Tag: innovations

Centre of Excellence for Advance Manufacturing Technology develops grounding projects in AI – iWeld & iToFD

IIT Kharagpur has proven its Tryst with Innovation with its latest dominant supremacy in the field of Artificial Intelligence with two of its ground breaking projects on AI-enabled non-destructive testing for weld defect analysis, from Centre of Excellence in Advanced Manufacturing Technology (CoEAMT),  IIT Kharagpur led by Prof. Surjya K Pal, Chairperson, Centre of Excellence in Advance Manufacturing. These two innovative solutions have been shortlisted by TATA STEEL for “TechEx 2024” exhibition.

The first, “iWeld, an AI-enabled NDT” software is an innovative solution developed for Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE)  Kolkata, Ministry of Defence. iWeld is designed to identify, localize and classify different types of weld defects, such as blowhole, wormhole, porosity, lack of fusion, and inclusion, from radiography images with remarkable accuracy. The performance of the iWeld has been certified by the Indian Register of Shipping (No.: 2023PC001, Dated: 9th Aug 2023). This was also recently shortlisted as one of the four innovations from IIT Kharagpur which were showcased at “IInventiv 2024” – the first-of-its-kind, mega R&D fair, where all IITs, NITs and other top Institutions in the country participated to show case the their cutting-edge innovations in R&D.

The ability of iWeld to enhance the quality and efficiency of weld inspections has marked it as a truly successful product, standing as a testament to successful collaboration between CoEAMT and GRSE. Jointly copyrighted with GRSE, iWeld is now primed for commercialization. Mr. Avishek Mukherjee, a Doctoral Scholar in Advanced Technology Development Centre, has devoted considerable effort and dedication to bring about this development.

“Recently, this has also been selected and showcased by the mega technical Event, IInventiv 2024, organised by MoE at IIT Hyderabad. This software is already certified by Indian Register of Shipping, and has been handed over to GRSE for daily operational usage with human-like accuracy. This software has been jointly copyrighted with GRSE as well. It is a product with TRL:8/9. GRSE and CoEAMT will now jointly go ahead for commercialization at other industrial ends. AI-enabled NDT for auto evaluation of weld defects from Ultrasound data: This project is being funded by TIH. It has already been filed for patent. A group of students at CoEAMT are planning to spin-off soon with these AI-enabled NDT solutions for weld defect analyses. Our students are doing wonderful job. Their success for solving perennial industrial problems is awesome. The credit goes to the interns and scholars,” said Prof. S K Pal, Chairperson, CoEAMT.

The second solution, “iToFD“, under a project funded by  (TiH) of IIT Kharagpur, revolutionizes the detection and sizing of weld defects using ultrasonic time-of-flight diffraction (ToFD) data. This cutting-edge system integrates advanced signal processing with AI algorithms for precise defect localization and measurement. This automated solution, patented recently (Patent filed ref no: 202331060331), is nearly 15 times faster than traditional manual inspections. Mr. A K Vishwanathan, Undergraduate student in Chemistry; Mr. Sarvan Kumar Singh, Undergraduate student in Chemical Engineering; Mr. Ananta Dutta, Doctoral Scholar in Mechanical Engineering, and Mr. Avishek Mukherjee, Doctoral Scholar in Advanced Technology Development Centre are diligently contributing to this project.

“The Centre of Excellence in Advanced Manufacturing Technology at IIT Kharagpur is geared up in solving various perennial problems of the industries through deployment of artificial intelligence, and Industry 4.0 concepts.   I am extremely happy to see the passion of students associated with the CoEAMT while working with the industries, at this stage of their lives, providing innovative solutions. They shine with a profound grasp of industrial challenges. CoEAMT is open to induct more students and train them to take up interesting and challenging industrial problems, and solve them,” added Prof. Pal.

Inputs by: Prof. Surjya K Pal, Chairperson, Centre of Excellence in Advance Manufacturing Technology
Email: surjya.pal@icloud.com

Media Coverage :

Times of India

Ananda Bazar Patrika 

News 18 Bangla     

Construction Week

By: Poulami Mondal, Digital & Creative Media Executive (Creative Writer)
Email: poulami.mondal@iitkgp.ac.in, media@iitkgp.ac.in, Ph. No.: +91-3222-282007

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Sustainable Alternatives in Energy, Environment & Healthcare for Science & Society

INDO-US, INDO-AUSTRALIA AND INDO-CANADA INTERDISCIPLINARY WORKSHOPS AT IIT KHARAGPUR

The Bioprocess & Bioproduct Development Laboratory of the Department of Biotechnology, IIT Kharagpur along with the collaborators from USA, Australia, and Canada organized three days workshop under the Government of India’s Scheme for Promotion of Academic and Research Collaboration (SPARC) from 24th to 26th February 2023. The workshops were inaugurated by Prof. Amit Patra, Deputy Director, IIT Kharagpur in the august presence of Dr. Prachi Kaul, Director, Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute and Prof. Saswat Chakrabarti, Dean BTBS, IIT Kharagpur. The workshop saw a footfall of  more than 80 participants from both within and outside the horizons of IIT Kharagpur. Sustainable Alternatives in Energy, Environment, and Healthcare for the well-being of Science and Society was the theme of the three different workshops that spanned across the institute.

