2015 NEW YEAR WISHES

New Year wishes are indispensable part of New Year celebration. Every time we usher a new year with much enthusiasm and look forward to fulfill all dreams and desires. The tradition is therefore to wish 'Happy New Year' to friends and family at the beginning of a new year.

The tradition of New Year wishes is as old as the celebration of the event itself. There are evidences that Romans too used to wish happiness and prosperity to each other during the New Year.

For us all New Year is the time to get over the failures of the past year and take a positive approach towards the coming year to make it successful. During the New Year time we make promises to become a better person as well as learn from our past mistakes. It is also the time to make fresh commitments and look forth at the new beginning. New Year wishes are therefore full of hopefulness and promises.

Interesting Engineering Innovations of 2014

Around three thousand years ago humans discovered that it was easier to roll heavy objects on a round tree log. Hence came the idea of building the mechanical wheel – one of the first significant engineering inventions. Indeed, engineering inventions have been crucial to help us realize life as it is today. Our quest to evolve deeper understanding of science and technology results in more ingenious inventions spawning almost each day. The wheel itself has come a long way ahead from the primitive wooden design. Take for instance the Active Wheel System - a present day invention which shelters the engine, suspension, gearbox and transmission systems all incorporated into the wheel itself!

In 2014, we had a host of incredible engineering inventions. This article takes a look at some of the engineering breakthroughs which we think were compelling. Here are the inventions categorized by various engineering disciplines:

Automobile Engineering

Depleting sources of fossil fuels has forced us to look into electrical alternatives to power future automobiles. Researchers from Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University (NTU) designed a novel two-in-one electric motor that promises to increase range of electric vehicles by 15 to 20 percent. The design merges the air-conditioning compressor with a traditional electric motor. This allows extra space for using bigger batteries which in turn will help electric cars to cover more distances. Additionally, this electric motor achieves greater efficiency with lesser energy costs.

In another achievement, researchers at University of Wisconsin-Madison created an engine that converted 59.5 percent fuel energy to motion – the highest recorded efficiency till date. With the help of sensors and computers, the engine system could vary a mixture of diesel and petrol to reduce heat losses from the engine.

Aerospace Engineering

Turbulence, or unsteady flow of air, causes an airplane to wobble in midair much to the displeasure of nervous passengers. Inspired by birds, researchers at Melbourne’s RMIT University have devised an effective anti-turbulent system that will calm down those nerves. Birds counter turbulence by detecting shifts in wind and airflow with their feathers. The system tries to replicate this natural phenomenon by sensing flow disturbances prematurely.

2014 also saw the world’s first biodegradable drone in the world made with bacteria, fungi and saliva of wasps - which decay into Earth material when the drone crashes. Elsewhere, researchers are trying to replicate the ability of birds to flex their feathers into aircraft designs. More on that later. We would also like to give a special mention to ISRO’s successful Mangalyaan mission, which made India the only country to reach Mars in the first try!

Mechanical Engineering

3D Printing is an ever rising manufacturing technology, and this year it has emerged even more. 3D Printing inventions are coming up almost every day. But the one that caught our eye was Strati, the first fully operational 3D Printed car designed by Local Motors from America. It took 44 hours to print the car components and another two days to assemble them. Consider this – the car only has 40 components as compared to 20,000 components of an average car. Local Motors say that they designed the car this way to reduce tooling costs and overall complexity.

3D Printing technology has indeed captured the imagination of engineering minds across the globe. From human organs to concrete, almost everything can be 3D printed now. Space agency NASA achieved the amazing this year when they orchestrated 3D printing of objects at zero gravity. The space crew at the International Space Station even manufactured a broken wrench using the 3D printer!

Robotics Engineering

The first kick of the football world cup was done by a paralyzed person wearing a brain-controlled robotic exoskeleton! Advances in neuroscience and artificial intelligence clearly made it possible. As it is always, robots showcase the latest in science and technology. Among interesting robotic inventions, we saw a robot that could move like a sidewinder snake. Researchers also created the first untethered soft robot which remained unaffected by harsh conditions – it even survived when run over by a car! But researchers from Massachusetts Institute of Technology came up with two inventions that impressed us the most, the first one being a robot with unprecedented dexterity – equipped with a unique GelSight sensor that uses optics and computer vision algorithms to drastically improve robotic precision. The other invention from MIT was an advanced version of the Cheetah robot that used custom-built motors, and a new bounding algorithm allowing the robot to exert measured forces on the ground before leaping ahead!

