Pic Speak3 : Crazy bike ride

Do it yourself

Once a research team performed experiment on group of monkeys. They hung bananas on wall and locked four monkeys in that room. They also put ladder beside wall so that monkey could reach up to bananas through it. They were observing behavior of monkeys from window. After few minutes, one monkey found bananas on wall and he started to climb ladder. But as soon as he reached up to middle of ladder, scientists released cold water on monkey through pipe already installed just above the head of monkey. Due to the extremely cold water, monkey immediately came down. After few seconds, he tried again but same thing happened. Remaining three monkeys also tried for the same and they also came down due to the cold water.

After some time scientists replaced one monkey. New monkey also tried to climb ladder in order to get bananas. But as soon as he went towards ladder, remaining three monkeys dragged him away from ladder and beat him. After few minutes, new monkey tried again and remaining three monkeys again beat him. He did again but every time he got beaten by remaining three monkeys. He gave up.

After some time scientists replaced one monkey out of the three old monkeys. New monkey also observed that bananas were hanging and there is a ladder to reach there. He also tried to climb ladder but here also he got beaten by remaining three monkeys. After three – four attempts he also gave up.

After some time scientists replaced one monkey out of the two old monkeys. New monkey also tried to climb ladder for bananas. But after he got beaten three- four times by remaining three monkeys, he also gave up.

After some time scientists replaced one monkey and there were entirely new group of monkeys in the room. After he saw bananas, newest monkey approached towards ladder. Remaining three monkeys also beat him and after three – four rounds; he also gave up. Interestingly, remaining three monkeys didn't know that why they were beating the fourth monkey when he approached towards ladder. They were beating because they saw others doing the same.

Like these monkeys, many times in life we also took same decisions as other people took and never try to figure out the reason. People like Bill gates, Steve jobs were college dropouts but they made their own path and far more successful than other people. Instead of following others blindly, do it yourself. When you know the reasons to do, you would do it from your whole heart and mind. Well, I am not talking about love.

मानव 2.0 – एक कहानी (भाग – 1)

कमर सीधी करके वो अपना आई – फोन चार्ज करने ही वाले थे की तभी पीछे से किसी ने आवाज़ दी। “चित्रगुप्त , चलो टाइम हो गया है” पीछे देखा तो यमराज अपने वाहन के साथ खड़े थे। चित्रगुप्त ने कहा “हाँ तो, आप जाइए ना” फिर थोड़ा रुककर बोले “आज किसकी आत्मा लेने जा रहे हो ?” यमराज ने थोड़ा झल्लाकर जवाब दिया “अबे भूल गया क्या? आज भगवान ने हमे किसी महत्वपूर्ण मुद्दे पर बात करने के लिए बुलाया है।“ चित्रगुप्त बोले “ओहो ये मै कैसे भूल गया” मेज़ पर रखे कागजो को समेटते हुए धीरे से अपने आप से कहने लगे “जब से ये आई – फोन आया है सब कुछ भूल जाता हूँ”। यमराज ने आंखे दिखाते हुए बोला “ज़ोर से बोलो”।

चित्रगुप्त बात काटते हुए पूछा “कितने बजे बुलाया है?”

“जल्दी करो, दस मिनट मे पहुचना है”

