Category: Covid-19

National Technology Day: How Technology Is Helping Us Fight COVID-19

First observed on May 11, 1999, National Technology Day is celebrated every year on May 11 to highlight the achievements of engineers and scientists in the field of technology and science.

The Tests:

On May 11, 1998, India successfully launched three missiles under the name Operation Shakti led by late President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam at the Indian Army’s Pokhran Test Range in Rajasthan. Following the success of these three tests, two more nuclear tests were conducted on May 13, 1998. The Indian Army carried out the mission in collaboration with scientists from the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research (AMDER).

Apart from this, India also tested its first domestic aircraft, Hansa-3 and Trishul missile, on May 11, 1998, and added another achievement to the Defence Research and Development Organisation cap.

Thus, back in 1999, India’s then-Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee declared May 11 as a day of significant achievement for the country. The day enhances a reminder of India breaching into the elite group of nations with nuclear weapons. Since 1999, the Technology Development Board (TDB) admires the day by honouring scientists-engineers and their technological innovations that have added to India’s growth on this day.

The Theme:

Every year the country celebrates the day with a different theme under the observation of the Technology Development Board (TDB); this year, the National Technology Day 2021 theme is Science and Technology for a Sustainable Future. On the National Technology Day event, Prime Minister Narendra Modi saluted and remembered the hard work and tenacity of our scientists-engineers over a series of tweets, where he also mentioned how their innovations helped our country survive better during the fight against covid-19.

Role of Technology During Covid-19 Crisis:

When a pandemic hit India, everyone looked desperately and searched online for a vaccine or at least a medical solution to fight against it. During those times, telecom operators like Jio, Airtel, and more came forward and helped-provided guidance through the caller tunes to spread awareness about the pandemic.

The Government of India launched apps like Aarogya Setu and Umang to help people diagnose themselves at home with the help of a few questions; these apps also empowered people to locate red alerted places, covid camps, vaccine centres and helped in quickly identifying infected individuals, connect with them, track who they have come in contact with, and so on. Such technological innovations helped the country in the overcoming journey.

Furthermore, the wireless thermometer guns and other similar infrared body temperature measuring devices used at checkpoints of offices, airports, hotels, hospitals, railway stations, malls, and other public places helped us recognise measuring the body temperature from a distance and turn out to be helpful during the pandemic. Along with these devices, Artificial Intelligence (AI) played a significant role in suggesting components of a vaccine by understanding viral protein structures and helping medical researchers. 

When we were out of choice and Work From Home was the only option, during that time, technology was the only thing that helped us to secure business continuity as well as aids social distancing. Misinformation always leads to added crisis, and in a highly populated country like India, it spreads fast. Misleading information about the number of fatalities, diagnosis, treatment options, vaccines, medicines and government policies generates more panic and anxiety. 

All these things result in general chaos, panic buying, price rise, and violence on the streets. In order to control and avoid such misinformation, companies like Google, Facebook, and YouTube are working tirelessly. They’re working and helping people with the correct information published by WHO or local authorities and government.

Today, we’re still at the risk of pandemic and dealing with the second wave of Covid-19, but if we follow certain guidelines, we’ll surely overcome this crisis and to execute that, we’re backed with our technology innovations, from AI to robotics, every single thing will help us to fight the pandemic.

Gadgets To Keep You Cool & Busy At Home

Summer has arrived and we’re already struggling with it; due to global warming and extreme heatwaves, many parts of the world are supposed to undergo one of the hottest summers in recent years. Along with scorching summer, humans are also worried about the Covid-19 pandemic and its newly developed mutants.

While several vaccine facilities are available now to beat the pandemic, and there are plenty of traditional ways to beat the heat, for instance, diving into the ocean or a pool, travelling to the nearest hill stations. However, in these harsh times, we can’t do much as staying home is the best alternative we have, and in order to save ourselves from the wrath of the pandemic, we must have to follow the rules.

Nevertheless, it turns out there are a lot of innovative gadgets available online to keep you cool and occupied at home during these untimely days, plus there’s nothing quite like the excitement of buying a brand new gadget. With that in mind, here’s a compiled list of gadgets that could be beneficial for you.