Electrical Engineering

Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology build a microwave circuit that transmitted data at 40 gigabytes per second! In University of Arkansas an integrated circuit was designed which can bear temperatures greater than 350 degrees Celsius! Engineers from NTU were able to print complex circuits on everyday materials like plastic, aluminum foil, and paper! But Polytechnic University of Valencia made the most buzzworthy invention – an energy transfer device that can charge any device wirelessly. The device cleverly uses resonance coupling between an energy transmitter and the chargeable device to achieve the needed transfer of electrical energy.

Energy Systems Engineering

In a radical development, energy experts from Australia’s University of New South Wales managed to convert 40 percent of sunlight received by solar panels into electricity - setting a world record in solar energy efficiency! To achieve this feat, they stacked three solar panels which captured separate waves of sunlight. The excessive sunlight, that generally gets wasted, was diverted using custom optical band pass filters and mirrors onto a fourth cell – staggeringly increasing the efficiency. Meanwhile, German scientists converted 46 percent of sunlight to electricity in a laboratory environment. The system captured more light by implementing multi-junction solar cells made of numerous semiconductors.

Another breakthrough was achieved by NTU researchers to develop a battery that remarkably lasts 20 years! They used ultra-thin Titanium dioxide anode that abundantly speeds up the chemical processes for superfast charging.

Civil Engineering

In 2014, a host of methods were invented to improve concrete use. Reducing the constituent Calcium to Silicate ratio, Civil Engineering experts at MIT produced stronger and durable concrete with 50 percent reduced carbon emissions. Experimenters at North Carolina State University conceived a sensing skin technology integrating electrodes and computing to quickly detect cracks or damage in concrete structures.

In another successful experiment, Swiss researchers proved that shape memory alloys can be used in the building industry for applications like reinforcement of bridges. As the name suggests, a shape memory alloy remembers its shape when deformed. These materials could be used to overcome concrete’s weakness in tension – offering an alternative to prestressed concrete.

Computer Science Engineering

The most striking computing technology in our opinion came from Google with the No CAPTCHA reCAPTCHA application programming interface which allows users to confirm they are human by simply clicking a checkbox saying - I’m not a robot. The sophisticated system can analyze simple human movements like a pause before clicking a checkbox.

Computer scientists at Carnegie Mellon University developed Wyvern, a programming language which facilitates the use of multiple languages for one programming task. Wyvern is the first type specific language that understands and converts literals across various types of programming languages. These were the interesting engineering innovations of 2014 that grabbed our attention. Do comment below if we missed out on any developments.

Motorcycles coming to India in 2015

2015 Yamaha YZF-R1 and R1M

India Yamaha has confirmed that the 2015 R1 will go on sale in March, while Facebook posts from dealers confirm that the prices will be between Rs 28 and Rs 32 lakh ex-showroom approximately. The new R1 is all-new and offers 200PS, new styling and cast magnesium wheels. The R1M is a more hard-core version with carbon bodywork. Yamaha is also pitching its new electronics suite that includes an inertial measurement unit (IMU) and an M1-derived slide control system.

Bajaj Pulsar 200SS, 160NS and more

In an exclusive interview with CNBC-TV18, Rajiv Bajaj revealed that Bajaj has four products lined up for the coming year. We believe all the action will kick off with the 160NS which will likely replace the ageing Pulsar 150. Then the 200SS should come towards the end of the fiscal year. The other two will be a four-valve engine-d Platina and a new Discover by our reckoning. Stay tuned.

TVS-BMW project bikes

Towards the end of the year, TVS and BMW are expected to reveal the two motorcycles they’ve been developing together. We expect to see a motorcycle in the 300-500cc range but actual information is thin on the ground and we will just have to wait until the bikes show up. TVS will manufacture the bikes for both brands but BMW Motorrad intend to sell the bikes through their own network in India. We expect BMW Motorrad’s current Indian partners (in Delhi and Mumbai) to show up in the new network as dealers rather than importers. Expect the TVS’ to be priced competitively while the BMWs will boast a premium price just like Bajaj-KTMs do.

