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Technology Roundup
1
IT Ministry and Ignite Launch 6th National Incubation Center in Hyderabad
The Ministry for Information Technology and Telecommunication (MoITT) and
Ignite National Technology Fund launched their 6
th
National Incubation Center (NIC) in
Hyderabad. Federal Minister for IT & Telecommunication, Syed Amin-Ul-Haque,
inaugurated the modern Incubation Center in Hyderabad. NIC Hyderabad will tap into the
entrepreneurial potential of the young people in the city by providing them with a platform to
work on their business ideas. NIC Hyderabad will be operated through the consortium of
PTCL, LMKT, and Ideagist. Ignite has established the largest incubation network in Pakistan,
which has incubated more than a thousand startups so far which have created around 115,000
jobs and raised funding of $73 million so far.
Speaking on the occasion Federal Minister for IT & Telecommunication, Syed Amin-
Ul-Haque highlighted the importance of NICs. The key objective of this NIC program is to
facilitate talented entrepreneurs and provide them with all necessary support for the
transformation of their innovative ideas into a sustainable business. MoITT has established
five incubation centers in Islamabad, Karachi, Quetta, Lahore, and Peshawar through Ignite
and is also expanding its network to other cities. The establishment of National Incubation
Center in Hyderabad will be a revolutionary step for the youth of Hyderabad and its
surrounding rural and urban areas to transform the traditional business approach into a
modern technology oriented one.
Image credit and source:
https://propakistani.pk/2022/09/13/it-ministry-and-ignite-launch-
/target003.png)
Technology Roundup
2
Tesla Becomes Innovative Partner of Formula Electric Racing NUST
Taking a major stride forward, Formula Electric Racing NUST (FERN) from Pakistan
Navy Engineering College (PNEC-NUST) has earned technical sponsorship by Tesla, one of
the most valuable automotive brands that is accelerating the world’s transition to sustainable
energy with electric cars, solar and integrated renewable energy solutions and so on.
Tesla awards this sponsorship to Formula Student teams from around the world, and
FERN is the first and only team from Pakistan to have been conferred this award. Apart from
extending technical sponsorship, Tesla will also grant a discount of 5000 Euros on enepaq
tinybms, ADI & TI, bms chips and dev boards to FERN.
FERN is a celebrated Formula Student team from Pakistan Navy Engineering
College, one of the constituent colleges of NUST. The team has been working in electric
propulsion since 2016. It has the unique honor of representing Pakistan in 5 Formula Student
competitions and achieving the only podium finish for any Pakistani team.
6 years ago, NUST’s five-person team of undergrad students made Pakistan’s first
ever Formula Electric Car, making Pakistan one of the 6 countries to be a part of the Formula
SAE Lincoln 2016 competition. While 30 teams from 6 countries were able to qualify for the
competition, FERN emerged as the only team representing not only Pakistan but entire Asia.
FERN is also the first team to work on Driverless Vehicles in Pakistan. The
collaboration with Tesla will certainly benefit FERN in accomplishing bigger milestones in
the global automotive market.
Image credit and source:
https://nust.edu.pk/news/tesla-becomes-innovative-partner-of-
and
https://www.techjuice.pk/tesla-and-nust-collaborates-to-
level-up-racing-ev-production-of-fern/
/target004.png)
Technology Roundup
3
Pakistani Woman in Canada’s top 25 Women in Artificial Intelligence
Maria Abrar a Pakistani Women, has been ranked number 10 in the list of Canada’s
top 25 Women in Artificial Intelligence. This list is created by ReWork, an Artificial
Intelligence (Al) and deep learning content producer based out of London, United Kingdom.
The list contained names of Canada’s top 25 Women in artificial intelligence. Maria, a
Pakistani data scientist who has a long and successful career found herself at the 10
th
position.
by profession a Data Scientist, currently works at Meta Reality Labs in
Toronto as a Senior Data Scientist after joining the company in 2021. Maria holds an
extensive experience of 14 years in her current field and has worked with companies such as
VEON, Trulioo and Oliver Solutions. Apart from working with Canadian companies, Maria
has also worked with Telenor and Jazz, the cellular service providers. Over the course of her
career, Maria trained a number of data scientists through her knowledge in artificial
intelligence. She has also offered her services to a long list of countries which include
Pakistan, Ukraine, Bangladesh, Russia, Italy and Canada. Maria also holds boundless
experience working with Marketers, Product Managers and Relevant Professionals. Maria’s
aims are as high as her actions, she has already formed future roadmaps and business
strategies, that will lead her to more success. In addition to this she has also developed a wide
range of expertise in social network maps, product recommendation engines, estimating
customer usage pattern, revenue and in-depth behavioral segmentation.
Image credit and source:
https://www.techjuice.pk/pakistani-women-enters-the-list-of-
canadas-top-25-women-in-artificial-intelligence/#:~:text=Maria%20Abrar
/target005.png)
Technology Roundup
4
Pakistan Gets Automated Tool for Water Distribution
Pakistan has attained an automated system to determine water shares among the
provinces, water availability forecasting, system losses and gains. The Indus River System
Authority (IRSA) will switch over from a manual system to an automated one from the
coming Rabi season. The automated system has been named as Water Apportionment Accord
(WAA) Tool.
The software tool has been developed jointly by collaboration between the Ministry of
Water Resources (MoWR), IRSA, WAPDA, Provincial Irrigation Departments (PIDs) and
the Australian Government through Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research
Organization (CSIRO) and Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research
(ACIAR). The software tool remained operational for the last three years parallel with the
manual system of IRSA and it has been found 100 percent correct. Now IRSA has decided to
switch over from the incoming Rabi season, to the WAA Tool, the automated system, from
its conventional method based on manual inputs both in Mangla and Tarbela dams. The
automated system has been developed to bring consistency, transparency and ensure equity in
the distribution of surface supplies of the IBIS (Indus Basin Irrigation System) between the
signatories of the WAA, capturing complex IBIS river and reservoir operations and
automizing them into a user-friendly software tool and capacity building of stakeholder
organizations.