DJI FPV drone:

When all of us were trying to cope with the new normal, the DJI team was working on the gadget, which will help us see the world through its eyes. DJI launched a new FPV drone a few months ago that records up to 4K videos at 60fps. The FPV system was initially designed for the drone racing industry, and it consists of the DJI FPV Air Unit Module, DJI FPV Camera, DJI FPV Goggles, and DJI FPV Remote Controller.

The intriguing new breed of drone radiates the view from its camera to a headset back on terra firma that means its first-person view allows you to see what the drone sees, which means you can roam around and enjoy the outer world without even walking out of the house. The drone also provides an incredibly immersive flying experience; thanks to the fantastic DJI FPV Goggles, it also features equally compelling video footage from the forward-facing camera.

The DJI FPV is mainly aimed at shooting mesmerised FPV 4K video, and it has the ability to shoot still images at a primary level; the drone is easy to fly in Normal mode and suitable for beginners who’re trying their luck at flying for the first time. 

The DJI FPV can shoot 4K video up to 60fps and shoot 1080p at 120fps. The drone has a maximum flying range of 10 KM, and it can move at a top speed of 140kmph and reach 0-90 kmph in just two seconds. The biggest advantage of buying an FPV drone is that it makes you feel like you’re flying along with the drone, making it the coolest gadget to have these days.

HyperX Cloud II Wireless Gaming Headset:

HyperX is one of the big names in the gaming world, and its newly launched HyperX Cloud II Wireless Gaming Headset offers an excellent, straightforward gaming experience. Every hardcore gamer wants the right gear to make a difference in the world and stay at the top of the game. Amongst all the gaming abettors, the one that matters most to the gamer is a good headset. 

The current situation in the world has given us a chance to do something that we always dreamed of, and being a gamer, if you’re looking for a gaming headset that sounds good, works efficiently on multiple platforms, and offers enough comfort throughout the day, then the HyperX Cloud II Wireless Gaming Headset is the best bid you got. The Cloud II Wireless looks and feels almost identical to the wired Cloud II, with its aluminium body, a flexible headband and oval-shaped black plastic earcups that feature solid memory foam cushions covered in soft leatherette. 

On PC, the Cloud II Wireless provides optional 7.1-channel simulated surround sound into HyperX’s Ngenuity software, which also manages other HyperX peripherals like the QuadCast S microphone. One can hear all the major and minor sounds while playing the game, like sounds of footsteps, rustling grass and much more. The HyperX Cloud II priced at ₹12,990.00, is one of the market’s finest headsets.

Vaonis Vespera Smart Telescope:

If you’re not a big fan of binging a series or don’t like to spend your time late-night chatting, then here’s something that might grab your attention during the night. Since childhood, we all wondered about stars and always wanted to see them a little closer, some of us went far away and discovered them, but most of us are still wondering about them. But with the launch of the Vaonis Vespera, now we can reach out to space right from our very balconies.

Vaonis, a French startup that raised eyebrows in 2018 when it debuted the pricey, sci-fi robot-looking Stellina smart telescope, revealed an affordable telescope Vespera, in CES 2021. Innovative and fully automated Vespera can be your new observation station; it’s a perfect combination of telescope and camera. Vespera has the same sleek, futuristic design as its larger counterpart Stellina but it is more affordable than its predecessor, also looks more compact in size and weighs only 5 kgs, making astronomy even more accessible to aspiring enthusiasts. 

Vespera displays images on a smartphone, and the telescope is controlled via a mobile app. Vespera offers pretty nice views of the night sky but compromises some of its abilities. However, it successfully maintains the image quality compared to Stellina’s images. These telescopes are easy to use and operate; they needn’t require any virtual setup at all. It stands 15 inches tall, making it easy to carry around during camping trips. Get a Vespera to cherish your stargazing wish and stay cool and occupied at home.

Logitech StreamCam:

If somehow you’ve managed to turn your lockdown pastime into a fruitful side hustle by streaming it over the internet, and now you’re looking for an upgrade to take your content to the next level, then here’s a gadget that will take care of your further streaming. The Logitech StreamCam is created with aiming at streamers and content creators. It’s an ideal starting package for live streamers, with a versatile 1080p60 webcam, screen and table stands, and flexible video processing software.