Kawasaki Ninja H2

Kawasaki India Motors is likely to start sales of the 200PS supercharged H2 streetbike in India by March 2015 at an on-road price of Rs 30 lakh approximately. Kawasaki India is very unlikely to offer the track-only H2R for sale in India, though.

Kawasaki Versys 1000

Though the first bike was delivered at the India Superbike Festival in Pune, Kawasaki India is expected to officially launch the Versys 1000 adv-tourer in India in January at a price of Rs 12.5 lakh. Bookings are open now.

2015 Triumph Tigers

Triumph has already previewed the new Tigers to the media globally. We now expect Triumph India to open bookings for the four models from the new Tiger range shortly before sale commences around March. Expect a substantial hike in prices.

Honda CBR650F

Honda CBR 650F

Honda showcased the CBR650F at the Auto Expo 2014 and promised to bring it to India by early 2015. We expect this delectable motorcycle to the hit the market by February 2015. The CBR650F makes 86PS of power and 63Nm of torque and has ABS as a standard fitment. Icing on the cake then will be that HMSI is assembling it here and therefore prices can be expected to be very competitive.

Honda CBR500R

It is unclear as of now if HMSI will assemble it here but the CBR500R is coming to the Indian market for sure. The 500R doesn’t have a competitor as of now on the Indian motorcycle scene but it will be an exciting prospect nonetheless. Expect it to be launched towards end-2015.

 Hero HX250R

Hero’s single cylinder 250cc offering will be in the market in 2015. It will be a fully faired motorcycle, as seen at the expo, and will be set to take on the CBR250R. The HX250R boasts an indigenously developed liquid-cooled motor from Hero and makes 31PS of power and 26Nm of torque. It comes mated to a six-speed gearbox, a first for a Hero motorcycle. 0-60kmph is dispatched in a claimed 2.7 seconds while the motorcycle comes with optional ABS as well. It is expected to be priced around Rs 1.6 lakh when it goes on sale by mid-2015.

Hero Dash

Hero displayed two scooters which looked production ready at the 2014 expo and recent spy shots suggest that there is indeed a larger capacity scooter ready to be launched. The Dash will have a 125cc engine. Expect a marginal increase in price and the scooter, like the Activa 125, could come with a front disc brake. We believe Hero will launch the 125cc scooter around March-April.

Hero Zir

The Zir is a PCX-ish scooter that has a 150cc motor that claims to propel the scooter to speeds over 110kmph. There were two versions displayed at the expo, one was for the European market and the other for India. The Zir was expected to follow the launch of the Xtreme Sports, however, a source says that the plans may have been delayed.

Hyosung GD250N

Hyosung’s naked motorcycle, the GD250N has already been reviewed by us. While the pre-production model had some issues to be ironed, we expect DSK-Hyosung to sort them out before the first batch of motorcycles arrive in showrooms in 2015. It is a compact motorcycle designed to take on the likes of the 200 Duke. The 250cc motor is all-new and makes 28PS of power and 24Nm of torque. The entire package weighs just 145kg.

Mahindra Mojo

Yes, we know this one has been in the production stage for too long. In fact, Mahindra may be shooting itself in the foot with a motorcycle that was originally intended for a 2011 launch and will ‘finally’ be launched in 2015. The Mojo has been undergoing extensive testing as Mahindra wants it to be a foolproof motorcycle as and when it is launched. Expect a mid-2015 launch.

10 Best Android Smartphones Of 2014

1. Sony Xperia Z3 — Rs 51,990

Sony Xperia Z3 is probably the best Android smartphone you can buy right now.

The hardware-software integration is so good that it can give the latest iPhones a run for their money.

On the hardware front too it is stalwart and packs a 5.2-inch Full HD screen, 2.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon 801 processor, 3GB RAM, 20.7MP camera and 3,100mAh battery.

2. Samsung Galaxy Note 4 — Rs 58,300

If it's an Android phablet that you want, then there can be no better option in the market than Samsung Galaxy Note 4.

