Save Energy Go green

Not with envy, but kindness to the environment, and alertness to your electricity bills

You leave your PC on all day. But you care for the environment, so you switch off the monitor. Good move, but did you know you are still wasting about 45 Watts with the CPU running?

That’s what Tufts University’s Climate Initiative says. And it also says that if you leave your PC on for the entire day, 850-1500 pounds of carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere a year. And this means that you need 60-300 trees to absorb that much CO2 in a year.

That does get you thinking doesn’t it! Now, all that noise about climate change because of our insensitivity to the environment starts to make sense. We cut down trees, we waste electricity, we replace cellphones and gadgets with the latest ones, without bothering about what really happens to the old ones. While there could be debates on how much all this really impacts our environment, most of us know intuitively that what we are doing mindlessly is really not right, and is likely to have negative repercussions.

That is why the world over, the word Green is becoming red hot. Green computing is in. This means that you start to use computing resources efficiently. It’s not just about being good to Mother Nature, but also being able to save a lot of money being spent on electricity. For companies that have thousands and thousands of computers running, datacenters keeping their businesses up and running, all this can add to a huge fortune. In fact, going green is now gaining so much momentum that those companies which do not have green computing initiatives are seen as enemies of the environment.

So how does it matter to you? You might have one PC and a laptop at home, in addition to the multiple electronic devices you run. And you might even be considering another PC for the little one. Think if you really need all those PCs. Buy only if you have to. While buying, remember that laptops consume less power, so it could be wiser to go the portable way. Or if you need to look at a PC, opt for monitors that consume less power. LCD monitors need much less power than CRT ones. Look for Energy Star ratings and save energy.

Explore the power saving options of your PC and customize them to suit the way you work. If you often go away from your PC for a long time, you can set the monitor and hard disk to be switched off after a few minutes of no-activity.

To dispose old PCs and gadgets, get in touch with NGOs working in this area and figure out the best way to do so. Or if you own a branded PC or gadget, get in touch with the company and ask how this e-waste can be managed. Most computer vendors and cellphone makers have Green initiatives on, so you might get some help.

These are still early days for green initiatives for companies in India. But if you and I make a start, the rest will fall in place.

LabVIEW the new emerging tool

LabVIEW is a powerfull tool developed by NATIONAL INSTRUMENS having many new features….

Increase Throughput with Parallel Test test engineers use LabVIEW, multicore processors, and new bus technologies to create high-performance test systems capable of parallel processing, parallel measurements, and even parallel test on the production floor. Connect to Any Instrument, Any Sensor, Any Bus Built-in I/O and communication libraries in LabVIEW provide native connectivity to any instrument, sensor, bus, or software interface to simplify integration of these components into your test applications.

Boeing Uses LabVIEW to Develop a Low-Cost Test System LabVIEW software and NI hardware helped a single Boeing developer create a high-channel-count, synchronized test system in only six months to measure the effectiveness of new commercial jetliner designs in reducing noise during flight.

Acquire Measurements from Any Sensor, Any Bus LabVIEW may be used to create a fully functional measurement application with analysis and a custom user interface using a variety of PCI- and USB-based data acquisition hardware. Measure in Minutes with LabVIEW and the DAQ Assistant LabVIEW uses the interactive DAQ Assistant and high-level functions to combine the flexibility and scalability of traditional programming languages and the ease of use of configuration-based data acquisition tools.
Acquire, Analyze, and Present Data Quickly with Express VIs to develop a powerful DAQ application that includes advanced analysis and a custom user interface. See how tasks that would take several lines of code in traditional programming languages are interactively configured with Express VIs in LabVIEW.

Use LabVIEW to Program the Next-Generation PLC Industrial engineers pushing the boundaries of controller technology can use LabVIEW graphical programming and programmable automation controllers (PACs) to combine PC functionality with programmable logic controller (PLC) reliability. Add Advanced Analysis to Your PLC Add advanced analysis, signal processing, decision making, and debugging diagnostics to an existing PLC-based industrial application with LabVIEW and OPC connectivity.

