Category: technology

Ohmium announces Research Sponsorship at CSIR-CECRI, Karaikudi, to develop next generation advanced materials for Green Hydrogen applications

Ohmium International, a company specialized in the design, manufacture, and deployment of PEM Electrolysers, and India’s CSIR-Central Electrochemical Research Institute (CSIR- CECRI), Karaikudi, one of the leading electrochemical research centres, today announced an agreement whereby Ohmium will sponsor CSIR- CECRI research into new materials to support the next generation electrolyzer technology. The collaboration has been started on 4th February, 2022 for three years duration.

Dr. Chockkalingam Karuppiah, Chief Technology Officer, Ohmium, said: “CECRI is recognized as a world leader in electrochemical research. This sponsorship enables Ohmium to leverage CECRI’s deep expertise and resources, which will benefit both our current and the next generation technology.” 

Dr. Kalaiselvi, Director, CSIR-CECRI, added: “We’re delighted to work with a technology leader like Ohmium. Our research efforts will focus on material innovation, deployable as sustainable solution provider”  

Arne Ballentine, CEO of Ohmium International, concluded: “One of the things that makes Ohmium really special is our ability to rapidly translate R&D advances into actual production. It’s a function of our people, our unique modular technology, and powerful collaborations like this one with CECRI.”

The world must make transition to Green Hydrogen to meet its Net-Zero emission targets. Ohmium’s collaboration with CSIR- CECRI will help ensure that not only is green hydrogen cost-effective, but also globally scalable to meet the world’s demand.

Synology ® consolidates product advances in DSM 7.1 Beta

Taipei, Taiwan—February 23, 2022—Synology today announced the Beta release of DiskStation Manager 7.1, giving system admins a chance to test out the expanded functionality. DSM 7.1 builds further on the massive platform upgrade introduced with DSM 7.0 and introduces many innovative enhancements designed to address IT challenges.

“DSM 7.1 is an important evolution for one of the most widely used data management platforms in the industry,” System Product Management team manager Shamrock Ko said. “Building on the solid foundation we set with 7.0, we can now focus on addressing the more specific challenges that our customers identify during their day-to-day use of the platform.”

Core storage enhancements

DSM 7.1 brings key improvements to the storage management experience. Starting with the introduction of file aggregation portals, it adds SMB DFS capability to enable administrators to link together multiple Synology systems, providing more convenient file access for end users by removing the need to remember separate addresses.

The new user interface introduced in 7.0 has been further optimized by consolidating background tasks into an administrator-friendly overview that provides greater transparency into what is happening on the system, even across different user accounts. For Synology High Availability clusters, users can now view and manage drives on both systems from a single instance of Storage Manager for easier maintenance and management.

On the performance side, DSM has long supported flash caching to boost random I/O performance cost-effectively. This new version will further economize SSD caching with the ability to speed up multiple storage volumes at the same time.

Graph II: Users can now view and manage drives on both systems from a single instance of Storage Manager for easier maintenance and management.

Full system protection

DSM 7.1 introduces complete, bare-metal level backups of the entire system. Powered by Synology Active Backup for Business, the ability to clone and replicate the entire Synology system greatly accelerates recovery time objectives (RTO) in the event of a total site failure. Full system restoration capability also introduces a quick and convenient way to deploy identically configured systems.

Graph III: Full Synology NAS Backup

Ecosystem-wide improvements

In tandem with DSM 7.1, Synology is launching several major enhancements to applications and services.

• Active Backup for Business: bandwidth control, expanded monitoring and reporting capabilities, and support for DSM backups
• Active Insight: centralized login activity monitoring and Hyper Backup task statuses
• Synology C2 Hybrid Share: server-side snapshots for better file protection
• Directory Server: support for read-only domain controllers to improve deployment security and flexibility
• Synology Drive: revamped mobile user experience and improved monitoring/auditing capabilities
• MailPlus: Virtual DSM support, expanded management options, importing and migration improvements
• Virtual Machine Manager: storage I/O performance improvements and QoS capabilities

“Our constantly evolving DSM platform keeps adding capabilities to both new and existing deployments,” said Weili Lu, product manager for DSM. “The pre-release program provides a chance for us to work closely with our customers, providing early access to new features and obtaining valuable feedback in return.”