The StreamCam offers smart autofocus to stop losing focus in the middle of streams and videos. The auto-exposure of Logitech StreamCam is finely tuned, so you look your best in all types of lighting conditions. The StreamCam is a smartly designed boxy camera in a graphite or white colour that measures about 2.3 inches in height, 1.9 inches wide, and 2.4 inches deep, with a five-foot cable ending in a USB-C plug. 

The front of the camera highlights the Logitech logo on the bottom and an indicator LED in the upper right corner. The camera has two flexible mounting options, one for monitors and laptop screens that features the ability to tilt and pan, and another is a small tabletop tripod that allows you to set up the StreamCam on any flat surface. The innovative auto-framing features keep you always in the middle in all your streams and videos; it also offers premium and vibrant audio performance, which helps your audience receive authentic sound.

WAKEcup Self Cleaning Water Bottle:

Nowadays, hygiene is the key to staying safe and healthy, but maintaining hygiene is always tricky as it takes much time and energy. However, in a world of modern technology, some options will take care of your hygiene at a remarkable level, and WAKEcup’s new Self Cleaning UV Water Bottle is one of them. The WAKEcup Ultraviolet Light Water bottle gives you pure drinking and hence peace of mind with its Innovative UV-C technology. 

The WAKEcup 550ml water bottle has an ultraviolet light in the lid that promises to clear 99.99 per cent of the bacteria, viruses, and mould that you might have missed while scrubbing. Click on the UV activation button, and after 3 minutes, your water will be pure and clean, leaving no germs, odour or taste. The self-cleaning water bottle is beneficial for everyday use and weekend campings where you’re not sure about water quality. The double-walled UV bottle can contain 550ml of hot or cold liquid, keeping water cold for 12 hours and hot for 4.

The UV bottle comes in rich matte black stainless steel, with an UltraViolet WAKEcup logo. It works on a USB rechargeable Lithium battery and stays up to a month on a full charge. Also, if all of these benefits didn’t excite you to buy one of them, you should know that for every product sold, 10% of the profits are donated to the Marine Conservation Society to support their vital work protecting marine habitats and campaigning and against plastic pollution.

Get Ready for Swasth – The Free Telemedicine App

This is one much needed step from the tech world towards fighting the spread of Covid-19 in India. Around 100 leading private hospitals, tech companies and health-tech startups have together planned to launch this free telemedicine consultation app named ‘Swasth.

Infosys co-founder, Kris Gopalakrishnan is spearheading this initiative along with Apollo Hospital’s Shobhana Kamineni,Manipal Group’s Ranjan Pai, iSPIRT’s Sharad Sharma, former Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation executive Nachiket Mor and Subrata Mitra from Accel. All of them have come together to help the country reduce the spread of the contagious pandemic that has brought everyone’s life to an abrupt halt.

Other partners in the mission to launch the Swasth App include the startups Medlife and 1MG and Care.Fit along with e-commerce platforms like Udaan and Flipkart.

What is Swasth all about?

  • Free teleconsultation with a network of more than 2000 certified doctors.
  • Users will be able to look for availability of resources like beds, labs and home quarantine equipment and aid via the app.

When will Swasth be available for download?

24th June

Which languages is the app available in?

English, Hindi and Gujarati. However, it will soon be available in around 25 languages.

Is Swasth app free to use?

Although the app is free but a nominal fee may be charged for it’s services in order to cover additional operational costs.

The app has raised a funding of 10 Crore from ACT (entrepreneurs and investors in the startup community) and will go for further fund-raising opportunities by tapping into CSR funds of large organisations. More doctors can be expected being added to the app in the coming months. There is a network of doctors that will be offering their services free of cost. 

As of now the main goal of Swasth is to provide telemedicine solutions for the masses. Later, the app plans to become a bigger network that can become part of our lifestyle.

Swasth currently being registered under Section 8 of the Companies Act which makes the app a not-for-profit organisation.

The functionality of the app helps in a proper exchange of data. The owner of the data being the patient and this data being accessed by only the hospital which the patient goes to. To be precise, it’s an open network with an addition of the ‘consent’ aspect. This can be utilized well way after the pandemic crisis is over as there’s no data breach while it also allows you to network freel and meet your telemedicine needs.

