km-by-23,000 km elliptical Earth Parking Orbit.
DEPARTURE: NOV 30
Leaves Earth in a direction tangential to Earth's orbit around the
Sun. Encounters Mars tangentially to its orbit around the Sun.
Trans-Martian injection of December 1 is most crucial part of
mission, says ISRO.
MARS ORBIT INSERTION: SEP 21, 2014
Spacecraft reaches Mars's sphere of influence in hyperbolic
trajectory; expected to be captured into planned orbit when it
reaches Mars Periapsis. Nine earlier Mars missions have failed at
this stage.
Only 21 of the 51 attempted Mars missions have been successful.
Attempts by Japan in 1999 and China in 2011 failed.

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Ford buys software startup Livio

Ford Motor Co. said Thursday that it acquired the startup company Livio in a bid to accelerate its efforts to help drivers safely access content on their smartphone while on the road.

Livio, which is based in the Detroit suburb of Ferndale, Michigan, develops software that lets drivers connect to their smartphones through their car radios or dashboard infotainment systems. It was founded five years ago by Jake Sigal, a former employee of parts supplier Delphi Corp.

Ford paid less than $10 million for the 11-person startup, said Paul Mascarenas, Ford's chief technical officer. Though owned by Ford, Livio will keep supplying its current customers, including General Motors Co.

Livio is Ford's first technology acquisition in 13 years. Mascarenas said Livio complements Ford's efforts to allow drivers to safely access phone apps like Pandora, Major League Baseball and Spotify from their cars. Ford's AppLink system, which lets drivers access their apps through voice recognition, will be inside an estimated 7 million vehicles by 2015, Mascarenas said.

Mascarenas said he and Sigal began talking about an acquisition earlier this year.

Sigal said joining Ford will help his company's efforts to promote a single standard for in-vehicle connectivity. Car companies are now using a variety of systems, which makes it harder for app developers to bring apps to market quickly. Ford has also promoted the development of a single standard.

"This helps us accelerate the industry standard, which is desperately needed," Sigal said. "It's a lot easier pushing a standard when you're not just a startup in metro Detroit."

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Honda demonstrates new technology to prevent cars hitting pedestrians

(Phys.org) —Honda Motor Company Ltd has
posted a video on its website demonstrating
new technology it's developing to help prevent
cars from running into pedestrians. Based on
already existing vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V)
network technology, the system called by
Honda an advanced vehicle-to-pedestrian
(V2P) safety system aims to warn both drivers
and pedestrians carrying smartphones of a
possible collision.
V2P, like V2V uses the Dedicated Short Range
Communications (DSRC) protocol as a means
of communication. It's implemented in
hardware being developed by Honda. In
essence it's an automatic system of broadcast
and receiving of information pertinent to
drivers and pedestrians. The hardware carried
by the pedestrian is embedded in a
smartphone and constantly monitors the
position of the person holding the phone
(using already embedded GPS and
accelerometer) and the direction they are
heading. Similarly, technology embedded in a
car notes the location of the car, its direction
and speed—all while continuously listening for
broadcast information from devices held by
pedestrians. A computer in the car
constantly analyses all of the available
information and constructs virtual scenarios
in real-time. When the system projects that a
pedestrian is about to cross the path of the
moving vehicle, a warning is flashed on a
heads-up display device in the vehicle—a
message is also sent to the pedestrian—that
message information is converted to a sound
similar to the noise a truck makes when
backing up and a warning message that is
displayed on the phone's screen.
Honda says that the technology can also let
drivers know if the pedestrian is listening to
music, talking on their phone or texting—all
indications that the person is likely not paying
full attention to his or her real-world
surroundings. Also, they say the technology
can be useful in multiple scenarios such as
when an approaching pedestrian is hidden by
other vehicles or when a car is backing up.
They also report that they are developing
similar technology for cars and motorcycles,
warning both of the possibility of a collision.
Honda Demonstrates Advanced Vehicle-to-
Pedestrian and Vehicle-to-Motorcycle Safety
Technologies. Credit: Honda
Other companies such as General Motors have
also announced plans for implementing such
systems in cars in the near future. Most such
ventures are a part of single initiative being
driven by the U.S. Department of
Transportation. If the technology proves
capable of saving lives, the DoT might insist
that all cars sold in this country be equipped
with such a system, provided they can get
smartphone makers to opt in as well.