Availability

DSM 7.1 Beta and companion applications and services will be available starting today as part of Synology’s pre-release program. Interested users are invited to install the pre-release software on non-production or virtualized systems.

Learn more about DSM 7.1 : https://sy.to/gplol

T-Hub Launches RubriX Program for Technology Startups to Scale from Prototype to MVP Stage

India, 22 February 2022: T-Hub, which leads India’s pioneering innovation ecosystem, today announced the call for applications for its first-ever program on product development RubriX. Aiming to support early-stage technology startups with ready prototypes in hardware or software, this program will enable them to reach the Minimum Viable Product (MVP) stage with reduced turnaround time and costs.

This is a five-month-long program that will have 30 startups showcasing innovative solutions from sectors like Fintech, Sustainability, Health-tech, HR Tech, Mobility, IoT, Embedded Systems, Enterprise and Agritech. The application for the RubriX program will close on 12 March 2022, and the program will commence on 22 March. Interested and eligible startups can apply for the program here.

MSR, CEO of T-Hub said, “One of the most crucial growth steps of a startup is its transformation from prototype to Minimum Viable Product. We at T-Hub want to ensure that early-stage startups could also make use of the world-class support and capabilities of our robust innovation ecosystem which will enable them in accelerating their products to market with minimal risks. This program will allow T-Hub to help startups develop their solutions in a way that closely fits the requirements of ever-evolving markets and integrate them at an early stage for global-scale growth.” 

This is a one-of-a-kind program run by seasoned entrepreneurs and product specialists that helps shortlisted startups build scalable products that have higher success rates with customers. The program focuses on the product development fundamentals with a unique 5D framework that involves prototype assessment, market analysis, access to the right tools and frequent tech reviews.

Veera Chappi, Head – Partnership, People and Culture at T Works said, “T-Works is proud to be associated with the RubriX product development program hosted by T-Hub. This program structure and curriculum will enable prototype-ready startups to accelerate to their MVP with minimal risks and costs. While T-works enables ideas to transform into prototypes, we will continue to support innovative ideas heading towards MVP through this association.” 

T-Hub has also onboarded other ecosystem enablers like Central Institute of Tool Design (CITD), Conquering Imaginations, Expectations and Dreams (CIED), IIT Hyderabad, T-Works, and IIT-Madras Research Park as partners for this program. The partners will support the startups through the right expertise and resources like preferred access to labs to build market-ready products.

The startups will also receive exposure to design thinking, lean startup and agile principles, customized guidance from Technology Entrepreneurs in Residence (EIRs), gamified assessment of milestones and objectives along with access to betas and pilots. Any prototype ready Indian technology startup either in software, hardware, or both with a team of two full-time founders are eligible to be part of this comprehensive product development program.

T-Hub’s program has been successfully scaling startups in partnership with a strong ecosystem of partners. T-Hub till date has impacted 1800+ startups through various programs and initiatives, has 600+ global and national corporate partners, and has provided 2000 mentor connects to help the startup scale.

BenQ launches MOBIUZ EX3210U – Perfect Choice for Next-Gen Gaming Consoles

February 22, 2022: BenQ unveiled MOBIUZ EX3210U a 32” Immersive gaming monitor that delivers 4K@120Hz via HDMI 2.1 on the latest consoles and 4K@144Hz through DisplayPort 1.4 for PC gaming, delivering the essentials for next-gen immersive gameplay.

The MOBIUZ EX3210U comes with 31.5-inch IPS display panel, 4K UHD resolution, 144Hz refresh rate, 1ms response time, VESA Display HDR 600 and 98% DCI-P3 color gamut. Apart from being BenQ’s first gaming display with HDMI 2.1, this is the first 32” 4K 144Hz monitor announced in India with a full HDMI bandwidth of 48 Gbps. The monitor is equipped with Vesa Display HDR600 certification with a peak brightness of 600 nits and also features Light tuner, Color Vibrance and Black eQualizer, all aimed at enhancing gaming visuals for a truly immersive gameplay experience. In addition to all its new, premium white exterior, the monitor boasts of a 2.1 channel treVolo speakers with 2Wx2 speakers and a 5W subwoofer.