All in all, Swasth app does seem to be promising in not just what it has to offer right now but also in the long term. It allows the masses to seek the help and care they need and at the time they need without worrying about their data being leaked. We hope Swasth app truly helps our country stay Swasth because it’s time to open the gates to businesses, work and other leisure activities again; after all the show must go on!

Tech Start-ups Save The Day – A ‘Post Pandemic’ World

Start-ups are gearing up for the post pandemic era. The innovative tech brimming to come to life will not only be helpful but will also become the norm. We all know that going forward, social distancing and personal hygiene are the new essentials. Plenty of start-ups are coming up with some practical solutions that will help businesses implement these essentials. It’s a great idea to focus on these absolute necessities right now because we don’t want another pandemic to render us handicapped.

DINGG, a Pune-based start-up has come up with a platform that manages queues and bookings and customers are already giving it a thumbs up.

DINGG’s customer acquisition has gone up manifold during the lockdown. The start-up helps its customers with bookings and appointments at hospitals, salons and even wine shops. Their wait-time prediction engine helps in reducing customer-waiting time and eases the management of the customer flow.

Akshay Poorey, one of the founders was concerned about the struggle of people and vendors to deal with the current crises. The platform was launched in order to address this problem as it would make it easier for people to book their appointments through the all, SMS or a missed call. They don’t need to waste their time waiting for their turn at the vendor. DINGG also offers customized solutions to clinics, spas, private hospitals and boutiques. The offerings include token system and queue management.

DINNG is currently offering solutions to people in eight cities and plans on expansion in the near future. It has also been shortlisted for the ‘Cawach’ programme that is launched by the Centre. The programme aims to support start-ups  that are coming up with solutions to challenges during the COVID-19 crisis.

Another start-up, Park+ is focussing on smart parking solutions for malls. It is an app-based platform that functions on cloud-based automated parking systems for malls and other establishments. The solution aims at helping with parking discovery, booking, payment and tracking.

Staqu, a Gurgaon based start-up, uses artificial intelligence that can help corporates to suspect tracing and PPE monitoring. When it comes to keeping the air virus-free, Magneto CleanTech has the perfect solution. They’ve launched an air filter device that comes with filterless magnetic air purification technology and ultraviolet technologies. The start-up claims that the device had the ability to decontaminate indoor air by killing over 90 percent of the viruses.

All of these start-ups are doing their bit for everyone by giving solutions that will help not only during the pandemic but also long after. The centre’s Cawach programme is also an encouragement that will help more and more tech start-ups come forward to work towards achieving a virus-free environment. How well the products fare and how practical the solutions are is for time to tell. As of now, we are glad that there’s hope!

Not Everything Chinese is a Virus

Well, the halt of Chinese products and the promotion of ‘Make in India’ was not just a hype after all. Looking at the current scenario, who would want to invest in Chinese businesses? We’d rather sustain our own economy right now. Since, China is very much the centre of attention for all the wrong reasons right now, we have another legit reason for you to say good bye to all things Chinese. These Chinese apps could be spreading a pandemic in your phone right now. Get rid of them, we suggest. It’s not only us but the government agrees too. 

Caution: There’s not five or ten of them. There’s a whopping 42 Chinese apps that could be spyware or malware. 

There are also some alarming and ironic facts that we will talk about but first let’s see which are the apps in your phone that need to go to trash right now.