Image credit:
https://gnnhd.tv/news/5164/tarbela-dam-tops-installed-capability-produces-
Source:
https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/991333-new-system-to-determine-provinces-
/target006.png)
Technology Roundup
5
Balochistan Termed Fertile for Organic Cotton
Pakistan Organic Cotton Programme in collaboration with the Agriculture Extension
Department (AED), organized a seminar on ‘Organic Cotton Production in Balochistan’ to
mark World Cotton Day.
The seminar was held at the University of Balochistan (UoB), Quetta.
People from
different walks of life including the representatives of textile groups, professionals from the
agriculture field, researchers, students, and farmers’ representatives participated in the
seminar.
Director General Balochistan Agriculture Research Institute, Inamul Haq, Vice
Chancellor (VC) of the UoB Dr. Shafiqur Rehman and Pro VC Dr. Syed Ainuddin joined and
bestowed the seminar. In the seminar it was highlighted that the organic cotton production
system has positive impacts on the environment, farmers’ livelihood and the national
economy. Due to its climate and vast areas of virgin land, Balochistan has great potential for
the cultivation and promotion of organic cotton. Furthermore, the seminar also focused on
scope, potential, and challenges being faced in promoting organic cotton in the province. The
seminar concluded that organic farming promotes biodiversity and benefits the ecosystem as
it discourages the use and application of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMSs), synthetic
pesticides, and fertilizers, which are hazardous for human health and our environment. As
Pakistan has been facing the worst consequences of climate change, we must revert back to
sustainable practices in agriculture and other sectors to withstand and minimize the disastrous
effects of climate change.
Image credit and source:
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2380804/balochistan-termed-fertile-for-
/target007.png)
Technology Roundup
6
CDA to Launch Electric Buses for Public Transport in Islamabad
Capital Development Authority (CDA) will soon launch electric buses for the intra-
city commute. According to CDA officials, electric buses will run on 6 different public
transport routes. The department will also provide space for charging stations for the buses.
The first batch of electric buses will reach Islamabad by the end of December.
The launch of electric buses has been on CDA’s agenda for the past few years. The
department also began testing these buses in the twin cities a few days ago.
CDA is preparing to launch 13 new bus routes in two phases. According to Captain
(retired) Usman Younis, Chairman CDA, the first phase will see the provision of transport on
six congested routes. In the second phase, the administration will procure buses for seven
additional routes. CDA will also start a route from Faizabad to Pir Wadhai once the IJP road
is completed and PIMS will serve as the new routes’ hub, linking the service to Red Line and
Orange Line Metro buses. The department states that its aim is to reduce people’s reliance on
private means of transportation to save fuel costs and the environment.
Featured image is only for illustration purposes.
Image credit:
https://www.aboutpakistan.com/news/cda-to-purchase-29-electric-buses-for-
three-separate-routes-in-islamabad/
Source:
https://propakistani.pk/2022/10/07/cda-set-to-launch-electric-buses-for-public-
/target008.png)
Technology Roundup
7
Third Power Plant Launched on Thar Coal in Sindh
Pakistan has successfully launched a third power plant with the capacity of 330
megawatts on the indigenous Thar coal, helping the country to produce electricity at a
significantly lower cost, cutting energy import bills and saving foreign exchange reserves.
This is the third plant on local coal (dirty fuel) operating within the mine vicinity in
Tharparker district in Sindh. Accordingly, the total installed power production capacity
increased to 990 megawatts on Thar coal in three-years to date.
Power production on Thar coal stands as the third cheapest source among as many as
124 plants operating on various fuels including gas, RLNG and oil in the country, according
to the latest government merit order dated September 16, 2022. According to the National
Transmission and Despatch Company (NTDC), the power production on Thar coal costs Rs.
4.39 per unit at present. This is including fuel (coal) costs at Rs. 3.74 per unit. The merit
order suggests that high-speed diesel is the most expensive fuel used to produce electricity,
costing Rs. 75.04 per unit at present. The government, however, will first fully utilize the
low-cost fuel-run plants to meet local demand and only take production from other expensive
plants in case demand spikes.
It has been learnt that Pakistan has 175 billion tonnes of coal reserves in Tharparkar
alone, equivalent to 50 billion tonnes of oil equivalent (TOE) which is more than Saudi
Arabian and Iranian oil reserves. The reserves equal to 2,000 trillion cubic feet (TCF) of gas
which is 68 times higher than Pakistan’s total gas reserves. Thar coal can meet Pakistan’s
electricity demand for several centuries and, as all the coal reserves will not be utilized for
power production, there could be many other uses for the excess coal.
Image credit and source:
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2379519/third-power-plant-launched-
/target009.png)
Technology Roundup
8
Public Offices to go Solar in Rawalpindi, Punjab
In view of the considerable reduction in electricity bills, the government has decided
the transition of all government institutions including the Commissioner’s office, Deputy
Commissioner’s office, CPO, RPO, Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA), Water &
Sanitation Agency (WASA), Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) and 32 police stations
toward solar energy in Rawalpindi District.
Rs. 500 million have been allocated for this purpose in the initial phase following
which WASA’s all 450 tube wells will also be shifted to solar energy in a phased manner.
With this initiative, these institutions and the Punjab government will save billions of rupees
annually.
It has been decided to launch the project in November.
The district administration and
the authorities of all these institutions have started preparations for this project in which solar
energy devices will be officially installed in public institutions.