चित्रगुप्त ने जवाब मे सिर हिला दिया।

भैसे (यमराज का वाहन) पर बैठे हुए यमराज और चित्रगुप्त ने, ना जाने कितने ब्रहमाण पार किये। थोड़ी देर के बाद वो हवा मे तैरते हुए एक सफ़ेद बादल पर उतरे। वहा उन्हे भगवान के चेहरे पर थोड़ी चिंता की लकीरे दिखाई देती है और वो कुछ सोचते हुए इधर उधर चक्कर लगा रहे होते है। वहा पर सिर्फ तीन कुर्सिया होती है और कोई सेवक भी नहीं होता है। यमराज ये देखकर थोड़ा आश्चर्यचकित होते है। दोनों जाकर भगवान को प्रणाम करते है। जवाब में भगवान फीकी सी मुस्कान के साथ बैठने का इशारा करते है। चित्रगुप्त और यमराज एक पल के लिए एक दूसरे को देखते है और फिर बैठे जाते है। अपनी कोहनी को बीच मे रखे गोल टेबल पर रखकर भगवान बोलने वाले होते है लेकिन तभी उनकी नज़र चित्रगुप्त के आई – फोन पर पड़ती है । उनकी चिंता की लकीरे ओर भी गहरी हो जाती है और गुस्से से वो खड़े हो जाते है । यमराज पूछते है ,”क्या हुआ भगवन, आप इतना चिंता मे क्यो दिखाई दे रहे हो?” भगवान चित्रगुप्त की ओर देखकर गुस्से मे बोलते है ,”ये आई – फोन देखा तुमने, ये है मेरे चिंता की वजह, जिधर देखो उधर ये आई – फोन , मोबाइल फोन, आई – पैड, लैपटाप।“ चित्रगुप्त भय और आश्चर्य के साथ पूछते है, “लेकिन इनसे तो चिंताए दूर हो जाती है भगवन, घंटो का काम मिनटों मे हो जाता है। इसका नया वर्जन तो ओर भी बढ़िया है।“  ऐसा कहकर वो भगवान की ओर अपना आई – फोन बढ़ाते है। पहले से ही परेशान भगवान उसे उठाकर नीचे फेक देता है। 

वो आई – फोन सीधा धरती की ओर गिरता है और विज्ञान के नियमो का पालन करते हुए वायुमंडल मे प्रवेश करते ही जल कर भस्म हो जाता है। उधर चित्रगुप्त और यमराज दोनों बहुत परेशान हो जाते है। वो सोचते है की इतना गुस्सा तो भगवान को मनमोहन सिंह के दुबारा प्रधानमंत्री बनने पर भी नहीं आया था।

आखिरकार भगवान तो भगवान है उन्होने अपना गुस्सा काबू किया और उन दोनों को बैठने का इशारा किया। चित्रगुप्त और यमराज डरते हुए बैठ जाते है। भगवान भी बैठ जाते है और कुछ पलों की चुप्पी तोड़ते हुए बोलना शुरू करते है, “तुम दोनों को याद है वो दिन जब हमने कई सालो की मेहनत के बाद प्रयोगशाला मे मानव को बनाया था। उसकी सफलता से हम इतने उत्साहित थे की हमे ऐसा लग रहा था इससे अच्छा तो कुछ नहीं बन सकता है। जब मनुष्य ने पहली बार कबूतरो का इस्तेमाल संदेश भेजने के लिए किया तो मुझे लगा की वो यही पर रुक जाएगे लेकिन वो नहीं रुके चिठ्ठियों को लिखने से मोबाइल मे एस एम एस लिखने तक आ गए। यहा तक भी ठीक था मुझे लगा था यहा तो वो रुक जाएगे। लेकिन फिर वो आई – फोन जैसे फोन का आविष्कार करने लग गए। यहा तक तो मेरे सब्र का बांध पूरा भर गया था। लेकिन वो तब टूट गया जब वो आई – फोन के भी नए - नए वर्जन बनाने लग गए। अरे बस करो...”

यमराज और चित्रगुप्त अपना चेहरा प्रश्नवाचक चिन्ह जैसा करके भगवान की ओर अपलक देखते रहते है और उनकी बात समझने की कोशिश करते है।

उनके चेहरे पढ़कर भगवान आगे बोलते है, “आई – फोन के नए वर्जन को देखकर मुझे लगता है की हमे भी मानव का नया वर्जन बनाना चाहिए“

“ मानव 2.0 “

यह बात सुनकर यमराज दुविधा मे पड़ जाते है और कहते है, “लेकिन भगवन इसकी क्या जरूरत है आपने जो मानव बनाया है वो आपकी उत्कृष्ट कृति है और इसमे सुधार की कोई गुंजाइश नहीं लगती”

भगवन कहते है,”तुमने आज के इंसान की जरूरते देखी है, इन्हे देखकर ऐसा लगता है की मेरा दिया शरीर उनके लिए काफी नहीं है। जैसे की आजकल लोग मोबाइल को साथ मे इस तरह रखते है जैसे की वो भी शरीर का कोई हिस्सा हो, लोग साँस लेना भूल जाते है लेकिन मोबाइल चार्ज करना नहीं ।“

इंसान के नए वर्जन की आवश्कता पर बल डालते हुए भगवान कहते है, “मुझे ये सब देखकर बहुत दुख होता है और इसलिए मै चाहता हूँ की नया वर्जन मानव की इन तरह की सब जरूरतों को पूरा करे। “

चित्रगुप्त अभी भी अपने आई – फोन को लेकर मन मे दुखी होता है। लेकिन फिर भी वो पूछता है की, “लेकिन ये सब कैसे होगा?”