  • Weibo (Time to say ‘We Go’)
  • WeChat (Time to sing We don’t Chat anymore)
  • SHAREIt (Shares more than you want it to)
  • UC News (gives your news to spies)
  • UC Browser (knows what’s happening in your house while you browse)
  • BeautyPlus (Minus privacy of course)
  • NewsDog (Don’t be the dog)
  • Viva Video (We ‘no’ video)
  • Parallel Space (And parallel spying)
  • APUS browser (Read again. It’s not ASUS) 
  • Perfect Corp (with imperfect intentions)
  • Virus Cleaner (more like virus installer?)
  • CM Browser (Chief Malware browser?)
  • Mi Community (Of spies!)
  • DU Recorder (Ewww Recorder)
  • Vault-Hide (Sensitive Details SHOW)
  • YouCam MakeUp (You CAN’T)
  • Mi Store (of Malware)
  • CacheClear DU Apps Studio (Cash clear?)
  • DU Battery Saver (Data drainer?)
  • DU Cleaner (Wiping out your private data!)
  • DU Privacy (not so private after all)
  • 360 security (against your info!)
  • DU Browser (click bait!)
  • Clean Master – Cheetah Mobile (Maybe, as fast as a Cheetah when it comes to compromising your data?)
  • Baidu translate (translating your data for cyber attacks)
  • Baidu Map (tracking all your moves)
  • Wonder Camera (makes you wonder where your info got leaked)
  • ES File Explorer (ES File Destroyer)
  • Photo Wonder (All those selfies aren’t private to you)
  • QQ International (International spies)
  • QQ Player (playing with your data)
  • QQ NewsFeed (feeding someone else with your news)
  • WeSync (Your data with our intentions)
  • QQ Security Centre (Securing Malware on your device)
  • SelfieCity (Selfish City?)
  • Mail Master (Malware Master)
  • QQ Launcher (Launching viruses on your phone)
  • Mi Video call (Your and everyone else’s video call is in trouble)

That’s a very long list there. These Chinese apps aren’t banned but it is advisable to delete them if you have installed them on your phone. If you haven’t, we have you reasons enough to not install them. 

Do you see a strange and ironic finding?

Most of these apps are anti-virus apps. It definitely makes you less suspicious of them. Who can imagine that an app that’s supposed to rid your phone of viruses will end up infecting it instead? Now that you know that these apps could be a threat, there shouldn’t be a doubt. 

The one that’s caught off guard in this controversial and factual news is Xiaomi. We all love Xiaomi and all its offerings to us but since this has instilled some amount of fear against the use of Mi apps, it could mean ‘crisis’ management time for Xiaomi. For those who trust the brand, continuation of use will be seen but it will be hard to instill the same trust in new buyers. Let’s see how Xiaomi handles the situation.

Another brand that everyone was shocked to see on the list is TrueCaller. However, before things got out of hand, Sweden based TrueCaller said in their defense: “In response to certain reports, we would like to clarify that we are a Sweden based company. We are not sure why the app is on this list, but we’re investigating. Truecaller is not a malware, and all our features are permission-based and are disabled by default.” This statement is believable because TrueCaller is a Swedish brand but it does make everyone wonder why it was on the list. 

As of now, there’s no concrete evidence or proof for the public at least. However, the government has listed these as threats and we must avoid the risk unless we want our phones to also be hit by a pandemic. Just saying. I mean it isn’t that important to take Selfies with a SelfieCity, right?

Touchless Technology Saves the Day

Since everything is revolving around Coronavirus, it’s treatment and the ‘new normal’, let’s think about what the world might look like if technology was to evolve too. I mean, if besides social distancing, we were to maintain a distance from gadgets too, yet operate them at the same time, how would it be?

While touchscreen technology has been around for more than a decade now, we can hardly imagine life without it. Touchscreen phones, tabs, laptops, everything. Since viruses (especially Coronavirus) and other microorganisms tend to live on surfaces, can we really control a breakout of the same by coming up with ‘touchless’ technology?

Fast-forward to 2025 and I’m leaving to buy some groceries. I simply wink at my car door to open it. A ‘wink and blink’ technology. Cool, quick and efficient. Isn’t it? I remember registering my eyelid for anti-theft certification. It was a long process and my eye did hurt but we have to be cautious. It is better to have my eye hurt than contract Coronavirus. Now I can be sure that neither will my car be stolen nor will I contract Coronavirus (at least not by touching the surface of my car). What a relief.

I am back home and it is time to check my phone. It is at my work desk and I only have to wave ‘hello’ to it for its screen to appear on my TV – the big screen experience! I feel super lazy for not even lifting my hand to touch the phone but that’s what all of this new Touchless technology is about! Besides, my hand already hurts from waving ‘hello’. And now that the display is on the big screen, I’d finish a few tasks and enter a Zoom call for my official meeting. Let’s go with checking my social media accounts first. To enter my Instagram account, I simply make a ‘duck face’, for TikTok I need to make an exaggerated dance move and for Twitter, I need to speak a strong opinion for a ’cause’. Touchless technology is that simple! Crazy, isn’t it? For the Zoom call thereafter, I simply make an ‘It’s Monday again’ face and there we go. I’m beginning to think that why wasn’t Touchless technology always a way of life?