It has a 5.7-inch 2K (1440x2560p) display, 2.5GHz quad-core Snapodragon 805 processor (the latest in the market), 3GB RAM, 16MP rear camera and 3,220mAh battery in a package that costs Rs 58,300.

The S Pen stylus is much closer to the mouse of computer in terms of features than ever before, making it a must-have feature for all professionals.

3. OnePlus One — Rs 21,999

It's hard to match the value-for-money quotient of OnePlus One, a smartphone that offers a 5.5-inch Full HD screen, 2.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon 801 processor, 3GB RAM, 13MP rear camera and 3,100mAh battery at just Rs 21,999.

The sandpaper back (in the black version) also adds to the smartphone as no other manufacturer has used this material before.

4. Xiaomi Mi 3 — Rs 13,999

Xiaomi arrived in India with a splash, riding on the success of its Mi 3 smartphone.

The Rs 13,999 smartphone offered class-leading features, such as a 5-inch Full HD display, 2.3GHz quad-core Snapdragon 800 processor, 2GB RAM, polycarbonate body with magnesium alloy frame, 3,050mAh battery and 13MP rear camera.

Though Xiaomi has stopped the sale of the smartphone, it remains one of the best models to hit the country this year.

5. HTC One M8 — Rs 49,990

2014 saw the launch of several good Android smartphone, but very few come close to HTC’s One (M8) in terms of the premium quotient.

HTC built upon the well-received all-aluminium design of last year’s One smartphone to make a smartphone that is more refined and better looking.

In terms of features, this Android 4.4 smartphone packs a 5-inch Full HD screen, 2.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon 801 processor, 2GB RAM, 5MP front camera, front-facing BoomSound speakers and 2,600mAh battery.

6. Second-Generation Moto G — Rs 12,999

While Moto G was a real game-changer in the Indian smartphone market, we picked the successor to be part of our list of best Android smartphones of the year as it offers a much better deal than the original model.

The second-generation Moto G has an 8MP camera, microSD support up to 32GB and a bigger 5-inch screen, matching what rivals like Asus Zenfone 5 offered.

Other key features of the second-generation Moto G are HD screen resolution, 1.2GHz quad-core Snapdragon 400 processor, 1GB RAM, 2MP front camera, 2,070mAh battery and Android 4.4 (upgradeable to Android 5.0).

7. Samsung Galaxy Alpha — Rs 39,999

A beautifully crafted smartphone, it is extremely thin and light and can easily beat any iPhone on these parameters. Though the asking price of Rs 39,999 seems a little high for a phone with a HD screen, Samsung Galaxy Alpha makes up for this by keeping the screen size at 4.7-inch, thus eliminating pixilation with 312ppi pixel density.

Other key features of the Android 4.4 (KitKat) smartphone are 1.6GHz octa-core Exynos 5 processor, 32GB internal storage, 2GB RAM, 12MP rear camera, fingerprint sensor and heart rate monitor.

8. Lenovo Vibe Z2 Pro — Rs 32,999

Lenovo’s Vibe Z2 Pro has pushed the envelope in terms of value for money this year. This smartphone comes with a 6-inch 2K (1440x2560p) screen, 2.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon 801 processor, 3GB RAM, 32GB internal storage, microSD card support up to 128GB, 16MP camera on the back and 5MP in front and 4,000mAh battery, all topped off with Android 4.4 (KitKat).

It can even be considered a better option than Google’s Nexus 6, which has similar hardware but costs over Rs 10,000 extra.

9. Huawei Honor 6 — Rs 17,999

2014 is the year that smartphones with 2GB RAM and price tags under Rs 20,000 became common. But Huawei took this even further by launching Honor 6, which is the only smartphone under Rs 20,000 to offer 3GB RAM.

The smartphone has all class-leading features, such as a 5-inch Full HD screen, 1.7GHz octa-core processor, 3,000mAh battery, 13MP rear camera, 5MP front camera, 16GB internal storage and microSD support up to 64GB.

10. Asus Zenfone 6 — Rs 15,999

Asus’s Zenfone 6 is the best option for those who want a phablet at a budget. Though a HD (720p) screen on a 6-inch panel results in a not-so-great 245ppi pixel density, the rest of the package more than makes up for this one chink in the armour.