Pic : Inaugural session of the Indo-US SPARC Workshop (L-R) – Professor Warren D. Seider from the University of Pennsylvania was present online; Prof. Amit Patra, Deputy Director, IIT Kharagpur; Prof. N. R. Jana, HOD, Department of Biotechnology and Prof. Ramkrishna Sen, Department of Biotechnology (Convener) were present physically for the inauguration ceremony.

The three day long programme witnessed 20 speakers from 10 National and International universities and institutes accompanied by eminent industry leaders. On 24th February 2023, the first of the series INDO-US workshop was initiated on ‘Algaeneering for Global Energy and Climate Challenge’, jointly organized by the Bioprocess and Bioproduct Development Laboratory (BBDL) at IIT Kharagpur and the University of Pennsylvania, USA wherein academia researchers and industry experts across India and the US discussed the challenges, avenues, and technologies in research, development & innovations and techno-commercial assessment of renewable energy sectors.

Prof. Warren D. Seider, a world-renowned Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the University of Pennsylvania delivered a plenary lecture. The other speakers at the workshop were Prof. K. K. Pant, Director, IIT Roorkee; Prof. Pinaki Bhattacharyya Emeritus Professor, Head, R&D, Chemical Engineering, Heritage Institute of Technology, Kolkata; Dr. Anindita Moitra, Chief General Manager, Indian Oil Corporation Limited; Dr. Sangeeta Srivastava, Executive Director, Godavari Biorefineries Ltd., Karnataka and Dr. Harshad R. Velankar, Chief Manager, Bioprocess Group, Hindustan Petroleum Green R & D Center, Bengaluru.

Pic : Inaugural session of the Indo-AUS SPARC Workshop (L-R): Prof. Saswat Chakraborty, Dean BTBS, IIT Kharagpur; Prof. D. N. Singh, IIT Bombay; Prof. N. R. Jana, HOD, Department of Biotechnology and Prof. Ramkrishna Sen (Convener) in the inauguration ceremony.

Under the aegis of SPARC, the second day of the INDO-AUSTRALIA workshop scheduled on 25th February 2023 focused on ‘Bioinspired Solutions for Natural & Built Environment: Science, Society & Wellbeing.’ The Australian collaborators under the SPARC program from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Curtin University; Prof. Abhijit Mukherjee and Dr. Navdeep Dhami joined hands with the experts from India, Prof. Devendra Narain Singh, D. L. Shah Chair Professor for Innovation, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay; Prof. Brajadulal Chattopadhyay, Professor, Jadavpur University; Mr. Ramananda Adhikari, Deputy General Manager, Hindustan Copper Limited, Kolkata and Dr. Santanu Dasgupta, Senior Vice President, Reliance Technology Group, Reliance Industries Limited, Mumbai put forth a series of insightful talks.

Pic : Dr. Santanu Dasgupta, Senior Vice President, Reliance Technology Group, Reliance Industries Limited, Mumbai, India delivering his plenary talk online

A multidisciplinary concerted effort and partnership between educational institutions and industries was deemed to be instrumental in advancing research and development was highlighted in these workshops through the active participation of three PSUs including Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL), Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) and Hindustan Computers Limited (HCL) and two private industry market players Reliance and Godavari Biorefineries. These industry experts visited algal biomass production facility, a demo park created under the ambit of IMPRINT-IIA scheme (DST-SERB) between IIT Kharagpur and HPCL.

The INDO-CANADA workshop was held on 26th February 26, 2023 with the funding supports from Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute (SICI) and SPARC on the theme ‘Green/Bio-polymers as renewable and sustainable alternatives to Petro-plastics: Energy-Environment-Healthcare Nexus’ with the active involvement of Prof. Sudip Kumar Rakshit, Canada Research Chair Professor, Bioenergy & Biorefining Research Institute, Lakehead University, Canada and Prof. Satinder Kaur Brar, James & Joanne Love Chair in Environmental Engineering, Lassonde School of Engineering, York University, Canada. Enthralling talks were also delivered by Dr. Santanu Dasgupta, Senior Vice President, Reliance Technology Group, Reliance Industries Limited, Mumbai, India; Prof. Prashant Mishra, Former Head, Department of Biochemical Engineering & Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi; Prof. Dipankar Chattopadhyay, Former Head, Department of Polymer Science & Technology, University of Calcutta, and Dr. Krishna Chattopadhyay, Jadavpur University and Anchor, DD Bangla, Doordarshan Kendra, Kolkata. Dr. Santanu Das Gupta gave virtual demonstration of their state-of-the-art biorefinery facility, highlighting the challenges and mentioning the need and scopes of Industrial-Academia collaborations.