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2380797/public-offices-to-go-solar-in-
/target010.png)
Technology Roundup
9
Pakistan Bags Three Awards for Nuclear Advancement Contribution
Pakistan has received three Regional Cooperation Agreement (RCA) awards in
Vienna, Austria, both for the institutional category and the individual category.
Regional Cooperative Agreement (RCA) of the International Atomic Energy Agency
(IAEA) recognized achievements of Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) on its 50
th
Anniversary. A ministerial level meeting was organized by the International Atomic Energy
Agency (IAEA) to celebrate the 50
th
anniversary of the Regional Cooperative Agreement
(RCA). During this event, various awards were conferred to recognize contributions to the
RCA program. Pakistan had the distinction to receive three awards in individual and institute
categories respectively at the event held in Vienna, Austria.
In the institute category, Pakistan Institute of Nuclear Science and Technology
(PINSTECH) was recognized for its contributions in various areas of applications of nuclear
science and technology including Isotope Hydrology, Water Resources Management,
Industry and Air & Marine Pollution.
In the individual category, two Pakistani scientists were conferred RCA Project
Awards. Dr. Azam Tasneem, Chief Scientist (Retd.), PINSTECH, was recognized for his
work as Lead Country Coordinator in the areas of Isotope Hydrology and Water Resource
Management. Also, Dr. Irfan Ullah, Dy. Chief Scientist, Institute of Nuclear Medicine &
Oncology (INMOL) was awarded for his contribution in the areas of cancer diagnosis and
treatment. The RCA is a formal inter-governmental agreement which serves as a framework
for the Asia Pacific Region to intensify collaboration through programmes and projects
focused on the specific shared needs of its 22 member countries in the field of nuclear science
and technology.
Image credit and source
https://www.nation.com.pk/29-Sep-2022/pakistan-bags-three-
awards-for-nuclear-advancement-contribution
/target011.png)
Technology Roundup
10
Special Programme for G-B Schoolchildren Inaugurated
Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) Chief Minister Khalid Khursheed inaugurated a special
programme for the teaching of Computer Science, STEM and entrepreneurship in
government schools all across the region.
This is the first of its kind programme in Pakistan where 100 expert technology
fellows will be trained by private service provider to teach these courses in 200 public
schools all across G-B.
This programme will be the start of a STEM revolution in the public sector education
of Pakistan. Through this programme, students from grades six to eight will be taught
computer science, STEM and Entrepreneurship.
Under STEM, through integrated project-based learning, students will be taught about
latest technologies, science, engineering and mathematics. The students will make multiple
hands on projects and they will use the latest Learning Management System (LMS) as aid in
learning.
The Entrepreneurship course is being introduced for the first time in Pakistan. A
specially designed curriculum is being developed to promote entrepreneurship and business
sense amongst students so that they can become job creators rather than job seekers.
Image credit and source
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2378397/first-of-its-kind-special-
programme-for-g-b-schoolchildren-inaugurated
/target012.png)
Technology Roundup
11
Chinese, Pakistani Universities to Build Research Center on Food Security,
Plant Biotech
A Chinese research university and a Pakistani university are to jointly build a research
centre on food security and plant biotechnology, as per Dr. Wang Depeng, Professor at the
College of Life Science of Linyi University.
In recent years, a growing number of Chinese and Pakistani researchers have jointly
conducted research projects to mitigate the effects of worsening climate change. Last year,
Dr. Wang together with Pakistani and Turkish scientists published four English monographs
on climate-smart agriculture and climate-resilient crops as the world is struggling to maintain
and increase agriculture production.
The research centre is part of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to be signed
between Linyi University and Pakistan’s Abdul Wali Khan University. Under the MoU, the
research centre and laboratories which will be established at Linyi University will focus on
the disciplines of biotechnology, agronomy and food sciences. Both sides will also recruit
researchers from respective universities to work in the research centre and supervise student
researchers.
Two joint research groups will be formed to conduct research of mutual interests and
a joint training programme of M. Phil and Ph. D students will also be offered.
Image credit and source:
https://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2022/09/23/chinese-pakistani-
universities-to-build-research-center-on-food-security-plant-biotech/
/target013.png)
Technology Roundup
12
New Technology to Ease Drinking Water Shortage in Flood Affected Areas
Experts urged government and philanthropists to invest in cost-effective floodwater
purification filters developed by the Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources
(PCRWR) that are based on modern technical equipment and helpful in mitigating water
shortage and health issues due to stagnant water in flood affected areas. The PCRWR, in the
wake of unprecedented torrential rains, that inundated one-third of the country, had built most
modern water purification plants that are portable and easy to operate and maintain system
sufficient to meet drinking water needs of a limited population in a union council.
The water filtration plants are based on solar power and manual mechanism based on
the area needs and population capacity to handle the equipment. The Council through its
regional offices had provided few filtration plants in Balochistan and Sindh to utilize the
floodwater for drinking and domestic purposes.
The solar water purification filter had a solar panel plate of almost 280 watts used to
provide power to run the suction machine to supply flood water to the purification filters that
used to capture turbidity, mud, microbes and bacteria.
The solar-based filter could purify 1,500 liters of floodwater per hour. However, the
manual filter as compared to the solar based only had a PLP wheel and a handle attached to it
for drawing water into the filters whereas the rest of the technology was the same. This
manual filter could purify 1,200 liters of contaminated water per hour.
Image credit:
https://pcrwr.gov.pk/pakistan-water-week-2022/
Source:
https://www.nation.com.pk/23-Sep-2022/new-technology-to-ease-drinking-water-
shortage-in-flood-affected-areas#:~:text=The%20solar%20water%20purification
/target014.png)
Technology Roundup
13
German Software Development House Planned in Pakistan
Leading German software corporation SAP, announced plans to set up a software
development house in Pakistan with a capacity to train 5000 students.