भगवान अपनी योजना को समझाते हुए कहते है की, “सबसे पहले इंसान की नयी जरूरतों के बारे मे अनुसंधान होगा और फिर उसके हिसाब से जरूरी हार्डवेयर एवं सॉफ्टवेयर मोड़िफिकेशन किए जाएगे। मै तुम दोनों को पृथ्वी पर जाकर अनुसंधान करने का आदेश देता हूँ और 30 दिन के अंदर अनुसंधान पत्र मेरे हाथ मे होना चाहिए।“

भगवान की ये बात सुनकर दोनों बहुत आश्चर्यचकित हो जाते है। लेकिन ये सोचकर खुश भी हो जाते है की इतने सारे देवताओ मे से उनको ही इस काम के लिए चुना। चित्रगुप्त ये सोचकर ओर भी खुश हो जाता है की इस बहाने उसके नए आई – फोन का बंदोबस्त हो जाएगा। दोनों भगवान से आशीर्वाद लेकर नरक के लिए प्रस्थान करते है।

अगले दिन सुबह सुबह चित्रगुप्त और यमराज कुछ दिनो के लिए पृथ्वी की ओर प्रस्थान करते है।

((शेष अगले भाग मे...)

Choose to happen...

Image Courtesy : Google 

During I was pursuing my engineering. Some classmates often study consistently throughout the semester while some always start the study after the examination time table pasted on notice board. I was lying somewhere in between who study throughout the semester but not consistently and often accelerate my studies after the time table got announce. Some highly confidently students often found asking for the topics covered in syllabus after their tail was on fire. Some of them came to my room in hostel with their fake smile and soft words. “Bhai kya kar raha hai?” was his first question even he could see me study. Whatever I replied, his next statement would be “Yaar tune to bahut padh liya, muje bhi thoda padha de…..chal kam se kam, syllabus me kya hai wahi bata de” While I was telling about the syllabus with a doubt that how would he read all, he would listen me attentively with serious face. I never saw him like this not even while lectures. After I completed the episode of syllabus, he would dictate whole syllabus meanwhile I had to continuously nod my head to approve his words. Then he would sit on my bed with his book and after silence of five minutes…

“Bhai ye to bahut saara hai, tune to pura padh liya hoga… tu to yaar important topic hi bata de, apan ko to bas pass hona hai” he said with hope on his face. Without saying any other words I just told him some of the topics that are important and often asked in the previous examinations. Soon he will leave my room so that he could disturb me later.

Throughout the life everyone have choices, out of those choices we chose the path where we want to go. When I decided to pursue my graduation, I had many options like BSc, BA, BE but out of these I chose BE. Even after I decided to pursue BE I had many choices of colleges and branches in which I could take admission. Obviously numbers of available choices vary from person to person; some may have options to choose between different IITs while others may have other options. As we go further in the one way time tunnel, we had choices at different time. We need to choose the way which is important according to us. Sometime we don’t have choices and have to proceed. God gives us time and we decide where we want to spend. In next one hour whether you will watch a movie, read a book or do anything else, it depend on you. Choices / options available at this time will be somehow depend on the path you chose in past. In the previous paragraph I told you about the classmates who study just before examinations and even didn’t know about the syllabus. Those people also have the four to six months in a semester. God gave him four months but they spend on the things that are important for them. For them important thing is pleasure, nothing else. They bunked classes, spend time with similar people, smoking, drinking etc for pleasure. They chose that and now they had no option but to read only important topics.  

So you can choose you path and make your destiny. It’s not as easy as I am saying but you can.

