13-Feb-2023: Apple company works on MicroLED displays
Apple works on MicroLED display technology in order to innovate the displays in their future devices.
MicroLED: The Next Generation Display Technology
MicroLED is an emerging display technology that has the potential to revolutionize the way we consume content on our electronic devices. MicroLED stands for Micro Light Emitting Diode, and it is a type of display technology that uses a large number of tiny LEDs to create a picture. Unlike traditional LED displays, which use a single large LED for each pixel, MicroLED displays use millions of microscopic LEDs to create a picture.
MicroLED is considered to be the next generation of display technology because it offers several advantages over traditional display technologies. First, MicroLED displays have better contrast, color accuracy, and brightness than any other display technology. This is because each MicroLED pixel can be individually controlled, allowing for more precise color and brightness adjustments. Second, MicroLED displays are more energy-efficient than other display technologies because they don't require a backlight to function. This means that MicroLED displays can be brighter while using less power than traditional displays. Third, MicroLED displays have a longer lifespan than other display technologies because they don't suffer from the same burn-in issues that affect OLED displays.
One of the most significant advantages of MicroLED displays is their flexibility. MicroLED displays can be made in any size and shape, making them perfect for a wide range of applications. For example, MicroLED displays can be used to create flexible displays that can be bent, folded, or rolled up. This makes them ideal for use in wearable devices, such as smartwatches, or for use in displays that need to be curved, such as in the automotive industry.
Another advantage of MicroLED displays is their modular design. MicroLED displays can be made up of millions of individual modules, each containing thousands of MicroLED pixels. This means that MicroLED displays can be easily scaled up or down to create displays of any size. For example, a large video wall can be made up of many individual MicroLED modules, each containing thousands of MicroLED pixels.
MicroLED technology is still in its early stages, and there are many challenges that need to be overcome before it becomes a mainstream display technology. One of the biggest challenges is the cost of manufacturing MicroLED displays. Currently, the manufacturing process is complex and expensive, which makes MicroLED displays prohibitively expensive for most applications. However, with advancements in manufacturing processes and increased competition in the market, the cost of MicroLED displays is expected to come down over time.
21-Dec-2022: TDB-DST aids M/s Planys Technologies Private Limited, Chennai for commercialization of ‘Remotely operated vehicles (ROVs)
With an aim to commercialize cutting edge technologies contributing to the goal of Atmanirbhar Bharat, Technology Development Board (TDB), a statutory body under Department of Science & Technology, Govt. of India has extended support to M/s Planys Technologies Pvt. Ltd., an IIT Madras incubated start-up based in Chennai for commercialization of Remote Operated Vehicles (ROVs) essential to inspection and monitoring of ports & terminals, process industry plants and civil structures. TDB has pledged to support ₹1.5 crores out of ₹3.6 crores of the total project cost.
This deep tech start-up aims to develop cutting edge robotics and a sophisticated AI-enabled digital analytics platform that will be implemented extensively across the Inspection-maintenance-repair (IMR) industry. The company has been incubated in IIT Madras and mentored by senior professors and is promoted by well-qualified professionals. Since inception, the company has delivered 200+ contracts across 8 industries, has indigenously developed 6 prototypes, has filed/in process of filing 30+ patents and working on some cutting-edge R&D projects like Internet of Underwater Things (IoUT). The company is recipient of National Startup Award, 2020 by Startup India and is also working on expanding its footprint internationally to regions like Europe, Middle East and SE Asia.
The company has now diversified into other potential areas of remote services and maintenance of ports, ships, refineries, oil tankers, water tanks and steel structures based on new technology using Non-destructive Technology (NDT). The company approached TDB for commercializing the application of their ROVs with suitable enhancements. The funded project envisages building of 3 ROVs for inspection and monitoring of ports & terminals, process industry plants and civil structures.
- ROV for Ports and Terminals- This will make the overall inspection cost effective, safer and 3 times faster than traditional methods. This will also save the local environment and maintain ecological balance as marine growth can grow densely in some regions.
- ROV for Process Industry- This is very attractive to the industry as it will increase their operational efficiency (no shutdown required) and much safer than sending people inside. Several process industries can benefit from this in India and this will be for the first time a free-floating ROV will be able perform this.
- ROV for Civil Structures- This will allow the integrity testing of concrete structures that will help the asset managers understand the health better. These will allow them to detect defects inside the concrete structures that are perennially in water. Planys also intends to upgrade to LINE LASERs for defect quantification (especially depth of the cavities) which today is impossible to do. This robotic system developed will be one of its kind in the global industry.
Sh. Rajesh Kumar Pathak, IP&TAFS, Secretary, TDB said that, “TDB has been working with an ‘pro-entrepreneurship’ attitude aimed to help startups working across sector and make ‘India’ one of the biggest start-up ecosystems globally. TDB has been the backbone of the entire start-up ecosystem by providing financial support, and nurturing entrepreneurs in transforming their ideas into business ventures. Similarly, M/s Planys Technologies has come up with a pioneering technology that will enhance inspection and monitoring of ageing infrastructure with its ROVs at ports & terminals, process industry plants and civil structures.”