At present, SAP is providing digital solutions to leading Pakistani companies in the
public and private sector, enabling them to achieve higher growth. All major systems-related
companies in Pakistan including Systems Limited, IBM and Siemens work with SAP.
SAP Country Managing Director, Saquib Ahmad explained that the company was in
the process of acquiring regulatory approval to set up a Software Development Centre in
Pakistan. While responding to a question regarding the security of sensitive information, he
underscored that, SAP ensures and controls security at all levels. We guarantee full
compliance with all governmental protocols and ensure that all relevant information stays
within Pakistan. SAP had witnessed double digit growth every year in Pakistan. Profits of our
customer companies also increased as they expanded and achieved export targets due to the
implementation of digital solutions.
Digital transformation could help create a larger international footprint for Pakistan.
While the company has yet to identify a place at which the centre would be set up, however it
would create job opportunities for the Pakistani youth.
Image credit and source:
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2377876/software-development-house-
/target015.png)
Technology Roundup
14
Biggest-Ever Glacier Mapping Project To Be Launched In Pakistan
The United Nations (UN) aims to set up a system that will map the glaciers in
Pakistan’s northern areas to determine how rapidly the ice is melting. A system of early
warning may be developed to avert tragedies like the recent floods.
According to Knut Ostby, a representative of the UN Development Program (UNDP)
in Pakistan, the organization would map 5,000 glaciers over the following 1.5 years. Pakistan
is the country having highest number of glaciers.
A system of early warning may be developed to avert tragedies like the recent floods.
It is a top priority work, since the melting of glaciers and the consequent formation of many
lakes in the mountains has significantly increased the risk of flooding in the area. In the
snow-covered Hindu Kush-Himalaya-Karakoram Mountains in South Asia, which are
thought to be the largest repository outside the north and south poles, there is a permanent ice
cap and permafrost of the Earth, known as the third pole.
The project will aid in developing comprehensive solutions to prevent the melting of
this third pole as more than 110 valleys in Pakistan need this warning system.
Image credit and source:
/target016.png)
Technology Roundup
15
Chinese Company to Establish Automatic Weather Station in Pakistan
Chinese meteorological company will set up an automatic weather station and is
looking forward to building meteorological labs in Pakistan. According to Zhuge, CEO of
ZOGLAB, a professional Chinese manufacturer specialized in instruments for atmosphere
and environment, provision of automatic weather stations (AWS) and technologies is being
planned. If conditions permit, meteorological labs with Pakistani partners will also be built.
The quantity and quality of meteorological equipment in China top the world. For
customers in South and Southeast Asia, Chinese meteorological equipment is more cost-
effective compared with similar products with the same index and precision manufactured in
the US and European countries.
According to the CEO, Pakistan and China can also collaborate to establish
meteorological standards to improve the accuracy of the data acquired by the existing
weather stations.
Taking a step further, China can provide the meteorological radars, satellite receivers,
etc. to Pakistan to set up a three-dimensional meteorological observation system that covers
equipment on the ground, in the sea, in the air and in the space.
Image credit and source:
https://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2022/09/06/chinese-company-
to-establish-automatic-weather-station-in-pakistan/
/target017.png)
Technology Roundup
16
Flying Car Takes Off in Dubai
Dubai witnessed a historic moment in what could be the future of travel and public
transport. Xpeng, Chinese technology and electric vehicle manufacturer, made the first
successful global public flight of its X2 flying car.
The autonomous two-seater flying car has 760 kg of maximum take-off weight and
560 kg empty weight with a maximum flight speed of 130 km per hour. Made from premium
carbon fiber material and equipped with an airframe parachute, it offers 35 minutes of flight.
The futuristic electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicle (eVTOL) is equipped with an
intelligent flight control system and autonomous flight capabilities and is the latest generation
of the flying car. The X2 emits zero carbon dioxide and is designed with low-altitude city
capabilities. Dubai International Chamber has been working closely with XPeng to explore
wider international markets using Dubai as a gateway.
The test flight was conducted on the sidelines of the Gitex Global 2022, which is
taking place at the Dubai World Trade Centre Earlier this year, senior UAE officials visited
Xpeng facilities in Guangzhou, China, and invited the company to choose the UAE to expand
its market. Dubai Civil Aviation Authority is working with the company and shares its
feedback regularly with Xpeng, which is taking feedback very actively.
Image credit and source:
https://www.khaleejtimes.com/transport/watch-flying-car-takes-off-
in-dubai-can-cruise-at-top-speeds-of-130kmph
/target018.png)
Technology Roundup
17
BioNTech Founders Predict Cancer Vaccine is Only Years Away
The husband and wife team who co-founded BioNTech, the biotechnology company
that partnered with Pfizer to develop an effective messenger-RNA (mRNA) shot against
COVID-19, has predicted that a cancer vaccine could be widely available within the next
decade. BioNTech originally focused on developing mRNA-based technologies for a patient-
specific approach to cancer treatment.
According to Professor Ugur Sahin, the cancer vaccine, which would build upon
breakthroughs achieved by the scientists during the development of the COVID-19 shot, may
be widely available within just eight years.
The hope is that a vaccine currently in development would train the body to recognize
and attack cancers using mRNA technology. The goal that we have is that can we use the
individualized vaccine approach to ensure that directly after surgery, patients receive a
personalized, individualized vaccine, and we induce an immune response that so the T-cells
in the body of the patient can screen the body for remaining tumor cells and ideally eliminate
the tumor cells.
it remains to be seen how doctors would use other types of medical interventions in
combination with the vaccine and what else needs to be tweaked to ensure that patients are
cured.