Rajeev Singh, Managing Director – BenQ India, said, “The gaming landscape in India is expanding, with players desiring more in terms of technology and features to enhance their gameplay. BenQ has been committed to bring in the best of gaming infrastructure to its consumers. MOBIUZ EX3210U is packed with exclusive performance innovations fulfilling the Next Gen Console enthusiasts’ requirements of playing games 4K@120 Hz via 2.1 HDMI. We also realized that for a sensational gaming experience, surround sound becomes a vital feature. For delivering marvelous sound we have tied up with Bongiovi DPS, a patented technology that optimizes the audio in real-time adding more depth & clarity, providing a true immersive Console gaming experience on a stylish white colored 32” display.”

EX3210U is the latest addition to MOBIUZ which includes an expansive immersive gaming monitor portfolio, EX3210U is already available on Amazon at a price of Rs 87,500 and also at the leading IT and consumer electronics retail outlets PAN India. BenQ offers complete peace of mind with an onsite warranty of 3 years on this monitor.

The Most Immersive Gaming Experience on PC and Next Generation Gaming Consoles like Sony PS5 and Xbox Series X

The 4K UHD resolution along with 98% DCI-P3 color gamut coverage and Vesa DisplayHDR 600 certification ensures awe-inspiring clarity, dynamic range with detailed images be it Gaming, movies or creative tasks. The HDRi technology which involves smart HDR with Automatic Brightness and Contrast adjustments results in an enhanced and much better HDR experience with intelligent brightness and contrast control, leading to a more native, less stressful HDR experience.

Along with stunning display capabilities, EX3210U comes with an ultrafast 144Hz refresh rate along with 1ms response time for smooth gaming visuals and lower input lag. The AMD FreeSync Premium Pro technology further ensures a smooth tear-free gaming experience without lag and stutter by synchronizing the GPU output with the monitor refresh rate.

To further enhance visuals during the gameplay, the monitor comes with Light tuner which highlights details, make shadows more realistic and picture more vivid. The color vibrance feature enables one to make changes in color gradations until the colors really pop out. Black eQualizer is to brighten darker areas without overexposing the lighter areas.

As audio advances, the adventure and guides the actions during the gameplay, EX3210U comes with our built-in 2.1 channel speakers which is a combination of two 2W speakers and a 5W subwoofer. For surreal audio during the gameplay, the Bongiovi DPS technology always listens to the content and brings out the most optimized sound in any given scenario.

With 5 audio presets, the users get a rich and finely tuned audio experience as per the desired use case such as when playing games (FPS, Racing, Sports), Watching Movies/Sit-coms (Cinema), Listening to Music, Concerts (Pop/Live)

MOBIUZ EX3210U – Fully Equipped with Next-gen Connectivity

EX3210U is an ideal display for gaming on PC, Play Station 5 and Xbox Series X. With Dual HDMI 2.1 connectivity option, the user gets 4K resolution viewing combined with 120 FPS which delivers utmost smoothness and clarity for game content on PS5 and Xbox Series X. The DisplayPort 1.4 connectivity also ensures 4K resolution with 144 FPS for the ultimate PC gaming experience. Apart from these, the EX3210U also features 4 USB 3.0 ports as well as a Headphone Jack for compatible peripheral connections.

HCL Technologies ranked #5 Among Top 10 Pega Service Providers in HFS Research 2021 report

HCL Technologies (HCL), a leading global technology company has been ranked among the top five providers in the HFS Top 10 Pega Service Providers 2021 report. The report assessed dynamics across the emerging Pega ecosystem, examining 12 service providers across a defined series of innovation, execution and voice of the customer criteria. HCL was ranked third under the ‘Voice of the Customer’ category.

According to HFS, HCL Technologies is well-positioned for its “Innovation investment with strong business resources,” focusing on technology-led business transformation in customer engagement and operational excellence for enterprises across verticals and geographies. HCL was also acknowledged as the top solution contributor to the Pega Marketplace.

Pega services is part of HCL’s digital business practice, and it is among the top-three technology partnerships for HCL Technologies. The recognitions are a strong commendation of HCL and Pega’s continued focus on driving digital-led transformation for global enterprises and helping them reinvent their operational and customer experience capabilities. HCL Technologies has invested in several acquisitions, partnerships and assets to bolster its Pega services capabilities. HCL Technologies has also been able to create connected experiences at scale across the customer journey using HCL’s ADvantage™ Pega Suite.