Simplify Embedded Development with Graphical System Design Discover how LabVIEW graphical system design software provides domain experts with high-level tools, such as statecharts, to design and implement their systems on off-the-shelf hardware. Get to Market Faster with LabVIEW and COTS Hardware LabVIEW graphical programming and commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) hardware help design teams get products to market faster by accelerating every stage of development – from the earliest stages of design and simulation to prototyping the system with real-world signals and deploying to a chosen processor target.
Prototype and Deploy a Custom Controller with LabVIEWDrivven used LabVIEW and COTS prototyping hardware to quickly develop custom IP for an FPGA-based engine control unit (ECU) in a high-performance motorcycle engine.

Control Industrial Machinery Remotely with LabVIEW Nexans uses LabVIEW and NI reconfigurable embedded hardware to control the hydraulic systems on a remotely operated underwater excavator that prepares the ocean floor for a pipeline to extract natural gas.

Combine Graphical and Textual Programming to Reduce Design Time Reduce embedded design time by using a LabVIEW graphical system design approach to combine the traditionally separate tasks of theoretical design and prototyping. Choose between graphical and textual programming throughout the process. Choose the Software Preferred by Students for Signal Processing Professor Mark Yoder, Ph.D., recently transitioned the signal processing course at Rose-Hulman from The MathWorks, Inc. MATLAB® software to LabVIEW software. Dr. Yoder’s research later showed that students prefer LabVIEW as a learning tool by a 3 to 1 margin. MATLAB® is a registered trademark of The MathWorks, Inc.

Students Use LabVIEW to Create Segway-Inspired Machine A senior design team at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute used LabVIEW to develop a two-wheeled robotic locomotion platform inspired by the Segway Human Transporter. With LabVIEW software and NI hardware, the students could use one platform throughout the project.

source: www.ni.com

WiFi

If you’ve been in an airport, coffee shop, library or hotel recently, chances are you’ve been right in the middle of a wireless network. Many people also use wireless networking, also called WiFi or 802.11 networking, to connect their computers at home, and some cities are trying to use the technology to provide free or low-cost Internet access to residents. In the near future, wireless networking may become so widespread that you can access the Internet just about anywhere at any time, without using wires.

One wireless router can allow multiple devices to connect to the Internet.

WiFi has a lot of advantages. Wireless networks are easy to set up and inexpensive. They’re also unobtrusive — unless you’re on the lookout for a place to use your laptop, you may not even notice when you’re in a hotspot. In this article, we’ll look at the technology that allows information to travel over the air. We’ll also review what it takes to create a wireless network in your home.

First, let’s go over a few WiFi basics.

What Is WiFi?

A wireless network uses radio waves, just like cell phones, televisions and radios do. In fact, communication across a wireless network is a lot like two-way radio communication. Here’s what happens:

1. A computer’s wireless adapter translates data into a radio signal and transmits it using an antenna.
2. A wireless router receives the signal and decodes it. The router sends the information to the Internet using a physical, wired Ethernet connection.

The process also works in reverse, with the router receiving information from the Internet, translating it into a radio signal and sending it to the computer’s wireless adapter.

The radios used for WiFi communication are very similar to the radios used for walkie-talkies, cell phones and other devices. They can transmit and receive radio waves, and they can convert 1s and 0s into radio waves and convert the radio waves back into 1s and 0s. But WiFi radios have a few notable differences from other radios:

• They transmit at frequencies of 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz. This frequency is considerably higher than the frequencies used for cell phones, walkie-talkies and televisions. The higher frequency allows the signal to carry more data.
• They use 802.11 networking standards, which come in several flavors:
  • 802.11a transmits at 5 GHz and can move up to 54 megabits of data per second. It also uses orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM), a more efficient coding technique that splits that radio signal into several sub-signals before they reach a receiver. This greatly reduces interference.
  • 802.11b is the slowest and least expensive standard. For a while, its cost made it popular, but now it’s becoming less common as faster standards become less expensive. 802.11b transmits in the 2.4 GHz frequency band of the radio spectrum. It can handle up to 11 megabits of data per second, and it uses complementary code keying (CCK) modulation to improve speeds.
  • 802.11g transmits at 2.4 GHz like 802.11b, but it’s a lot faster — it can handle up to 54 megabits of data per second. 802.11g is faster because it uses the same OFDM coding as 802.11a.
  • 802.11n is the newest standard that is widely available. This standard significantly improves speed and range. For instance, although 802.11g theoretically moves 54 megabits of data per second, it only achieves real-world speeds of about 24 megabits of data per second because of network congestion. 802.11n, however, reportedly can achieve speeds as high as 140 megabits per second. The standard is currently in draft form — the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) plans to formally ratify 802.11n by the end of 2009.
• Other 802.11 standards focus on specific applications of wireless networks, like wide area networks (WANs) inside vehicles or technology that lets you move from one wireless network to another seamlessly.
• WiFi radios can transmit on any of three frequency bands. Or, they can “frequency hop” rapidly between the different bands. Frequency hopping helps reduce interference and lets multiple devices use the same wireless connection simultaneously.

WiFi Hotspots

If you want to take advantage of public WiFi hotspots or start a wireless network in your home, the first thing you’ll need to do is make sure your computer has the right gear. Most new laptops and many new desktop computers come with built-in wireless transmitters. If your laptop doesn’t, you can buy a wireless adapter that plugs into the PC card slot or USB port. Desktop computers can use USB adapters, or you can buy an adapter that plugs into the PCI slot inside the computer’s case. Many of these adapters can use more than one 802.11 standard.

Once you’ve installed your wireless adapter and the drivers that allow it to operate, your computer should be able to automatically discover existing networks. This means that when you turn your computer on in a WiFi hotspot, the computer will inform you that the network exists and ask whether you want to connect to it. If you have an older computer, you may need to use a software program to detect and connect to a wireless network.

Being able to connect to the Internet in public hotspots is extremely convenient. Wireless home networks are convenient as well. They allow you to easily connect multiple computers and to move them from place to place without disconnecting and reconnecting wires. In the next section, we’ll look at how to create a wireless network in your home.

Building a Wireless Network

If you already have several computers networked in your home, you can create a wireless network with a wireless access point. If you have several computers that are not networked, or if you want to replace your Ethernet network, you’ll need a wireless router. This is a single unit that contains:

1. A port to connect to your cable or DSL modem
2. A router
3. An Ethernet hub
4. A firewall
5. A wireless access point

A wireless router allows you to use wireless signals or Ethernet cables to connect your computers to one another, to a printer and to the Internet. Most routers provide coverage for about 100 feet (30.5 meters) in all directions, although walls and doors can block the signal. If your home is very large, you can buy inexpensive range extenders or repeaters to increase your router’s range.

A wireless router uses an antenna to send signals to wireless devices and a wire to send signals to the Internet.

As with wireless adapters, many routers can use more than one 802.11 standard. 802.11b routers are slightly less expensive, but because the standard is older, they’re slower than 802.11a, 802.11g and 802.11n routers. Most people select the 802.11g option for its speed and reliability.

Once you plug in your router, it should start working at its default settings. Most routers let you use a Web interface to change your settings. You can select:

• The name of the network, known as its service set identifier (SSID) — The default setting is usually the manufacturer’s name.
• The channel that the router uses — Most routers use channel 6 by default. If you live in an apartment and your neighbors are also using channel 6, you may experience interference. Switching to a different channel should eliminate the problem.
• Your router’s security options — Many routers use a standard, publicly available sign-on, so it’s a good idea to set your own username and password.

Security is an important part of a home wireless network, as well as public WiFi hotspots. If you set your router to create an open hotspot, anyone who has a wireless card will be able to use your signal. Most people would rather keep strangers out of their network, though. Doing so requires you to take a few security precautions.