The whole of my face and body hurt right now by making all those expressions and gestures so it’s a free workout session every day too! That’s quite a bonus. I’m not complaining. What I’m thinking about is just this, that if we were winking at our cars without this ‘touchless’ technology, it would be so odd. Think about making that ‘it’s Monday again’ face to login to Zoom meetings and getting fired by your boss.

Well, so much for avoiding pandemics. We’re afraid of the touch but I guess we should be more afraid of the ‘touchless’ unless we want to get weirder, looted by tech companies for the new technology and well, more susceptible to a mental care rehabilitation centre. We’re okay with building herd immunity for now, I guess?

Half of 2020 just drove by – Impacting the Automobile industry

It looks like the whole world is under a crunch right now and the automobile industry is equally shook. Being ‘not an asset anymore’, cars are more of an economic burden on the buyer, considering the current scenario. Let’s take a look at what this means for the automobile industry.

The maximum adverse impact of the pandemic can be seen in the following industries:

  • Travel 
  • Tourism
  • Hospitality 
  • Financial Markets
  • Automotive 

The impact on Indian Car industry 

While on the buyer’s side, financial crunch will be a problem, on the business side, the supply chain will be heavily affected. A large amount of raw materials are sourced from various regions and one of the biggest suppliers is China. The Coronavirus crisis has seriously impacted the process of car making. Therefore, there’s not just a problem with demand but supply as well. The complete impact will only be known once the ‘new normal’ becomes regular and the economy starts taking baby steps again. 

From hindered production and sloppy logistics to depleting consumer demand, the makers need to be prepared for everything that goes into making a car to selling it. Furthermore, most manufacturing plants will remain shut or will run with reduced capacity which will add to the depletion of supply. This isn’t just for India but the automobile industry across the globe will feel the negative impact of the process. Slumped demand for vehicles will be a big hurdle to overcome and add to it the environmental factors that are bound to make things worse. 

What could be the revival strategy in such a scenario?  

While one size fits all isn’t going to be possible, there are certain ways in which the automobile industry can minimise the adverse effect of the pandemic. 

  • While China will struggle to keep up it’s collaboration as far as supplying materials is concerned, other countries can pitch in for the same and replace China. India is definitely a very good contender for the same. This can be looked at as a great opportunity for India to attract business from those who are withdrawing from China. However, since global markets emphasise on quality, India will have to step up it’s hygiene and cleanliness levels at these supply plants in order to deliver world-class materials of unmatched quality. 
  • Electric vehicles have already been admired and after the environmental disaster we have been facing, the governments will push the use of EVs even more. It is time for the automobile industry to focus on electric vehicles and leverage this opportunity. 

While the automobile industry can brace itself for a whopping 40% drop in car sales this year as compared to 2017-18, it can also think of managing the crisis by devising strategies based on the changing world and economy. After all, evolution breeds success. Keep driving!

Unlockdown 1.0 – The 3 Cs – China, COVID & Cure!

So, the forced party is finally over. Yes, the “party” because we all were confined to our homes and the commerce and business had stopped. It was universal so we had a sense of being together in this. The plight of migrants walking on the highways and sheer mismanagement of their home journey can bring tears to your eyes at the same time put curse words for all stakeholders responsible for this. But now the economy is slowly getting the green light, while the red and orange zones are waiting in the lurch. Finally, good sense prevailed and we now have only two zones – Containment & Non-containment. Of course, the sentiments will be down to the graveyard, moving around will be cautiously done. For me, how do we open the office without being sure if the housekeeping who comes to clean the office is not COVID positive? That’s the starting point. Then comes your office boy travelling in local transport, milkman to replenish the coffee machines and other staff members who travel publicly. Will we endanger their lives and others? How long can #WFH actually work out? An ocean of difficult questions with no easy answers.

I was trying to analyze all possible scenarios which will unfold as we open our gates considering all angles. But universally, whichever country cracks the vaccine first will be the king, just praying it’s not the Chinese. “Dua” and “dard” both from China will make the world dance to the dragon.