Report:
https://www.hcltech.com/analyst/analyst-reports/hcl-technologies-ranked-5-hfs-pega-service-providers-top-10-2021?kui=Y8Pl50Y_iFaFOJNpOcIHAA

TECNO launches SPARK 8C, India’s 1st 6GB* RAM and 90Hz Refresh Rate Smartphone

Mumbai, 21st February 2022: TECNO, the global premium smartphone brand, is once again poised to disrupt the market, with its latest offering, TECNO SPARK 8C under its reputed Spark 8 series.

TECNO SPARK 8C is a premium smartphone with all-rounder capabilities, especially in memory, processor, display, camera, and battery. All these collectively give it an edge over its counterparts. TECNO SPARK 8C is a true value for money product.

The smartphone boasts of best-in-the-segment features such as Octa-core Processor, 90Hz higher Refresh Rate, 6.6 HD+ Rich Display, Massive 5000mAh Battery, and 13MP AI Dual Rear Camera. Speed and agility are the two key features that are indispensable to most users today. In line with the same, TECNO SPARK 8C offers up to 6GB* RAM with Memory Fusion and 64GB ROM. In addition, the smartphone packs in various smart features such as IPX2 Splash Resistant, DTS Sound, Soplay 2.0, HiParty, Anti-oil Smart Fingerprint, Face Unlock, 3-in-1 SIM slot with Dual 4G VoLTE and many more – all in a premium design and vibrant colors. The phone is powered by HiOS 7.6 based on Android 11.

Commenting on the launch, Arijeet Talapatra, CEO of TRANSSION India, said “Our aim has always been to deliver the best possible smartphone experience at competitive pricing to our customer base. The launch of Tecno Spark 8C testifies our commitment towards this aim. We hope, with the all-new Tecno Spark 8C hitting the markets, premium smartphone experiences will now be more accessible and affordable. 

Key USPs of TECNO SPARK 8C: 

6GB* RAM with 64GB ROM for quick and seamless operations 

TECNO SPARK 8C is equipped with 6GB* RAM for faster speed and lag free operations. It offers up to 6GB* RAM with the help of memory fusion technology. It comes with 3GB installed RAM which can further be extended up to 3GB with memory fusion. With this bigger RAM, you get ultra-fast speed, up to 45% improvement in launching the apps and up to 15 apps support in the background thus, enhancing your multitasking experience. Memory Fusion will allow users to borrow additional RAM from storage capacity to offer a better experience. Its 64GB eMMC 5.1 internal ROM with up to 256GB expandable support through SD card, is sufficient for your daily multimedia needs.

Octa-Core Powerful Processor 

The smartphone features an ultra-efficient Octa-Core Processor with AnTuTu score of 144753. The Octa-core Processor is made up of eight processor cores that powers Tecno Spark 8C. The processor enables the smartphones to carry out more advanced tasks such as handling high resolution videos and graphic-heavy games without draining the battery, making the devices capable and efficient. The Octa-core processor also gives Tecno Spark 8C devices faster load times.

The smartphone features Superboost for system optimization to enjoy lag free experience for long use. Superboost basically optimize your application launching time, sliding operation, switching operations and gives the user smooth experience of multi-tasking.

90Hz Refresh Rate with 6.6 HD+ Dot Notch Display 

With an 89.3% screen to body ratio and 269PPI Pixel Density, the 16.66cm (6.6) HD+ display of TECNO SPARK 8C give users a premium display experience, vis-à-vis its counterparts in the market. Its 480nits max Brightness makes the display easy to see, even under bright sunlight. The SPARK 8C’s 90Hz high refresh rate delivers users an unmatched touch experience in the category.

13MP AI Dual Rear Camera for clear images 

TECNO SPARK 8C’s 13MP AI rear camera with F1.8 wide aperture, Samsung image sensor and brilliant image processing technology enables you to click clear and vivid photos every time. Various modes like AI Beauty 3.0, Portrait Mode, Wide Selfie, HDR, Filters etc. add more flavors to your photos. Users can click outstanding selfies either in the day or at night with its 8MP selfie camera with front flashlight. The phone also features 1080P Time lapse video and Slow Motion video.