Pic : Prof. Sen demonstrating the high-rate algal pond, one-of-its-kind facility to capture the industrial emissions and valorize towards biofuels and healthcare products.

Participants delivered oral presentations of their research work in the three day workshops where Prof. Sen’s doctoral students, Mr. Romit Mitra and Ms. Ankita Debnath presented their work on algal biorefinery and bio-cementation perspectives, respectively.

Pic : Group photo at the valedictory session on Day 3

Prof. Ramkrishna Sen, Department of Biotechnology, IIT Kharagpur & Convener of the workshops remarked, “All the workshops were well organized by the members of the Bioprocess & Bioproduct Development Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, IIT Kharagpur which acknowledges Mr. Satyanarayana Reddy Battula, Dr. Chinmay Hazra and Dr. Debasree Kundu for their tremendous efforts and ground level coordination. Financial supports accorded by SPARC, an initiative of the Ministry of Education, GoI as well as the Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute (SICI) thus, paved the platform for developing an exciting research ecosystem through cohesive academic and research collaborations was well received by the overwhelming participants. “

Input By : Prof. Ramkrishna Sen, Department of Biotechnology, IIT Kharagpur
Email: rksen@bt.iitkgp.ac.in

Edited By : Poulami Mondal, Digital & Creative Media Executive (Creative Writer)
Email: poulami.mondal@iitkgp.ac.in, media@iitkgp.ac.in, Ph. No.: +91-3222-282007

Follow us on: Facebook – IIT Kharagpur; Twitter – @IITKgp;  Instagram – @iit.kgp; LinkedIn – Indian Institute of Technology
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Meet The Alumni With Over 200 Patents: Mr. Anil Agiwal of Samsung Research

Mr. Anil Agiwal, an alumnus of the Institute’s Computer Science and Engineering Department,
has received his 200th US patent grant in November 2021. He is now on the global list of prolific
inventors that includes individuals who have been granted 200 or more patents in the USA. He is
now on an all-time list of 316 inventors.

The patents include innovations on advanced radio access technologies (such as 4G, 5G, 5G
advanced) for cellular communication. Mr. Agiwal said that “patience and perseverance
combined with an urge to innovate have helped me receive 200+ patent grants (204 as of
today).” He thanked and praised his colleagues and co-inventors for their collaborative efforts
and tireless commitment to achieving this feat.

Mr. Agiwal graduated with an M.Tech in Computer Science & Information Technology in 2001.
He joined Samsung R&D Institute Bangalore (SRI-B) through campus placement from IIT
Kharagpur in 2002. He relocated to Samsung, South Korea in 2013 to work directly with the 5G
communications research lab there. He is a researcher and standardization expert in wireless
communications. Currently, he is working as a Director in the Samsung
Research Center at Samsung Research, Seoul. His current role involves research and
standardization of 5G/5G-advanced radio communication technologies for lower and higher
frequency bands (licensed and unlicensed), which enables enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB),
massive Machine Type Communication (m-MTC), Ultra-Reliable and Low Latency
Communication (URLLC); and support verticals such as Industrial Internet of Things (IIOT) and
Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) communications.

Since his first responsibility to write the start-up code and porting operating system for the
CDMA chipset, he has made significant contributions towards software design, development,
and commercialization of 3G/4G modem protocol stacks and algorithm development. He has
invented and standardized several technologies in the field of cellular communication. He has
also collaborated with Samsung R&D teams in India, the UK, the USA, and Korea for advanced
wireless communication research and standardization. He has actively contributed to various
standard bodies such as 3GPP2, IEEE, and 3GPP for CDMA, Advanced WiMAX, and
LTE/5G-NR standardization respectively. Several of his patents are adopted in the Advanced
WiMAX, 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE), and 5G New Radio (NR) standards.

Anil Agiwal is a recipient of the Samsung Research Innovator Award, Samsung Best Paper
Award, Inventor of the Year Award (for several years), Patent of the Year Award, amongst
several other awards and recognitions at Samsung.

In the course of the interview with the KGP Chronicle, he fondly recalled his RP Hall friends and
batchmates, the late-night discussions, Maggi at Chedis, and the Illumination on Diwali. “The
rigorous and research-oriented master’s program and excellent faculty members at IITKGP have
strengthened my creative thinking“, said Mr. Agiwal. He further said that the attention to detail
and focus on collaboration during the Master’s helped him immensely in innovating new
technologies at Samsung and he is proud to be an alumnus of IIT Kharagpur.

Content Writer:- Arkaprabha Pal, Office of Alumni Affairs & Branding

Email: pal18arkaprabha@gmail.com