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Intel readying to take on Kinect with 3D depth cameras

(Phys.org) —Anil Nanduri, director of
perceptual products and solutions at Intel has
revealed to IDG News that the company is
hard at work developing camera systems that
will not only replicate what users have come
to expect from products like Microsoft Kinect,
but will surpass them in ways that until now
have only been seen in science fiction movies.
He says new 3D camera systems will be
geared towards people and objects that are
much closer, and because of that will be able
to recognize much more detailed
characteristics of objects they see.
One example, Nanduri mentions is the ability
to track eye movements as someone reads a
page. A camera would be mounted on a
computer, for example, or handheld device
and operate while someone—such as a child—
reads, which could be useful in helping them
learn to read. Perhaps more eerie would be
the ability to match facial expressions while
a person is looking at their computer with a
database of known expressions, allowing the
device to recognize mood. Mood recognition
could of course be handy in helping people
communicate better online, or more
insidiously, by marketers looking to take
advantage of particular yearnings. Less
ominous, Nanduri says, would be software to
monitor mood while people watch movies,
engage with immersive video games or
interact with other entertainment systems
to help suggest options in the future. He also
said that the devices being developed by Intel
will provide far more 3D data than current
cameras systems which means they could also
be used to create virtual objects for use in
3D printing.
Intel doesn't have such a camera ready just
yet, but Nanduri says some stand-alone
models should be ready over the next few
quarters and then be embedded in other
devices shortly thereafter. Thus, unlike
Microsoft with its Kinect device, Intel is
clearly looking to create futuristic cameras
for general use in virtually any and all
devices, hopefully making them as ubiquitous
as webcams.
To reach that goal, it appears as though Intel
is planning to team up with already
established peripheral makers—
representatives from Intel have already
announced partnerships with other companies
such as the soon to be released Senz3D
external webcam that was jointly developed
with Logitech.

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Japan's maglev train runs test at over 310 mph

(Phys.org) —Moving toward its goal of
building a high-speed magnetic levitation
(maglev) train line between Tokyo and Osaka,
Central Japan Railway Co has resumed testing
of its L0 (L Zero) train—demonstrating speeds
just above 310 miles per hour (500 km per
hour). That makes it the longest and fastest
maglev train in the world.
Maglev trains are able to travel very fast all
while using less energy than conventional
trains because they allow the train to ride on
a cushion of air—friction from the wheels on
the track is eliminated. Most in the field
expect they will require less maintenance
costs as well. But what's still not clear is if
the lower operating costs will make up for the
dramatically greater installation cost. The line
between Tokyo and Osaka is expected to cost
approximately $90 billion and it won't be
completed until 2045 (an initial line is
expected to begin operating between Tokyo
and Nagoya in 2027 reducing travel time from
95 to 40 minutes).
In the test, a five car train carrying reporters
made its way around a 26.6-mile track in
approximately nine minutes. Riders were able
to track their speed via overhead video
screens. Those onboard reported a smooth,
reasonably quiet ride. Those witnessing the
test standing near the track, on the other
hand, reported feeling a shockwave and a
deafening noise as the train passed. It's that
second group that has the train developers
worried—before track can be laid, the train
must pass environmental impact studies.
The train does have wheels—it rides on them
when the train is at low speed—then rises up
above the track when it reaches
approximately 93 mph. On the test run, the
train reached its peak speed just three miles
into the trip, which would suggest riders
would feel pushed back into their seats, but
those on board reported no such sensation.
The test run also marked the resumption of
testing after the track was made longer. Also,
by bringing reporters aboard for the initial
trial, the train's developers expressed their
confidence in the train's performance, it's
suitability as a mode of mass transportation
and it's safety. Passengers were allowed to
move about the rail cars during all parts of
the trip. And though much of the trip
occurred underground, they also reported
that looking out the window when
aboveground offered little more than blurs
for landscapes near the train, but beautiful
imagery of more distant objects as the train
sped along.

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