5000mAh mega Battery for unstoppable entertainment 

TECNO SPARK 8C provides an ultimate battery backup with 5000mAh mega battery. The user will get a standby time of upto 89 days and can talk for up to 53 hours or enjoy music for up to 137 hours. Additionally, the Battery Lab features like Ultra Power Saving, Sleep Mode Optimization, etc. provides longer battery backup with need-based intelligent optimizations.

Trendy and stylish design with attractive colors 

The glossy finish with Iconic Design and Punchy Colors including Magnet Black, Iris Purple, Diamond Grey and Turquoise Cyan of TECNO SPARK 8C makes it a flaunt-worthy smartphone. With various attractive and energetic colors with bolder brand logo further enhances the premium appeal of the smartphone.

Other Segment Breaking Features 

TECNO SPARK 8C is IPX2 Splash Resistant and promises a 90Hz high refresh rate and 180Hz touch sampling rate to provide faster touch inputs and zero lag experience to users while playing games. The phone offers localized features such as Vault 2.0, Smart Panel 2.0, Kids Mode, Social Turbo, Anti-Theft Alarm, Phone Cloner, Voice Changer, Peek Proof, Game mode, and many more.

Connectivity options include 4G LTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, FM radio, GPS/ A-GPS and a 3.5mm Jack. A perfect smartphone for the Gen Z in the sub 10K segment. Tecno Spark 8C comes with Soplay 2.0 for customizing music where in a user can customize and produce the music without need of Internet connectivity. The smartphone comes with powerful Octa-core Processor. Super boost for system optimization which will optimize your application launching time, sliding operation, switching operations and give you smooth experience of multiple operations. Tecno Spark 8C comes with 3-in-1 SIM slot with Dual 4G Volte to give its users multiple connectivity options.

*With 3GB Extendable Virtual RAM. Memory Fusion may need OTA update.

Commenting on the launch Mr. Nishant Sardana Director- Mobile Phones, Amazon India said, “We are happy to partner with TECNO for another stellar product from their 8 series. The smartphone promises to bring premium features in the affordable category while focusing on performance. We look forward to the launch of the much-awaited TECNO SPARK 8C.”

Following the Budget, Fintech platforms which will aid the Indian startup and SME industries.

According to the Budget, fintech innovation, digital infrastructure expansion, banking, and payments are all welcome in India’s startup ecosystem. The launch of the Digital Rupee, which the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will issue in the next few months, was the most noteworthy announcement made by FM Sithraman.

Furthermore, FM Sitharaman stated that the financial assistance for the digital payments ecosystem announced in the previous Budget will be maintained in 2022-23. The government last year announced  Rs. 1500 crore allocation to boost digital payments adoption in the country.

Startups boost the economy tremendously by driving innovation and creating new job opportunities, as opposed to recycling jobs due to job changes, retirements, or brain drain. As evidenced by the fact that the social media industry, which is expected to grow at a CAGR of 25.38 percent to a market value of $939.679 billion by 2026, started with an ambitious company founded by a young entrepreneur.

In order to carry out the Fintech revolution, India now requires experts with technological and financial expertise. The following are some of India’s fastest-growing “Fintech” platforms, which are causing a stir in the digital lending industry while also allowing Startups and entrepreneurs to flourish:

Eko

Eko, one of the fastest-growing fintech platforms in India, empowers a generation of ambitious entrepreneurs to improve their financial health and access to the formal economy. Eko helps small entrepreneurs discover earning opportunities, tools for digitization and first-time access to credit – each tailored to meet their needs. Since 2007, Eko has built a tech platform which at its peak processed Rs 2500 Crore across 70 million transactions in a month. Eko has serviced over 35 million customers through a network of over 2.5 Lakh sellers, growing 20% month-on-month. These sellers help the brands sell their digital products and services and assist their customers in fulfilling their transactions.

Now, Eko has forayed into the lending ecosystem by creating the ‘first time credit’ module for ambitious sellers. Eko strives to help them overcome such challenges by collaborating with NBFCs and P2P lending organizations. By dispensing $1bn of loans with flexible repayments infrastructure the company wants to provide affordable capital and AI-backed services to MSMEs, allowing them to instill digital transformation within their operations. The fintech platform uses the ‘micro-credit approach’ in its services and designs them to fulfill the same. Its daily repayment infrastructure capability allows sellers to repay loans daily in part or full. They can use this credit to boost their business and serve more customers using Eko’s platform or outside of it. Their proprietary underwriting model based on transactions done on Eko’s platform, another notable feature, offers credit to sellers and customers who lack a CIBIL score and are not a part of the formal credit system. The model also uses demographic, and engagement data of the sellers to drive efficient results.