Image credit and source:
https://www.sciencealert.com/biontech-founders-predict-cancer-
/target019.png)
Technology Roundup
18
World's First Flying Bike Makes its Debut in US Auto Show
A flying bike made by Japanese startup AERWINS Technologies made its debut in
the United States at the Detroit Auto Show, touted as the world's first flying bike. The
manufacturers have plans to launch the model next year. The flying bike has been named as
XTURISMO hoverbike.
The XTURISMO hoverbike can fly for 40 minutes with a speed limit of up to 100 kph
(62 miles per hour). According to the founder and CEO of AERWINS, Shuhei Komatsu, the
company is planning to sell a smaller version in the US in 2023.
This hoverbike comes with a huge price of $777,000. However, AERWINS founder
said that the company is trying to cut down the cost to $50,000 for a smaller, electric model
but it will take 2-3 years and will be ready by 2025.
Co-chair of the Detroit Auto Show, Thad Szott, who took the bike for a test flight,
said that the experience of riding a hoverbike was comfortable and exhilarating and felt like it
was something straight out of a science fiction movie.
Image credit and source:
https://www.indiatoday.in/business/story/world-first-flying-bike-us-
/target020.png)
Technology Roundup
19
A 10 Story Building Constructed in a Record 28 Hours Time
Built-in Changsha city China, the building first became news when developers “Broad
Group” published a 45-minute long YouTube video that explained the building’s construction
and the audience was surely amazed by the speed.
Even the fastest of skyscrapers require some weeks to be built from the ground up. So
what did Broad Group do that it was able to create a building so high in much less time?
Well, they used prefabricated construction systems.
A newer and more effective way to create buildings, prefabricated buildings are
designed in several different modules, all to be joined together and create a building. These
are first created in a factory and are then transported turn by turn to the construction site, each
module is kept and joined onto the last one until the building completes.
Despite the fact that the building Broad Group created was built using prefabricated
construction systems, the speed and efficiency at which their workers put together the bolts
and joints, ran electric wires and provided water connections at each separate level is
admirable. While many may think of prefabricated buildings to be weak or something that
would eventually get destroyed, but it’s quite the opposite of what we would expect it to be.
The prefabricated building stands firm like any other building and is even earthquake-proof.
The best part about this building is you could simply disassemble it and transport it to another
location too.
Image credit and source:
https://www.techjuice.pk/developers-in-china-constructs-10-story-
building-in-a-record-28-hours/
/target021.png)
Technology Roundup
20
MOXIE Experiment Reliably Produces Oxygen on Mars
Day and night, and across seasons, the instrument generates breathable oxygen from
the Red Planet’s thin atmosphere.
On the red and dusty surface of Mars, nearly 100 million miles from Earth, an
instrument the size of a lunchbox is proving it can reliably do the work of a small
tree. Researchers report that, MOXIE was able to produce oxygen on seven experimental
runs, in a variety of atmospheric conditions, including during the day and night, and through
different Martian seasons. In each run, the instrument reached its target of producing six
grams of oxygen per hour, about the rate of a modest tree on Earth. Researchers envision that
a scaled-up version of MOXIE could be sent to Mars ahead of a human mission, to
continuously produce oxygen at the rate of several hundred trees.
Despite the necessary compromises in MOXIE’s current design, the instrument has
shown it can reliably and efficiently convert Mars’ atmosphere into pure oxygen. It does so
by first drawing the Martian air in through a filter that cleans it of contaminants. The air is
then pressurized, and sent through the Solid OXide Electrolyzer (SOXE), an instrument
developed and built by OxEon Energy, that electrochemically splits the carbon dioxide-rich
air into oxygen ions and carbon monoxide. The oxygen ions are then isolated and recombined
to form breathable, molecular oxygen, or O2, which MOXIE then measures for quantity and
purity before releasing it harmlessly back into the air, along with carbon monoxide and other
atmospheric gases.
Image credit and source:
/target022.png)
Technology Roundup
21
A New Holographic Microscope Allows Seeing Through the Skull
Researchers of the Institute for Basic Science, The Catholic University of Korea, and
Seoul National University developed a new type of holographic microscope. The new
microscope can achieve “see through” the intact skull and is capable of high resolution 3D
imaging of the neural network within a living mouse brain without removing the skull. In
order to scrutinize the internal features of a living organism using light, it is necessary to
deliver sufficient light energy to the sample and accurately measure the signal reflected from
the target tissue. However, in living tissues multiple scattering effects and severe
aberration tend to occur when light hits the cells, which makes it difficult to obtain sharp
images. In complex structures such as living tissue, light undergoes multiple scattering,
which causes the photons to randomly change their direction several times as they travel
through the tissue.
The research team managed to quantitatively analyze the interaction between light
and matter. In this recent study, the researchers reported the successful development of a
super depth, three-dimensional time-resolved holographic microscope that allows for the
observation of tissues to a greater depth than ever before. The researchers devised a method
to preferentially select single-scattered waves by taking advantage of the fact that they have
similar reflection waveforms even when light is input from various angles. This is done by a
complex algorithm and a numerical operation that analyzes the eigenmode of a medium
between wavefronts of light. This enabled the new microscope to focus more than 80 times
of light energy on the neural fibers than before, while selectively removing unnecessary
signals. This allowed the ratio of single-scattered waves versus multiple-scattered waves to
be increased by several orders of magnitude.
Image credit and source:
https://www.ibs.re.kr/cop/bbs/BBSMSTR_000000000611/selectBoardArticle.do?nttId=2204
/target023.png)
Technology Roundup
22
Disposable Electronics on a Simple Sheet of Paper
Discarded electronic devices, such as cell phones, are a fast-growing source of waste.