Pic Speak2 : Everything is useful

A bike parked under useless body of old bus reminds that "Everything is Useful"

जिंदगी की सीमाये

उस वक़्त मै बाहरवी की परीक्षा के बाद उदयपुर मे RPET के लिए crash course कर रहा था। वहा पर एक टीचर थे जो हमे गणित पढ़ाते थे। एक दिन बातों ही बातों मे वो इंजीन्यरिंग की पढ़ाई के बारे मे बताने लगे। फ़र्स्ट इयर मे लगता है की चीफ़ इंजीनियर बनेगे, सेकंड इयर मे लगता है की असिस्टेंट इंजीनियर बनेगे, थर्ड इयर आते आते सच्चाई का अंदेशा होने लगता है लेकिन फिर भी लगता है जूनियर इंजीनियर तो बन ही जाएगे, फ़ाइनल इयर मे आकर जब कूए से बाहर झाकते है तो यह डर लगने लगता है की कही पर जॉब भी लगेगी या नहीं। अपनी बात को पूरा करते हुए उनके चेहरे पर निराशा और हार के भाव साफ दिखाई दे रहे थे। वो फिर से पढ़ने लग गए, निश्चित रूप से वो मजबूरी मे ही पढा रहे थे।

लगभग 4-5 साल बाद GATE की तैयारी शुरू करने से लेकर रिज़ल्ट तक, मेरे साथ वही सब हुआ। शुरुवात मे लग रहा था की आईआईटी से कम मे एड्मिशन नहीं लूगा, फिर exam देने के बाद NIT से कम नहीं और रिज़ल्ट आने के बाद “कोई भी अच्छा कॉलेज मिल जाए तो सही रहेगा”। मैंने थोड़ी मेहनत तो जरूर की थी लेकिन फिर भी वह सब नहीं हुए जो मै चाहता था और आखिरकार मुझे भी परिस्थितियो के आगे आत्मसमर्पण करना ही पड़ा।

 मंदिरो, पीर, मज़ारों पर मन्नत मांगते लोगो को देखकर यही लगता है की जिंदगी मे बहुत कुछ है जो अभी भी इंसान के बस मे नहीं है। इंसान की ज़िंदगी को कोई ओर है जो चला रहा है। हम तो सिर्फ कठपुतली है जिसे एक अदृश्य सी डोर नियंत्रित कर रही है जिसे कुछ लोग किस्मत कहते है। या फिर उस बादल की तरह जिसकी किस्मत हवा का रुख तय करती है। तो क्या जिंदगी की कुछ सीमाए है जिनसे बाहर इंसान कुछ नहीं कर सकता है, अपने आप को किस्मत के भरोसे छोड़ने के अलावा। अगर लोगो द्वारा मांगे जाने वाली मन्नतों पर गौर किया जाए तो वो सिर्फ खुद या आसपास के लोगो की खुशी से संबन्धित होती है। अक्सर उम्मीदों के पूरा ना होने पर, इंसान को जिंदगी की सीमाओ का अहसास होता है। जिंदगी की सीमाये, उम्मीदों और वास्तविकताओ के बीच का अंतर मात्र है। उम्मीदो की सीमा का कभी अंत नहीं होता, उम्मीदों के पूरा होने पर वो ओर बढ़ती जाती है। जबकि वास्तविकता देखने के नजरिये पर निर्भर करती है।

 लेकिन क्या होगा अगर इंसान उम्मीदे करना ही बंद कर दे तो फिर उसकी जिंदगी की कोई सीमा नज़र ही नहीं आएगी या उसका एहसास नहीं होगा। गीता मे भी भगवान श्रीक़ृष्ण ने ऐसा ही कुछ कहा है -

 सुखदुखे समे कृत्वा लाभालाभौ जयाजयौ।
 ततो युद्धाय युज्यस्व नैवे पापम्वाप्स्यसी। ।

 [ तुम सुख या दुख, हानि या लाभ, विजय या पराजय का विचार किया बिना युद्ध(कर्म) करने के लिए युद्ध(कर्म) करो। ऐसा करने पर तुम्हें पाप नहीं लगेगा। ]

      

Newton's Law of Human Nature

Isaac Newton

Curiosity of man led to the several scientific discoveries, theorems and rules. Some spiritual people believe that only god is responsible for all things while some people believe only in science. Remaining believe that one day both kind of people (mentioned in previous line) will come to same conclusion. These kinds of people generally find the relation between science and religion. Oskar Grunewald’s book Science and religion: Missing link describes the relation between science and religion; and also describes what we are missing to understand between them.

In 1687, Isaac Newton gave famous three laws of Motion in first edition of his book Principia Mathematica Philosophiae Naturalis (Latin for Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy)  often referred as Principia. Unlike Aristotle’s laws, these laws are universal and applicable on falling stone to a planet. I thought if these laws are universal than why these are confine to Physics only and than in eureka moment I found that Newton’s law are also applicable on human nature….but how? Here it is..