FlexiLoans

FlexiLoans is an online lending platform started with an endeavour to solve the problem that SMEs face in accessing Quick, Flexible & Adequate funds for growing their Businesses. Over 80% of Loan proposals from SMEs currently are rejected by institutional channels on account of inadequate financial history or collaterals. With the fast & ubiquitous digital adoption in India & increased avenues to leverage data analytics, FlexiLoan is standing on the verge of Banking transformation in this country which will help them efficiently cater to the large untapped & unserved demand. They wish to make the ‘social & alternative scoring of SMEs & Individuals a big opportunity for the economy that will far out place the limited insights that financial bureau provides. FlexiLoans believe that their technology-powered online marketplace is the best model to meet the financial requirements of SME’s who do not have credit history & hence cannot avail loans from traditional banking channels. It is geolocated in Mumbai & provide collateral-free loans across India.

Indifi

Indifi Technologies is a Gurgaon-based lending platform, enabling debt financing for small businesses. It aims to substantially improve the experience for borrowers regarding credit access as well as the speed and convenience of the loan process. Driven by the idea of expanding access to MSME financing in India, Indifi has emerged as an enabler for start-ups and small businesses seeking seamless access to funding. Indifi expands the envelope of formal lending by designing the right-fit credit products for MSMEs, improving the standard of risk assessment, and leveraging the supply chain linkages of MSMEs. Indifi has recently partnered with Facebook to offer loans to small businesses. The company already provides zero collateral loans to small businesses in the country, but the partnership with Facebook gives it the chance to reach more borrowers in the country. Indifi uses digital processes to do know-your-customer (KYC) checks and verification of companies. The company has a non-banking financial entity (NBFC) of its own, it also partners with private banks to provide loans to SMBs.

Indifi has designed its products such that they suit the use cases dominant in each industry – hence, restaurants may need a short tenure term loan for minor renovations, whereas retailers may need working capital to account for seasonal peaks in business.

So far, Indifi has disbursed over 35,000+ loans, amounting to over Rs 1500 crore until March 2021, with 80 partners across 650 cities.

Capital Float

Capital Float is India’s leading Buy Now Pay Later and credit platform serving a mix of salaried & self-employed individuals. From offering innovative checkout credit solutions for consumers to financing the business and personal needs of individuals, we are leading the charge in addressing the country’s enormous credit problem. Powered by rigorous innovation and technological advancements, and with the acquisition of India’s leading Personal Finance Management App – Walnut in 2018, we’re proud to be recognized as a trailblazer in India’s Fintech revolution. We passionately serve our customers with cutting-edge financial products and strive to help them #BreakLimits. Due to decades of informal lending, a large majority of customers don’t have the necessary formal documentation to be eligible for credit. If they do have the prerequisite documentation, they are often battling the challenges posed by the structural bureaucracy of lending in India. – Meanwhile, owing to the gargantuan geographic landscape of the country, several formal lenders are unable to cater to the financial needs of customers in tier 2 and tier 3 towns.

Eka collaborates with Microsoft to drive sustainability for global enterprises

India, February 16, 2022: Eka Software Solutions, a global leader in providing enterprise cloud solutions for the CFO’s office, today announced that it is collaborating with Microsoft to offer a robust suite of solutions, enabling businesses to reduce their impact on climate change and help them spark a positive change through their sustainability initiatives.

The joint go-to-market offerings will provide sophisticated, cloud-driven sustainability solutions for enterprises to track, measure and gain meaningful insights across their carbon usage, supplier relationships, governance, workforce management, and circular economy.

The creation of the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) at the recent COP26 conference is a major step to globally align ESG reporting. Conscious of the expectation to provide tangible and credible evidence of their sustainability status, organisations across the world are setting targets to reduce their carbon footprint and reach net-zero emissions.

The increased pressure is leading chief sustainability and financial officers to look for ways to standardize relevant ESG data collection and reporting with robust solutions that will help them rise to the “big pledge” and measure performance against their sustainability goals.