It’s also important to make sure your security precautions are current. The Wired Equivalency Privacy (WEP) security measure was once the standard for WAN security. The idea behind WEP was to create a wireless security platform that would make any wireless network as secure as a traditional wired network. But hackers discovered vulnerabilities in the WEP approach, and today it’s easy to find applications and programs that can compromise a WAN running WEP security.

To keep your network private, you can use one of the following methods:

• WiFi Protected Access (WPA) is a step up from WEP and is now part of the 802.11i wireless network security protocol. It uses temporal key integrity protocol (TKIP) encryption. As with WEP, WPA security involves signing on with a password. Most public hotspots are either open or use WPA or 128-bit WEP technology, though some still use the vulnerable WEP approach.
• Media Access Control (MAC) address filtering is a little different from WEP or WPA. It doesn’t use a password to authenticate users — it uses a computer’s physical hardware. Each computer has its own unique MAC address. MAC address filtering allows only machines with specific MAC addresses to access the network. You must specify which addresses are allowed when you set up your router. This method is very secure, but if you buy a new computer or if visitors to your home want to use your network, you’ll need to add the new machines’ MAC addresses to the list of approved addresses. The system isn’t foolproof. A clever hacker can spoof a MAC address — that is, copy a known MAC address to fool the network that the computer he or she is using belongs on the network.

  Sources

  • Borisov, Nikita, Ian Goldberg and David Wagner. “Security of the WEP algorithm.” University of California, Berkeley. (Aug. 7, 2008)
    http://www.isaac.cs.berkeley.edu/isaac/wep-faq.html
  • Geier, Jim. “802.11 WEP: Concepts and Vulnerability.” Wi-Fi Planet. June 20, 2002. (Aug. 6, 2008)
    http://www.wi-fiplanet.com/tutorials/article.php/1368661
  • IEEE. (Aug. 6, 2008)
    http://www.ieee.org
  • IEEE. “IEEE Standard for Information technology — Telecommunications and information exchange between systems — Local and metropolitan area networks — Specific requirements.” (Aug. 6, 2008) http://standards.ieee.org/getieee802/download/802.11-2007.pdf

BEFORE u get enroled for an ENGINEERING course

Details of Various Engineering Courses

Aeronautical Engineers

Job Description: The work involves designing, constructing, development and testing of aircrafts, spacecrafts and their components as well as satellites and missiles. Aeronautical engineering is technologically one of the most challenging fields of engineering.  Educational Qualification: Graduate in Aeronautical Engineering; Associate Membership exam conducted by the Aeronautical Society of India; Those with a degree in electronics or physics can also find opportunities in this area. Opening: Job opportunities for an Aeronautical Engineer lies with various airlines and aircraft manufacturers like the Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL). The main thrust of the area being in development, most Aeronautical Engineers take on work in Research and Development (R&D) areas in the Ministry of Defense and Civil Aviation and other defense or space research laboratories.

Agriculture Engineers

Job Description: An Agriculture Engineer deals with the design and development of farm equipments and machineries, production, processing, transportation and storage of agricultural produce. He would also work on soil and water conservation.  Educational Qualification: Graduate in Agricultural Engineering  Opening: Agriculture Engineers may be involved in the sales, marketing and servicing of farm equipment and agricultural implements, in designing and constructing farm buildings, in product planning and so on. They also get jobs as Assistant Engineers or Management Trainees in banks. Openings are also available in teaching, research and journalism. Besides these engineers are absorbed in large numbers by the agricultural department of the Central as well as the State Governments.

Automobile Engineers

Job Description: As the name suggests is concerned with the design, development, repair and manufacture of automotive vehicles. The Automobile Engineer designs new models, keeping in mind the performance capacity, durability and customer preferences. With the growing concern about the vehicular pollution they also set stringent norms on such matters. Educational Qualification: Graduate in Automobile Engineering Opening: Employment opportunities lie with the vehicle manufacturers/assemblers in maintenance and service stations, private transport companies and insurance companies. Option for setting up own garage or maintenance workshops also exist.