Newton’s first Law:

 “Man/woman doing certain action or no action will do same unless there is any external obligation or inspiration.”

(Before the declaration of examination time table, most of students never start their studies. Sleeping, facebook, movies and all other things like this were their priority. But obligation to pass examinations changes their actions and they start to study. People don’t get up early in the morning until there is obligation to go school, college, office etc. People who got inspiration from book, story or person also try to change their action. People won’t change themselves easily; any obligation or inspiration is always required. )

Newton’s second law:

“Internal (f)orce to achieve something is equal to product of (m)ind’s ability and (a)cceleration of related thoughts in mind i.e. F=ma”

Newton’s third law:

“For every action a man/woman does for another person, there is equal and opposite expectation.”

इंतज़ार-ऐ-भगतसिंह

उन्हे शिकायत है अपने कॉलेज से जो की सही वक़्त पर परीक्षा परिणाम तक नहीं दे सकता। दूसरे कॉलेजो के दोस्तो को कंपनियो के ऑफर लेटरो के साथ अक्कड़ बक्कड़ खेलते हुए देख रहा है वो लेकिन खुद एक ऑफर लेटर के लिए रो रहा है। दिन मे कई बार अपने Resume को देख कर उसमे कमिया खोज रहा है। ऐसी क्या कमी है मुझमे और मेरे दूसरे प्लेस्ड दोस्तो मे, सिर्फ कॉलेज का नाम ही तो अलग है। लेकिन उसमे मेरी क्या गलती है, मैंने तो पूरी मेहनत की थी अपने कॉलेज मे, यहा तक की ज्यादा ही की थी। क्या क्या सपने देखे थे, लेकिन यहा तो रिज़ल्ट ही नहीं है अब तक हाथ मे। मन तो उसका करता है की कल की पहली ट्रेन से कॉलेज पहुच कर, रिज़ल्ट लेकर ही वापस लौटे। कम से कम एक ई-मेल तो ऐसा कर दे, जिसमे पूछ ले वो सब, जो मन मे है उसके, या फिर फोन करके ही पूछ ले। लेकिन कभी उसकी हिम्मत नहीं होती। डर लगता है उसे, जब दूसरे चुप है तो मै क्यो बोलू। मै क्यो बनू बलि का बकरा, सबका काम तो हो जाएगा और मै मारा जाऊगा। वो नहीं चाहता की उसके ग्रेड कम हो और सर से रिलेशन खराब हो। कभी कभी मन ही मन मे वो बहुत कुछ प्लान करता है लेकिन सुबह उठकर सोचता है की कुछ दिन बाद करता हूँ, हो सकता है की तब तक सब कुछ ठीक हो जाये। और फिर कुछ दिन बाद वो पुराना प्लान भूल जाता है। वो फिर से नया प्लान बनाता है। अपने दोस्तो के सामने शेर सा दहाड़ता कर अपना गुस्सा शांत करता है और जब बोलने की बारी आती है तो बनावटी मुस्कान के साथ ज्यादा कुछ बोलता नहीं है।

ये उसके साथ पहली बार नहीं हुआ है, पिछली बार रोड मे गढ़ढ़े देखकर भी उसका मन हुआ था की कम से कम शिकायत तो ही कर दे। लेकिन बाद का सोच कर उसने अपने आप को टाल दिया था उस दिन। कई बार सरकारी हॉस्पिटल मे गंदगी देखकर भी, एक बार भी शिकायत नहीं करता है वो क्योकि उसे डर है रिलेशन खराब होने का और उसे तो पहले से पता है की कुछ नहीं होने वाला। कोशिश करके भी क्या फायदा। वो हमेशा फायदा और नुकसान के तराजू मे बैठकर कर खुद को तोलता है। हालाकी सरकारी नौकरी का विज्ञापन देखकर वो एक बार कोशिश जरूर करता है, जबकि उसे पता है की आरक्षण की आग मे उसका आवेदन-पत्र जल जाएगा। लेकिन फिर भी वो सोचता है की एक बार कोशिश करने मे क्या हर्ज़ है।

वो चुपचाप सब कुछ देख रहा है।

उसको इंतज़ार है एक भगतसिंह का,

जो आएगा और नयी शुरुवात करेगा

जो आयेगा और अपना बलिदान देगा,

और

जिसकी चिता की राख़ को दिखाकर,

वो अपना हक़ मागेगा।

क्या आपको भी है इंतज़ार–ए-भगतसिंह...?