Running on Microsoft Azure, Eka’s comprehensive suite of solutions will enable businesses to gain complete and real time visibility to track carbon emissions. Benefitting from the hybrid and trusted cloud technologies of Azure, pre-built frameworks and analytical dashboards on Eka’s ESG and sustainability reporting solution will further help them report it as per industry mandated frameworks and reduce their environmental footprint across all emission sources.

Manav Garg, CEO and Founder of Eka said: “ESG and Sustainability reporting is subject to a lot of attention but little clarity, and businesses continue to struggle with multiple reporting standards and frameworks. The strong, trusted relationship between Microsoft and Eka is at the heart of this exciting collaboration, and we are committed to providing enterprises the support they need with their ESG and sustainability disclosures, empowering them to address opportunities that will benefit the world today and generations to come.”  

Ahmed Mazhari, President, Microsoft Asia, said: “At Microsoft, we believe sustainability is critical to meet the economic, societal and environmental needs of today and the years to come. In the current landscape of multiple reporting frameworks, proactive solutions like Eka’s will support our customers’ sustainability journey. We are pleased that Eka is using the power of Microsoft Azure for its cloud solutions to enable leaders of global enterprises to progress their business strategies and reach their sustainability goals faster.” 

With this collaboration, enterprises will benefit from pre-built frameworks to report against various industry standards including GRI, SDG, SASB, CDP, TCFD, SECR, GRESB and BRSR. With Eka’s highly configurable platform-driven solution, businesses can easily build more frameworks as their requirements and regulations continue to evolve and take shape. Together with Microsoft, Eka will help enterprises unlock the value and benefit of ESG and Sustainability reporting.

Eka leverages its cloud platform to deliver agile SaaS solutions for over 100 customers worldwide, digitizing mission critical workflows from procurement, trading & risk, to supply chain, sustainability, and treasury. As an official signatory of United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), Eka is committed to incorporating the principles of UNGC into its business practices to propel holistic business transformations for all pertinent stakeholders, including employees, customers, partners and vendors through its multi-faceted, powerful cloud platform.

Motorica simulated tactile sensations in bionic prosthetic hands using electrostimulation

Motorica, a high-tech company concerned with arm prosthetics, with the Medical Center of the Far Eastern Federal University, and Vladimir Zelman Center for Neurobiology and NeuroRehabilitation at the Skolkovo Science and Technology Institute, have made the first stage of their research on a person’s ability to sense bionic prosthetic hands including phantom pain-relieving methods. The project’s team has successfully performed a surgery implanting electrodes in patients’ peripheral nerves. The team has achieved a stable reduction of patients’ phantom pain through electrostimulation, conducting a series of sensorimotor tests using haptic communication with the invasive and noninvasive electrostimulation.

This study has confirmed the possibility of conducting invasive neurophysiological studies within domestic infrastructure and gaining positive results. The outcome will facilitate the medical dissemination of new neurotechnological treatments in phantom pain management. It will allow the patients to get used to their prostheses by simulating tactile sensations as though they were their natural limbs.

The collaborative project had gathered momentum for four years before the team began its first research study. Surgical procedures, patient rehabilitation, and follow-up studies were conducted at the Medical Center of the Far Eastern Federal University. Motorica had handled the recruitment of patients and provided the technological support for the project, while a team of scientists from Skoltech undertook the research.

The project’s first patients were two men with amputated limbs. The eligibility criteria for the patients were rather strict: 18+ adults with arm amputations and persistent phantom pain in the area of the amputated limbs.

Patient A lost his forearms because of a severe electric shock in a work accident three years ago. In addition to a partial amputation of both forearms, he had had multiple surgeries. Patient A spent three years undergoing treatment and fighting for his life. He participated in the study to find a solution to the life-interfering phantom pain he has been suffering from.

Patient B lost his forearms from a lightning strike 24 years ago. Because of the accident, Patient B has partially lost both of his forearms. His phantom pains have not receded in all the years since the accident. Although Patient B ended up getting used to them, he participated in the study not for his benefit but in the name of science and for the sake of other people in a similar situation.

On November 26, two electrodes were implanted on Patient B’s median nerve during a surgical procedure. At the same time, Patient A received three electrodes, one on the radial nerve, one on the ulnar, and one on the median. The surgery was implemented by a team of experts from the Medical Center of the Far Eastern Federal University led by Artur Biktimirov, a resident neurosurgeon at the Medical Center of the Far Eastern Federal University, an expert at the National Technological Initiative Center for Virtual and Augmented Reality. This team’s professionals had extensive experience in such breakthrough projects since high-tech treatments are carried out regularly at the university hospital, conducting their research and implementing innovative treatment methods.