25-May-2022: Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh says, Government is supporting indigenous development of high-powered Magnetron technology for cancer radiation therapy
Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Ministry of Science and Technology; Minister of State (Independent Charge) Ministry of Earth Science; MoS of Prime Minister's Office and Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh today said, Government is supporting indigenous development of high-powered Magnetron technology used mainly for cancer radiation therapy.
Dr Jitendra Singh presided over the signing of a MoU between Technology Development Board (TDB) of DST and M/s Panacea Medical Technologies Pvt. Ltd., Bangalore to provide financial support for development and commercialisation of “S Band Tunable Magnetron for Particle Accelerators". TDB has agreed to provide loan assistance of ₹4.87 crores, out of the total project cost of ₹9.73 crores to the company.
Dr Jitendra Singh said, high-powered Magnetron developed by CSIR-CEERI (Central Electronics Engineering Research Institute), Pilani for commercial use will be a pathbreaking technology for Oncologists to treat even 2 mm diameter brain tumour with precision radiation with very little side-effects. He said, this will not only increase efficacy, but also prove cost effective in treatment of micro and major tumours.
Dr Jitendra Singh said, with the handholding of TDB, Panacea developed India’s first most advanced & innovative SBRT enabled Linear Accelerator (LINAC), Siddharth II, capable of performing treatment modalities like 3DCRT, VMAT, IMRT, SBRT and SRS. He said, this machine with U.S. FDA, 510(k) clearance has been launched on Technology Day celebrated on 11th May 2022 and this is the third brand in the world which is ready for the market beside two global giants UK and Japan. The Minister further added that in tune with Modi Government’s mantra of “Make in India” with “Make for the World”, the machine can be exported to many countries in the world as the company has already received US FDA clearance.
Currently, our economy is dependent on use of imported magnetron in various applications related to NDT, radar & other industrial applications in addition to medical applications. This technology can be further extended for other applications ensuring seamless supply of RF source to Medical LINAC Manufacturers across the globe.
Dr Jitendra Singh said, TDB supporting Panacea Medical Technologies for “Development and Commercialization of S Band Tunable Magnetron for Particle Accelerators” would enable Panacea one step ahead to further lower the cost of Siddharth II to make the cancer treatment more affordable to the common man. This also exemplifies the best Industry Academia linkage promoting market driven R&D to benefit the society at large.
Dr Jitendra Singh said, medical devices have been identified as a priority sector by Narendra Modi Government under the flagship 'Make in India' program and it is committed to strengthen the indigenously manufacturing ecosystem of the country. He said, currently, India is the fourth largest medical devices market in Asia, after Japan, China & South Korea and positioned 20th in the global market. India imports about 86% of its requirement of medical equipment and almost 100% of high-end medical equipment, the Minister added.
Dr Jitendra Singh said, as per the study of global markets, magnetron holds a huge demand globally, as it is essential for all types of linear accelerators, industrial heating equipment, radar systems, medical applications, NDT & others industries. He said, India would be the third country to achieve this feat. England and Japan holds around 80% - 90 % of the global market. The Minister said, for making Indian Healthcare Ecosystem a robust sector, TDB is providing an impetus to India’s vision of becoming a global manufacturing hub for medical devices.
Magnetron is a type of vacuum tube device. It is compact & low-cost source of microwave power as compared to other similar microwave tubes. It works on a principle of crossed-field device, which uses the motion of electrons in perpendicular electric and magnetic fields to generate microwave radiation, used for generating RF Power Source in Linear Accelerator for Medical, NDT & other allied applications. This technology has been developed indigenously by CSIR-CEERI, and transferred to Panacea for mass production and usage in radiation therapy machine for cancer treatment.
Sh. Rajesh Kumar Pathak, IP&TAFS, Secretary, TDB, said that “From its inception, TDB is committed to support such innovative/indigenous technologies for mass benefit. TDB supporting Panacea Medical Technologies for development and commercialization of ‘S Band Tunable Magnetron for Particle Accelerators’ will be one step ahead in making cancer treatment more affordable to the common man. Further, we expect many MedTech companies to come forward with more such innovative technologies and manufacture in India at affordable cost to meet our own requirements as well as making it available to the world. Thus, transforming India as the major manufacturing hub of high end medical devices for the world.”
MD of Panacea G.V. Subramanyam said that the company took the challenge in want of further indigenizing & lowering the cost of LINAC and approached CSIR-CEERI, Pilani. It acquired 2998 MHz Magnetron technology indigenously developed by CEERI for 2.6 MW S-Band Frequency Tunable Pulse Magnetron, for mass production and usage in radiation therapy machine for cancer treatment.