One way to mitigate the problem could be to use components that are made with renewable
resources and that are easy to dispose of responsibly. Now, researchers reporting in ACS
Applied Materials & Interfaces have created a prototype circuit board that is made of a sheet
paper with fully integrated electrical components, and that can be burned or left to degrade.
To use paper-based circuit boards, is easier to dispose of, less expensive and more
flexible. However, current options require specialized paper, or they simply have traditional
metal circuitry components mounted onto a sheet of paper.
The researchers designed a paper-based amplifier-type circuit that incorporated
resistors, capacitors and a transistor. They first used wax to print channels onto a sheet of
paper in a simple pattern. After melting the wax so that it soaked into the paper, the team
printed semi-conductive and conductive inks, which soaked into the areas not blocked by
wax. Then, the researchers screen-printed additional conductive metal components and casted
a gel-based electrolyte onto the sheet.
Tests confirmed that the resistor, capacitor and transistor designs performed properly.
The final circuit was very flexible and thin, just like paper, even after adding the components.
To demonstrate the degradability of the circuit, the team showed that the entire unit quickly
burned to ash after being lit on fire.
Image credit and source:
https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/pressroom/newsreleases/2022/october/disposable-
electronics-on-a-simple-sheet-of-paper.html
/target024.png)
Technology Roundup
23
Modified Microwave Oven Cooks up Next-gen Semiconductors
A household microwave oven modified by a Cornell Engineering professor is helping
to cook up the next generation of cell phones, computers and other electronics after the
invention was shown to overcome a major challenge faced by the semiconductor industry.
The prototype was built by James Hwang, a research professor in the Department of
Materials Science and Engineering. Producing the materials that make up transistors and
other microchip components is similar to baking, in that material ingredients must be mixed
together and then heated, among other steps, in order to produce a desired electrical current.
For instance, phosphorus is added to silicon and then the mixture is annealed, or heated, to
position the phosphorus atoms into the correct place so that they are active in current
conduction. But as microchips continue to shrink, the silicon must be doped, or mixed, with
higher concentrations of phosphorus to produce the desired current. Hwang’s modified
microwave oven overcomes this challenge by using microwaves to activate the excess
dopants. Just like with household microwave ovens that sometimes heat food unevenly,
previous microwave annealers produced “standing waves” that prevented consistent dopant
activation, but Hwang’s prototype selectively controls where the standing waves occur. Such
precision allows for the proper activation of the dopants without excessive heating or damage
of the silicon crystal.
Image credit and source:
https://news.cornell.edu/stories/2022/09/modified-microwave-oven-
semiconductors#:~:text=A%20household%20microwave%20oven%20modified,faced%20by
/target025.png)
Technology Roundup
24
Walking Micro-Robots having Electronic Brains
A collaborative effort has installed electronic “brains” on solar-powered robots that
are 100 to 250 micrometers in size, smaller than an ant’s head, so that they can walk
autonomously without being externally controlled.
Cornell University researchers and others have previously developed microscopic
machines that can crawl, swim, walk and fold themselves up, there were always “strings”
attached to generate motion, wires were used to provide electrical current or laser beams had
to be focused directly onto specific locations on the robots. According to Itai Cohen,
Professor of Physics in the College of Arts and Sciences, the invention of electronic brains in
micro robots set the stage for a new generation of microscopic devices that can track bacteria,
sniff out chemicals, destroy pollutants, conduct microsurgery and scrub the plaque out of
arteries.
The “brain” in the new robots is a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor
(CMOS) clock circuit that contains a thousand transistors, plus an array of diodes, resistors
and capacitors. The integrated CMOS circuit generates a signal that produces a series of
phase-shifted square wave frequencies that in turn set the gait of the robot. The robot legs are
platinum-based actuators. Both the circuit and the legs are powered by photovoltaics.
Dr. Alejandro Cortese, displaying a silicon-on-insulator wafer that contains finished CMOS “brains.”
Image credit and source:
https://news.cornell.edu/stories/2022/09/brains-board-smart-
/target026.png)
Technology Roundup
25
New Algorithms Help Four-Legged Robots Run in the Wild
A team led by the University of California San Diego has developed a new system of
algorithms that enables four-legged robots to walk and run on challenging terrain while
avoiding both static and moving obstacles. In tests, the system guided a robot to maneuver
autonomously and swiftly across sandy surfaces, gravel, grass, and bumpy dirt hills covered
with branches and fallen leaves without bumping into poles, trees, shrubs, boulders, benches
or people.
The robot also navigated a busy office space without bumping into boxes, desks or
chairs. The work brings researchers a step closer to building robots that can perform search
and rescue missions or collect information in places that are too dangerous or difficult for
humans.
The system provides a legged robot more versatility because of the way it combines
the robot’s sense of sight with another sensing modality called proprioception, which
involves the robot’s sense of movement, direction, speed, location and touch—in this case,
the feel of the ground beneath its feet.
According to Xiaolong Wang, a professor of electrical and computer engineering at
the UC San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering, most approaches to train legged robots to
walk and navigate rely either on proprioception or vision, but not both at the same time.
Moving forward, Wang and his team are working on making legged robots more versatile so
that they can conquer even more challenging terrains including enabling a robot to walk up
and down stairs, walk on stones, change directions and jump over obstacles.
Image credit:
https://techxplore.com/news/2022-10-algorithms-four-legged-robots-wild.html
Source:
https://today.ucsd.edu/story/new-algorithms-help-four-legged-robots-run-in-the-wild
/target027.png)
Technology Roundup
26
Development of a Disposable Paper Battery
A study published in the journal Scientific Reports outlines a water-activated
disposable paper battery. According to the scientists, it could be used to power a broad
variety of low-power, single-use disposable electronics, such as smart labels for tracking
items, environmental sensors, and medical diagnostic devices, thereby minimizing their
environmental impact. The battery was developed by Gustav Nyström and colleagues, and it
consists of at least one cell that is one centimeter squared and is made up of three inks that
have been printed on a rectangular piece of paper. The paper strip is covered with sodium
chloride salt, and one of its shorter ends has been dipped in wax.