On November 27, the first electrode connection and first test stimulation were conducted. The therapeutic strategy adopted by the team for phantom pain management consisted of using a series of tiny electrical impulses delivered through an electrode near the targeted peripheral nerve. The series of impulses were provided by a portable wearable device during the entire study duration, except for periods of sensorimotor studies. Patients recorded their sensations and experiences into an observation log to allow a retrospective monitoring of the phantom pain’s suppression progress.

The main stages of testing the prosthesis’ sensory feedback were: Mapping the sensitivity of the phantom limb, selecting stimulation parameters to simulate the sensation of touch and contraction of the phantom limb, and performing tests in conjunction with haptic communication in the form of electrostimulation.

In the case of Patient B, a stable suppression of phantom pain was observed from day one. At the same time, his subjective sensation of the phantom forearm developed unexpected results. At the initial suppression of the phantom pain, he could feel the touching and squeezing of his phantom hand’s fingers again. Meanwhile, Patient A’s phantom pain did not disappear entirely but decreased by 40-70%. Furthermore, Patient A also experienced a general sensation of squeezing in his fingers when clenching his hand into a fist during the application of electrical stimulation. The persistent sensation of the stimulation-induced “clenching of the hand into a fist” was used to conduct a test for assessing the size of the objects in hand. Patient A successfully determined the size of the objects held in his prosthesis while wearing a mask.

The data obtained in these tests will be analyzed by a team of scientists of the Center for Neurobiology and Neurorehabilitation at Skoltech. While there is still a lot to be done, we can say that the team is looking forward to 2022 and is planning an expansion phase for the study with an increased number of participants.

Commentaries 

Ilya Chekh, co-founder and CEO of Motorica: 

“Our main goal was to work out a specific technological hypothesis, which is formulated as follows: “Is it possible to induce a sensory response with invasive stimulation of the peripheral nervous system, allowing the person to feel how they pick up an object, and the approximate position of the hand’s fingers.” We have fully demonstrated that it is possible technologically and physiologically, opening huge opportunities for further research. Since this was our first attempt in the direction of invasive research, we will continue together with the Medical Center of the Far Eastern Federal University and the Russian Innovative Scientific and Technological Center located on the Russian Island in Vladivostok to develop a medical cyberspace, a special economic and legal zone for projects and companies that deal with invasive research and technology. We want to create a community of Russian developers and engineers involving development institutions and foreign partners.” 

Artur Biktimirov, a functional neurosurgeon at the Medical Center of the Far Eastern Federal University and an expert of the National Technological Initiative Center for Neurotechnology and VR/AR Technology: 

“In both patients, we achieved a reduction of phantom pain and obtained two types of sensation: pressure sensation and sensation perception. In other words, the patient could tell if his prosthesis was closed or open and if he was holding an object in his prosthesis. About a dozen teams worldwide work on this problem, but no one has developed any working solutions yet. The Russian team intends to pick up the pace. We are currently analyzing the results, based on which, we will build the research processes for the 2022 spring.” 

About the company

** Motorica LLC is a resident of the Skolkovo Innovation Center. The company is engaged in developing and producing transradial and bionic prosthetic arms for children as young as two and adults, creating an ecosystem of various technical means of rehabilitation. Since 2016, the company has produced over 3,000 prostheses, helping with unique cases where children were previously denied a prosthesis because of the injury complexity due to the lack of suitable solutions.

** The Medical Center of the Far Eastern Federal University is a modern medical and scientific institution that meets high international standards. It is equipped with unique tools and technology, providing highly qualified diagnosis, consultative, therapeutic, and rehabilitative assistance. Since its establishment in 2013, Medical Center’s doctors have already performed over 50,000 surgeries, including some with unique equipment. On the grounds of the Medical Center, future doctors from the School of Medicine study in modern laboratories and operating rooms under the guidance of practicing specialists.

** Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology is a private Russian technological university. The institute is engaged in scientific research and educational activities. In 2019, Skoltech became the only Russian university in the Nature Index ranking to be included in one hundred most solid young universities worldwide.