Scenario 1 – Idealistic  

Everyone wears a mask, maintains social distance, WFH continues, offices work on 10 -30% capacity, our hospitals, and medical facilities keep pace with the no’s of COVID Cases and slowly we limp back to normal. One confirmed news break from any of the  110 pharma companies globally of a possible vaccine or cure will push the economy into full throttle. If that happens to be an Indian pharma company – Serum Institute of Adar PoonaWala, for Example [haven’t you seen him suited in news channels these days?] will really put India on a SpaceX rocket which will take us towards the “superpower” colony – just like Elon Musk has successfully sent the two NASA astronauts to ISS.

And yes, China retreats from the borders and a pact is achieved wherein there’s no more claiming of Indian land in return of no more uninstall of TikToks.

Scenario 2 – Most Likely 

As we open up, our COVID cases will surge through the roof – 10 lakh, maybe 20 lakh with 2-3 % succumbing to it. We will develop herd immunity and develop antibodies and by September or October, the virus will mutate and give us a real Diwali. Yes, hospital beds will be scarce, there will be mismanagement, the political blame game will be all time high, the economy and job losses will be so deep that everyone will be willing to work at 30-50% of their income with loans and defaults rising at alarming rates. By October, we get a grip and things tread back to the new normal and most likely vaccine developments show impressive results. Meanwhile, China and India continue their dog fight. Maybe a few tanks fire cannons, sorties by fighter jets  on each other, show of muscle and nothing significant.

Just like when you have those street fights “Hath Laga kar Dekh” and by July end, Indo x China Bhai Bhai T-shirts begin to sell again. TikTok uninstalls continues and Micromax, Intex, Xolo, Karbonn and other earlier versions of Vivo & Oppos of the world start relaunching their smartphones. It’s possible.

Scenario 3 – Extreme Situation:

It’s July 15, 2020 and the COVID-19 scoreboard reads 50 lakh cases in India. Lockdown 5.0 gets implemented, doctors and nurses are taking the hard decision of whom to save. China versus India intensifies its fight and Pakistan, Nepal & Russia joins the party while the rest of the world backs India to corner China. There’s tension at the border and nerves are stretched. It’s a cold war but nothing happens at the end. Deaths and infections are everywhere, our medical facilities begin to collapse and there are protests and riots everywhere.

Those who lose their loved ones because of callousness, in all likelihood will lose their sanity. It’s grim news and madness everywhere and illegal sales of guns blossom.It’s the Economy which is now to be saved because suicides and poor mental state are killing more people than COVID-19.

In all of the above scenarios, by October either we will have a vaccine announcement or we will have herd immunity. Now comes the lawlessness, going outside, walking will be dangerous snatching, kidnappings will be frequent. Joblessness and poverty will push the dragon in people to fend for themselves. Now comes the Phishing scenarios – we recently faced a situation where a concentrated effort was taken to get money transferred. My accountant – Tanaya Ghosh received a fraudulent mail from my name, [E-mail ID was different] asking her to transfer. Normally, no one will check the Email-ID,  just the name but her good sense prevailed and she double-checked with me. In most businesses, CFOs and Accountants are powered to make transactions of up to a capped amount.

We have to tread the next 3-4 months with caution and sanity. I have had friends who in spite of being financially well off get panic attacks even now. Our belief in the human spirit must be reinforced that’s supreme and believe in the supernatural power above you. Maybe it’s his way of resetting the climate, so we don’t have to travel to other planets to set up shop. Are you still seeing Toronto or New York from your bedroom anywhere in India?

Also Read:
COVID-19 Could Beat All But One
Gary Shapiro Talks About How CTA Is Preparing for CES 2021

WhatsApp To Allow 8 Person Video Group Call

Life in the time of lockdown has been depressing, especially for those who step out, go to work or even enjoy the air daily. Most people stuck/working from home are relying on a multiple number of applications to feed their necessity of chatting/calling and video conferencing.

Among all the apps that are making the roar, Zoom and Houseparty are the ones which gained quick popularity and racked up a significant number of users. But as it would be, several flaws, security loopholes and privacy issues raised alarming concerns and people soon started to look for alternatives.

Until now, WhatsApp was lagging in the game. WhatsApp only allows four persons for video calls and is a major bummer for the social bees who have a flamboyant group of friends. But worry no more, WhatsApp is adding the ability to add up to eight persons on a single video call. While this might seem less when it comes to a big group of friends, but for some of us, this just might be right enough.