One of the flat sides of the paper is printed with ink containing graphite flakes, which
serves as the positive end of the battery (cathode). The other side is printed with ink
containing zinc powder, which serves as the negative end of the battery (anode). In addition,
on top of the other two inks, an ink containing graphite flakes and carbon black is printed on
both sides of the paper. This ink links the battery’s positive and negative ends to two wires
positioned at the wax-dipped end of the paper. The salts in the paper dissolve when a small
quantity of water is added, releasing charged ions. These ions spread across the paper to
activate the battery, which causes the zinc in the ink at the negative end of the battery to
release electrons. Attaching the wires to an electrical device closes the circuit so that
electrons can be transferred from the negative end, via the graphite and carbon black,
containing ink, wires, and device to the positive end (the graphite-containing ink) where they
are transferred to oxygen in the surrounding air. These reactions generate an electrical current
that can be used to power the device.
Image credit and source:
https://scitechdaily.com/a-new-disposable-paper-battery-has-been-
/target028.png)
Technology Roundup
27
S. Korean Scientists Develop New Material That Produces 20 Times More
Hydrogen Then Traditional Methods
Scientists in South Korea have developed a new material that can produce up to 20
times more hydrogen than conventional methods. Traditional hydrogen production often
relies on the use of platinum, an expensive precious metal, the cost of which obviously
reflects on the price of H2.
The team of South Korean researchers, however, has found a way to replace platinum
in the electrolysis process with a different, far less costly material that can dramatically bring
down the price of hydrogen.
The innovative method involves the ‘carbonization’ of fabric that is burnt at the
temperature of 900°C, after which the fabric is dipped in a nickel metal solution and an
electric current is applied.
As a result, the metal bonds with the cloth, a process known as electroplating, which
turns the fabric into a new material that is more reactive. The carbonization at only 900°C as
opposed to the usual temperature of 2,000°C, at which carbonization generally occurs, allows
larger surfaces to be treated in this way.
Once the new material is formed, it is submerged water with an electric current
running through it, causing bubbles of hydrogen to appear. The researchers found the amount
of hydrogen produced with the help of this material was 20 times greater compared to the
process that uses platinum.
Image credit and source:
https://fuelcellsworks.com/news/s-korean-scientists-develop-new-
material-that-produces-20-times-more-hydrogen-than-traditional-methods/
/target029.png)
Technology Roundup
28
Engineered Mosquitoes that Can’t Spread Malaria
Scientists have engineered mosquitoes that slow the growth of malaria-causing
parasites in their gut, preventing transmission of malaria to humans. At present, the technique
has shown to dramatically reduce the possibility of malaria spread in a lab setting, but if
proven safe and effective in real-world settings, it could offer a powerful new tool to help
eliminate malaria.
The disease is transmitted between people after a female mosquito bites someone
infected with the malaria parasite. The parasite then develops into its next stage in the
mosquito’s gut and travels to its salivary glands. However, only around 10% of mosquitoes
live long enough for the parasite to develop far enough to be infectious.
The researchers of “Transmission:Zero” team at Imperial College London, genetically
modified the main malaria-carrying species of mosquito in Africa. They were able to make it
so that when mosquito takes a blood meal, it produces two molecules called “antimicrobial
peptides” in its guts. These peptides, which were originally isolated from honeybees and
African clawed frogs, impair the malaria parasite's development.
This caused a few days' delay before the next parasite stage could reach the mosquito
salivary glands, by which time most mosquitoes in nature are expected to die. The peptides
work by interfering with the energy metabolism of the parasite, which also has some effect on
the mosquito, causing them to have a shorter lifespan and further decreasing their ability to
pass on the parasite.