This phablet comes with Android 4.3 (upgradeable to Android 4.4), has 16GB in-built storage, microSD card support up to 64GB, 1.6GHz dual-core Intel Atom Z2560 processor, 2GB RAM, 13MP rear camera and 3,300mAh battery.

4-1 results check it out..!

http://www.results.manabadi.co.in/jntu-kakinada-btech-4th-year-1st-sem-r10r07r05-regularsupply-nov-2014-exam-results-26-12-2014.htm

Google's Project Ara modular smartphone

Micromax's Yu Yureka With 64-Bit Octa-Core, Cyanogen OS Rs.8,999

Micromax's new Yu brand of Cyanogen OS-based smartphones was unveiled on Thursday with the launch of Yu Yureka. The smartphone, priced at Rs. 8,999, will go up for registrations via Amazon on Friday (2pm IST), and it will start shipping in the second week of January.

Early adopters will get a leather back cover worth Rs. 999 free. Notably, the company is also touting "free replacement or repair" at the user's doorstep. The Yu Yureka (AO5510) smartphone runs on a custom-build of Cyanogen OS, Cyanogen OS 11, what Rahul Sharma, co-founder of Micromax, calls the "temple of customisation" and "Android on steroids", boasting of the "thousands of features over and above stock Android."

Micromax's Yu Yureka smartphone features dual-SIM support, with slots for Micro-SIM cards (4G+3G). It bears a 5.5-inch HD (720x1280 pixels) IPS display with a pixel density of 267ppi and Gorilla Glass 3 protection. The smartphone notably also features Cat. 4 4G LTE connectivity with up to 150Mbps download speeds and 50Mbps upload speeds, apart from Band 40 and Band 3 support.

It runs on a 64-bit 1.5GHz octa-core Snapdragon 615 SoC (MSM8939), coupled with Adreno 405 GPU and 2GB of RAM. The Yu Yureka bears a 13-megapixel Sony Exmor CMOS sensor rear autofocus camera with an f/2.2 aperture and flash. A front-facing 5-megapixel fixed-focus camera is also onboard.

The Yureka comes with 16GB of inbuilt storage expandable via microSD card (up to 32GB), and sports a 2500mAh Li-Po battery claiming talk time up to 8 hours, standby time up to 310 hours, video playback time of up to six hours, and gaming up to 4 hours. 

The Yu Yureka measures 154.8x78x8.8mm. Connectivity options include Bluetooth 4.0, Micro-USB, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, GPS, and a 3.5mm audio jack. Onboard sensors include an accelerometer, proximity sensor, ambient light sensor, and gyroscope.

The Cyanogen OS 11 build is based on Android 4.4.4 KitKat, and an Android 5.0 Lollipop-based build is promised.

Things to Do in Last Semester of College Life

Asus Pegasus X002 With 2GB RAM, 4G LTE Support Launched

Asus on Tuesday launched its affordable 64-bit 4G LTE smartphone in China, dubbed the Pegasus X002, at CNY 799 (approximately Rs. 8,000).
The dual-SIM (4G+ 2G) asus pegasus runs android 4.4 KitKat with ZenUI on top. It features a 5-inch (720x1280 pixels) display and is powered by a 64-bit quad-core 1.5GHz MediaTek MT6732 processor coupled with 2GB RAM.
The Asus Pegasus X002 sports an 8-megapixel rear camera with LED flash and a 5-megapixel front camera. The 16GB internal storage on Pegasus X002 is further expandable via microSD (up to 64GB).
Connectivity options on the Asus Pegasus X002 include 4G TD-LTE, Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi direct, GPRS/ EDGE, GPS/ A-GPS, Bluetooth 4.0 with A2DP, and Micro-USB. The handset is backed by a 2500mAh Li-Ion battery and comes in four colour options - Black, White, Red and Gold.
Notably, the name Pegasus for the smartphone is the original inspiration behind company's name Asus.

Since the handset is a lite-version, it is powered by a 1.2GHz dual-core Intel Atom Z2520 processor with Hyper-Threading (Threads-4, Cache 1MB,) coupled with 1GB of RAM as opposed to the ZenFone 5 (A501CG) - which comes with a 1.6GHz dual-core Intel Atom Z2560 processor with Hyper-Threading that's coupled with 2GB of RAM.