What would please the people is the sheer popularity of WhatsApp and the level of security of personal data that WhatApp promises to secure. WhatsApp has been assuring security and end to end encryption for its chat and video calling services.

Google has made significant improvements to Google Meet and Google Duo which include a new layout, feature and an increased limit on group calls. This might seem less but it is enough to gain traction at a time when web traffic all around the world is just phenomenally high.

The new WhatsApp feature is expected to roll out soon, as soon as the end of April is what the info from the tweet WhatsApp head Will Cathcart put forward. This update will be available for both Android and iPhone users. Not only this, but Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerburg also announced the soon to launch ‘Messenger Rooms’ which will allow 50 people to join together for a video call. As in the time of COVID-19 people have moved to WhatsApp and Messenger for call and video chat.

Work From Home | A Smart Desk That Makes It Worth

Working all day behind an office desk may is one of the considerable factors for long term negative effects on health – as studies have shown, 83% of US employees suffer from work-related stress and while 49% of all British workers have bad backs. The abrupt transition to work from home to prevent the spread of COVID-19 worldwide, the problem seems to become even more serious. Our homes are usually not equipped with ergonomic office furniture, which means accelerating the onset of musculoskeletal problems ranging from neck, shoulder, back problems, to hand-wrist problems, to leg problems, all because of working in poor postures.

The good news, however, is that furniture and gadgets are getting smarter. The new Ait Smart Desks promise anyone working beside a desk to become healthier, more productive, and less stressed. A couple of months ago, in a time when we could read news stories unrelated to the pandemic, a creepy creature shook the public globally – Emma, a model of the office worker from the future.
She has thick varicose veins from spending so much of the day sitting down, a permanently hunched back, and red eyes from leaning forward and staring at the screen. While these changes in the appearance of the future’s office worker may seem funny and scary at the same time, the symptoms of permanent civilization diseases are amply represented.
The stakes are high because our lifestyle today could lead to severe diseases such as diabetes, cancer, heart disorders. At the same time, obesity and depression also threaten us. Besides the personal aspects, this is also a common problem: work-related stress causes 120,000 deaths in a year. It results in $190 billion in healthcare costs yearly in the US only. The question is simple and yet very important.

It is painfully easy to see that we need to change the way we do our everyday work. Otherwise, our home offices are going to make us very sick. The way to pursue this is also straightforward: to be able to compensate for the effects of our sedentary lifestyle, not being able to leave our homes we have to at least stand up more. Standing for half a workday has been found to reduce blood pressure, improve circulation and increase productivity by 43 per cent. While there are different types of smart furniture available on the market, a new one is in line, that incorporates all functions to keep you healthy in one single desk.  Smarter furniture, healthier worker.

A group of engineers from Budapest – led by Dr Tamás Marczali – put two-years of research and hard work into creating the next generation of smart desks. At the beginning of 2020, it became a reality based on their very own experiences and preferences. Ait Smart Desks monitor the time you spend sitting behind them and tells you when it is time to get up from your chair and continue working in a standing position. It also provides personalized exercise programs to help you keep fit without having to interrupt your urgent tasks. To keep you fresh all day, it notifies you in case the room’s air quality deteriorates and needs to be ventilated. The height of the tabletop can also be adjusted so that you can arrange conference calls and write your emails in a healthier position.

As a result, the office or home office work becomes more straightforward and more practical. But most importantly, this desk helps you live healthier and better while staying productive at your job. It is not a miracle maker though; you have to learn to use it consciously, and also pay attention to drinking enough water, eating clean and going for a 5-minute walk after each meal!

What makes all these functions work? Through a smartphone app connected to your smart desk, where you can enter your age, gender, weight, and the amount of time you spend sitting within a workday. The application then compiles several exercises that can easily be done in an office or at home near your desk. It helps you burn more calories, improve your circulation, and stay fresh to get some of the daily stress out of your system.

AiT Smart Desks has launched an Indiegogo campaign, which is already a huge success. Those who are eager to be among the first customers of the unique product do not have to wait too long to pre-order. The Indiegogo page is now live and the desks are available for order.
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