Image credit and source:
https://www.imperial.ac.uk/news/239931/mosquitoes-that-cant-
/target030.png)
Technology Roundup
29
FORTHCOMING TECH EVENTS
PAKISTAN
20
th
International and 32
nd
National Chemistry Conference on Chemical Sciences and
Sustainable Development Goals
November 02 – 04, 2022, The Khwaja Fareed University of Engineering & Information
Technology, Rahim Yar Khan
1
st
International Nursing Research Conference (NRCON International 2022)
November 11 – 12, 2022, Liaqat University of Medical and Health Sciences, Jamshoro
https://lumhs.edu.pk/nrcon2022/
Nurturing for Transforming Lives: The Power of Early Childhood Development
November 16 – 17, 2022, Islamabad
5
th
NED International Textile Conference (NEDITC 2022)
November 16 – 17, 2022, NED University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi
International Conference on Sustainable Engineering and Development
November 25 – 26, 2022, Marriott Hotel, Karachi
1
st
International Conference on Climate Change: (ICCC-2022)
November 28 – 30, 2022, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur
https://www.iub.edu.pk/1st-international-conference-on-climate-change-iccc-2022
2
nd
International Conference on Gender and Social Sciences: Diversity, Challenges &
Opportunities
End of November, 2022, Lahore College for Women University, Lahore
7
th
Multi Disciplinary Student Research International Conference (MDSRIC)
November 29 – 30, 2022, University of Wah, Wah Cantonment
http://uow.edu.pk/ORIC/MDSRIC/MDSRIC22
4
th
International Conference on Sustainable Energy Technologies (ICSET 2022)
December 5
th
2022, University of Engineering and Technology, Peshawar
http://uspcase.uetpeshawar.edu.pk/icset-2022/
International Conference on Emerging Technologies In Electronics, Computing And
Communication (ICETECC) 2022
December 7 – 9, 2022, Mehran University of Engineering & Technology, Jamshoro
International Conference on Computing Research (ICCoR 22)
December 17
th
2022, Capital University of Science and Technology, Islamabad
1
st
International Conference on “Innovations in Chemistry, Biochemistry, Biotechnology and
Bioinformatics” (ICBBB-2022)
December 15
th
2022, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur
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Technology Roundup
30
INTERNATIONAL
2
nd
International Conference on Biological Engineering and Medical Science (ICBioMed 2022)
November 7 – 13, 2022, Stanford University, California
https://www.icbiomed.org/index.html
4
th
International Conference on Agriculture and Agro-Industry (ICAAI-2022)
November 10 – 11, 2022, Chiang Rai, Thaiiland
11
th
International Conference on Biomedical Engineering and Biotechnology (ICBEB 2022)
November 15 – 18, 2022, Shenzhen, China
2
nd
International Conference on Basic Sciences and Technology (ICBAST)
November 16 – 19, 2022, Antalya, Turkey
International Conference on Engineering Technologies
November 17 – 19, 2022, Konya, Turkey
15
th
International Conference on Machine Vision (ICMV 2022)
November 18 – 20, 2022, Rome, Italy
Future of Digital Tribology
November 23
rd
2022, University of Southampton, UK
https://iop.eventsair.com/fdt2022
International Conference on Health and Medicine (ICHM-22)
November 23rd 2022, The Pan Pacific, Singapore
https://iser.org.in/conf/venue.php?id=1681894&source=ISER
12
th
International Conference on Computer Science, Engineering and Applications (ICCSEA
2022)
November 26 – 27, 2022, London, United Kingdom
5
th
African Conference on Research In Chemistry Education (ACRICE 2022)
December 7 – 9, 2022, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
https://iupac.org/event/acrice-2022/
21
st
IEEE International Conference on Machine Learning and Applications
December 12 – 14, 2022, Atlantis Hotel, Bahamas
https://www.icmla-conference.org/icmla22/index.php
Physics Enhancing Machine Learning in Applied Solid Mechanics
December 12
th
2022, Institute of Physics, London, UK
https://iop.eventsair.com/asm2022
14
th
International Conference on Computer Science and its Applications
December 19 – 20, 2022, Vientiane Capital, Lao PDR
http://csa-conference.org/2022/
292
nd
International Conference on Science, Engineering & Technology (ICSET 2022)
December 19 – 21, 2022, Toronto, Canada
https://icset.ciconference.com/
International Conference on Health and Medicine (ICHM-22)
December 24
th
2022, Mumbai, India
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Technology Roundup
31
TECH AND TRADE OFFERS
Ewall
About Ewall
Ewall is an electronics company for
Robotics,
Electrical
and
Mechatronic
products.
The
Company
products
and
resources are designed to make the world of
electronics more accessible to consumers,
inventors, students and hobbyists. We are
committed to bring our customers great values
in electronic components ranging from a
simple chip to a complex circuitry.
Ewall is the first ever Pakistani
company that is working on Multi-Rotor
UAV’s Drone From high range long
endurance large size Outdoor Multi-rotors to
small size racing indoor multi rotors.
Our Products
Electronic Products prototyping
Embedded systems design
PCB Design/Layout/Manufacture/
fabrication
Electronic Products Design - from concept
to completion
R&D Based Customized Products
Laser Cutting & 3D Printing
Electronic Components
Re-engineering services
DIY Parts and Projects
Electronic Gadget
Transducers, Connectors Diods
Fuses,
ICs Inductors
3D Printer, Robotic arm, Humanoid robots
Contact us:
Head office
: Block# UG-17A Deans Trade
Centre, Peshawar Cantt Pakistan
Phone:
+92 91 7086950
Cell:
+92 300 4315131
Email:
Rainbow Rubber Industry
About Rainbow Rubber Industry
Rainbow Rubber began to work on the
bridges, flyover and overpass components
such as Elastomeric Bearing Pads, Expansion
Joints System, and Elastomeric Profile
Strip etc.
We have a strong growth in the
development of the rubber based products.
Our experienced and technical Engineers have
an excellent influence for the maintaining the
quality of the good product.
Our vision is to be the best
manufacturer and supplier of Bridge Bearing
Pads, Bridge Expansion Joints, and Water
Stopper in Pakistan and over the world.
Our Products
Water Stopper
Rainbow offers Elastomeric CR/EPDM water
stopper as well as the PVC type. A water
stopper is an element of a concrete structure,
used to prevent the passages of fluids (water
or any other liquid) when embedded in and
running continuously through concrete joints.
/target033.png)
Technology Roundup
32
Pot Bearings for Water Stoppers
Rubber Safety Products
Rainbow Rubber offers a very high quality
range of rubber products to our prestigious
clients. Our Experienced and technical team
has taken the responsibility to provide better
quality products at reasonable prices. Our
safety products are individually tested in
PCSIR Laboratory.
Fenders
Rubber Humps
Pot Bearing
Contact us:
Factory: C 23 B-1/ A, Main Site Avenue,
Site Area, Karachi-75700, Pakistan.
Phone:
+92-213-256-10-11
Cell:
+92-300-219-91-28
Email:
Web:
https://www.rainbowrubber.pk/index.html
Please give us your feedback and address
queries to
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Technology Information Section
works exclusively for support and
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information on trade and industry
in the country.
“Technology Roundup” is a news
bulletin that provides latest and
innovative technology news,
forthcoming events, etc. It also
promotes products, technologies
and services globally in sectors
such as Agro Industry, Bio-
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