Chemical Engineers

Job Description: Chemical Engineers apply the principles of chemistry and engineering to solve problems in production of chemicals and chemical products.  They are concerned with the designing, construction, installation and operation of plants and equipments for the manufacture of chemical products. Educational Qualification: Graduate in Chemical Engineering  Opening: They have a very wide scope of employment both in the public sector as well as the private sector. They are needed and gainfully employed in the soap, oil, paint, plastics, synthetic fibers, explosives and petrochemical plants. They may also pursue management after B.Tech and take on marketing jobs.

Civil Engineers

Job Description: Design and construction of buildings, roads, airports, harbours, tunnels, bridges, rail roads, dams, water and sewage systems and, even nuclear power plants. A Civil Engineer is responsible for planning and designing a project and then having it constructed to the required scale.   Educational Qualification: Graduate in Civil Engineering Opening: They are employed at all the major construction companies whether in public or in private, railways, consultancy firms, army and so on. Civil Engineer graduates can also pursue teaching and research or start their own consultancy firm.

Computer Engineers

Job Description: They design computers and its control systems i.e. the hardware, and also develop computer software. They often work as part of a team that designs new computing devices or computer-related equipment, systems, or software. Computer hardware engineers usually design, develop, test, and supervise the manufacture of computer hardware—such as chips or device controllers. Software engineers, on the other hand, can be involved in the design and development of software systems for control and automation of manufacturing, business, and management processes. Educational Qualification: Graduate in Computer Science & Engineering Opening: With wide spread use of computers computer engineers can find employment in almost any area of industrial sector and in defense and research establishments. They can work with multinationals, in management consultancy firms and in areas where computer aided systems are used such as aeronautics and space science, petroleum industry and power plants.

Electrical Engineers

Job Description: The role of Electrical Engineers comprises design and development of more efficient electrical machinery, power systems and control equipment for the generation, transmission and distribution of electrical energy and telecommunication. They specialize in different areas like power generation, transmission and distribution, electrical equipment manufacturing etc. Educational Qualification: Graduate in Electrical Engineering Opening: Electrical Engineers find jobs in power plants whether thermal, hydro or nuclear. They have job opportunities in industries like the railways, construction, civil aviation, and all types of manufacturing plants.

Electronics Engineers

Job Description: This area may be considered as an offshoot of the Electrical Engineering field. It is different in the sense that it deals with lower power generation. These Engineers are concerned with design, fabrication, maintenance and supervision of electrical equipment used in the entertainment sector, media, hospitals, and computer industry and for communication and in defense. They work with microprocessors, fibre optics and in telecommunication, television and radio. Electronic Engineers may specialize in computers, industrial equipment and controls, aerospace equipment or bio medical equipment. Educational Qualification: Graduate in Electronics Engineering Opening: Electronic Engineers are employed in industries manufacturing electronic equipment, research and development and places where electronic devices are extensively used e.g. television and radio broadcasting, aerospace industry and automobile industry. They also have attractive openings in utility companies like MTNL. They also have the option to take on teaching and research.

Instrumentation Engineers

Job Description: They are responsible for designing, development, construction and maintenance of instruments and instrumentation systems. The Instrumentation Engineer decides the type of instruments needed for ensuring better quality and efficiency of the end products, in any industrial undertaking. Educational Qualification: Graduate in Instrumentation Engineering Opening: The demand for Instrumentation Engineers comes from user industries such as steel, chemical, fertilizer, refineries power industry and so on. They also have a demand in R&D Units of government, defense and private sector. The instrument manufacturers and the growing industrial automation industry also employ them.

