IIT-Mandi to have a Technological Innovation Hub

The National Strategy on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems will develop a technology Innovation Hub (TIH) at the Indian Institute of Technology, Mandi (IIT-Mandi). The research centre (Department of Science and Technology) has granted IIT Mandi- Rs. 7.25 crore to develop the technology Innovation Hub. 

Human-computer interaction (HCI) Research Programmes with an emphasis on the design and development of computer technology will be conducted in IIT Mandi through the Technology Innovation Hub (interfaces). It will look at how humans (its users) interact with computers. In addition, the TIH concentrates on human resources and skill development, entrepreneurship, and partnership with other premier universities. 

The TIH will also result in the creation of tools, hands-on experimentation using specialised tool kits, educational material, and collaboration with pre-existing innovation ecosystems and government efforts in India. The TIH will also provide a platform for innovation for schools, universities, and excellent technical training institutes to focus on the specified sectors. 

Now, let us look at the Technological innovation Hub of the IIT-Mandi; with the International Collaborations Deliverables, Human Resource and Skill Development Deliverables, and the Technology Deliverables. 

Technological Innovation

The Research Centre (The ministry and department of Science and Technology) has given IIT Mandi- Rs. 7.25 Crore to establish the Technological Innovation Hub. Through the Technological Hub, IIT Mandi will conduct human-computer interface (HCI) research projects with a focus on computer technology design and development (or interfaces). 

Human-Computer Interfaces (HCI) is concerned with how people interact with computers, as well as the development of technology that allows humans to interface with computers in innovative ways. The HCI, as a research topic, is at the crossroads of behavioural sciences, design, and media studies, computer sciences to name a few. It was pointed out by DR. Varun Dutt- the principal investigator of TIH and the Assistant Professor in the department of social sciences and Humanities, IIT Mandi, that the TIH gives great potential for IIT Mandi to become a world leader in HCI and associated fields, where national research has been fledgling. 

IIT Mandi, located in the Himalayan Sivalik Range, was founded to tackle Himalayan issues. Given the institutes’ location, several of the technologies will also have an emphasis on the mountain ranges. The TIH will be established with the help of a group of an expert from IIT Mandi academic members. Aside from the senior faculty members, freshly hired Institute faculty members will also be a part of the TIH. The institute faculty will collaborate to give intellectual competence to HCI Research, with contributions from the fields of Artificial Intelligence and Machine learning. 

Deliverables

The TIH will create tools, educational materials, and hands-on experiments using specialised tool kits, as well as connect with the existing innovation networks. It would collaborate with many stakeholders and interact with other Government of India projects by offering an innovation platform for schools, colleges, and advanced technical training institutes in the targeted locations. 

There were several deliverables in this respect. These deliverables include the International Collaborations Deliverables; Technology; Human Resource and Skill Development; Start-up and Entrepreneurship Deliverables. Let us look at these Deliverables briefly. 

• International Collaborations Deliverables: International Collaborations Deliverables point to the expansion and sustenance of the current and new collaborations with organisations and institutions in India and throughout the world
• Human Resource and Skill Development Deliverables: The Human Resource and Skill Development Deliverables organises workshops and seminars to develop a trained workforce in the HCI field at the post-doctoral, doctoral, post-graduate, graduate, and other faculty levels
• Technology Deliverables: The Technology Deliverables provide a technological interface for landslide, environmental (which includes climate changes), air pollution, agricultural, defence forces, forensic concerns, healthcare, and cyber security
• Entrepreneurship and Start-up Deliverables: The Entrepreneurship and Start-up Deliverables build a start-up ecosystem in collaboration with the IIT Mandi’s technology-business incubator, Catalyst, using Information Production- technology development, translation, and commercialization methodology

Conclusion

In the TIH, IIT Mandi collaborates with several academic and research institutes. So far, industrial and Research partners include the Defence Research and Development Organisation, Regional Forensic Science Laboratory, Mohali’s Centre for development of Advanced Computing, Adobe, and others. Carnegie Mellon University in the United States, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Institute of Medical Education and Research in the Chandigarh state of India, London Metropolitan University in the United Kingdom among other academic partners. The Research Centre has allocated Rs. 7.25 Crore to IIT Mandi to develop the Technological Innovation Hub. This brought in several deliverables in the scene, which include- the International Collaborations Deliverables; Technology; Human Resource and Skill Development; Start-up and Entrepreneurship Deliverables.