Marine Engineers

Job Description: They deal in designing, development, fabrication and maintenance of marine engines, boilers, refrigerating, sanitary equipment, deck machinery and steam connections of marine ships. The job, also includes the supervision of engine crew involved in operating the machines and checking for smooth functioning of all sea, engines, electric motors, propulsion engines etc.  Educational Qualification: The Directorate of Marine Engineering (DMET) Calcutta now known as Marine Engineering Research Institute (MERI) offers 4-year course in Marine Engineering. Selection for the course is through the Joint Entrance Examination conducted by IIT. Opening: Marine Engineers find jobs as officers in the merchant navy. Port and harbour authorities and ship repair dockyard companies also employ them.

Mechanical Engineers

Job Description: Mechanical Engineering is the largest part of the engineering industry. These engineers deal with the mechanism and functioning of all types of machinery. They are concerned with the design, operation and maintenance of machines, their components, machine tools, manufacturing systems and processes. They work on power-producing machines such as electricity-producing generators, internal combustion engines, steam and gas turbines, and jet and rocket engines. They also develop power-using machines such as refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment, robots used in manufacturing, machine tools, materials handling systems, and industrial production equipment. Mechanical engineers also design tools needed by other engineers for their work. Educational Qualification: Graduate in Mechanical Engineering Opening: Employment opportunities are open in practically every segment of the industry and especially in the area of machine tools, railway engineering, aerospace, automobile industries and power plants.

Material, Metallurgical And Ceramic Engineers

Job Description: Material Engineers manipulate the atomic and molecular structure of substances to make different products like computer chips, television screens and also composite materials required for specific purposes such as for fabricating the body of a space craft. Metallurgical and Ceramic engineers are also material engineers specializing in metals and ceramics respectively. Most metallurgical engineers work in one of the three main branches of metallurgy—extractive or chemical, physical, and mechanical or process. Extractive metallurgists are concerned with removing metals from ores and refining and alloying them to obtain useful metal. Physical metallurgists study the nature, structure, and physical properties of metals and their alloys, and methods of processing them into final products. Mechanical metallurgists develop and improve metalworking processes such as casting, forging, rolling, and drawing. Ceramic engineers develop new ceramic materials and methods for making ceramic materials into useful products. They work on products as diverse as glassware, automobile and aircraft engine components, fibre-optic communication lines, tile, and electric insulators. Educational Qualification: Graduate in Material/Metallurgical/Ceramic Engineering Opening: They are employed by research establishments, industries and plants extracting and processing metals like iron and steel, nickel, copper, zinc etc. in foundries and rolling mills and in large steel plants.

Mining Engineers

Job Description: Mining engineers do prospecting of the natural reserves of minerals, petroleum and other natural substances. They design open pit and underground mines, supervise the construction of mine shafts and tunnels in underground operations, and devise methods for transporting minerals to processing plants. Mining engineers are responsible for the safe, economical, and environmentally sound operation of mines.  Educational Qualification: Graduate in Mining Engineering and a certificate from the Director General of Mines and Safety, Dhanbad Opening: Job opportunities are available at Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM), Geological Survey of India (GSI) and mining companies such as Coal India Ltd, IPCL etc. Teaching and research are also available as options.

Production And Industrial Engineers

Job Description: They aim at maximizing output by effective planning and optimum use of men and machinery. Their work involves designing and installation of integrated systems for men and materials, equipment and processes for attaining maximum productivity with optimum use of resources. These engineers use ‘Operations Research’ and other such mathematical methods to analyze and solve production and other organizational problems. They are a link between the management and the operations. Educational Qualification: Graduate in Production & Industrial Engineering. National Productivity Council, New Delhi, also offers short duration courses in this area.  Opening: Private or public sector engineering and manufacturing industries. Financial Institutions and Management Consultants also recruit them.

Telecommunication Engineers

Job Description: Design, development, installation and maintenance of communication systems e.g. telephones, telegraphs, radar, radio, radio navigational aids, television and satellite communication.   Educational Qualification: Graduate in Telecommunication Engineering   Opening: Ample job opportunities in Information and Broadcasting sectors, railways, police, Para–military, and defence related organizations. Private companies manufacturing radio equipment and electronic goods also require their services.