Pic Speak -1

LIFE IS ETERNAL SEARCH OF FREEDOM

When I was a child, I used to think about the luxuries and comfort of elder people. I used to think especially during examination time that they don’t have to give any examinations and they can sleep whenever they want and they can watch television according to their wish. Sometime my mother read my thoughts and said, “There was a time when I also need to gave examinations but I performed well and that’s why now I am free from examinations. You will also have same comfort once you will pass all your examinations.” But as a child I always wonder why not now? Why later? But I showed them I agreed with her. But in mind, I always had doubt. During that time I wanted to become free from examinations and studies so that I could play with friends all day, watch television etc. I often felt jealously with friends who had finished their examinations while my examinations were still remains to complete.

Image Courtesy: Google

Many people may have same feeling during their childhood as I felt during my childhood about which I mentioned above. But even after getting free from that situation of childhood, are we really free? After completing studies, unemployed wants a job, those who have job want to get better job, those who have better job want to become a manager, those who are manager want to get much higher level managerial responsibilities. People think that they will enjoy more happiness by getting freedom from current state and that’s why they always dream of next higher level. Freedom is processes to get rid of things on which you are depend; it can be stated as process to remove those decencies. Street vendors think of their own shop so that they don’t need to go from one street to another in order to sell their goods. A shopkeeper think of bigger shop so that he/she can hire servants so that he/she don’t need to bring required good from the place it is placed in shop to counter. And so on.

Everybody wants to free from certain things in life in order to fulfill the desire to live a better life. This quest of complete freedom leads human race from Stone Age to current scientific era. But will this quest ever end? I think no. We cannot remove all our dependency. Because getting freedom from one thing makes us to depend on another new thing. Freedom from letters to communicate makes us depend on mobile phones.

We are like that thirst traveler in desert who thought by seeing a mirage that “ultimately I got water” but when traveler reach that place he/she find one more mirage and this same cycle repeated until he/she die. People are searching from complete freedom but nobody can find that like the thirsty traveler could not find water. Life is an eternal search of freedom.

Look into yourself, you will find you are already free. 

Indore diary [7] : Robot was my life (Part 3)

We went to Bhopal and from there we boarded on a train for Nagpur. From Nagpur we boarded a train for Kharagpur , Durg was one of the intermediate station. At Durg station we got chance to meet mother, brother and some friends of Bhupendra. Her mother brought lunch for us. We enjoyed homemade food while travelling. Food was delicious especially Gajar ka Halwa and one could not expect such kind of lunch while travelling. Travelling with friends is always a wonderful experience. We enjoyed our train journey to Kharagpur.  

In early morning of 27 Jan,2012, we reached at Kharagpur. We hired an auto ricksaw and we finally reached our destination i.e. IIT Khragpur. There we could see so many people like us. Hoardings and posters were around every corner. After registration, we came to know that first round of our competition will be in afternoon around 2 PM. So we had chance and time to improve our robots and also we really needed that. Because we didn’t know whether the slave robot would run or still behave like confused child. There was place for parking at ground floor and at that time that place was looking like workshop. Participants of various robotic competitions were engaged with their robots. We got chance to see various type of robots and how same idea can be implemented in various creative ways. We also found place for ourselves. 

We arrange our setup there. Then we encountered our first problem of the day, we found that we were unable to reprogram microcontroller used in master robot. We look for every possible reason but all was vain. We got stuck in a problem about which we never thought of. Suddenly we found that a wire lose its contact although it was looking fine. So finally we were able to reprogram microcontroller. But the main problem related to slave robot was still challenging us. We tried to use wireless communication between master and slave robot. We tried so much time but the results were much below the required result. Finally we surrender and decided to use wired communication (allowed in competition). We thought this would definitely work fine. But the results were much below the expectations. Now the only option was to try to improve the performance.

Meanwhile, the watch indicates that the time of first round was near. But due to some reason the some delay of two hours was announced there. Now we had some more time to try our luck. Competitions started at scheduled time. But it was already 4-5 PM of evening. Time was passing with every minute. We were still trying and there was not much improvement. Evening passed and sun went his home with promise to come in morning. Time was passing with every second. We got to know that our turn may at 11 at night. We were still messing with robots. At 10-10.30, we came to know that our turn may come at 12. At 11.30, we requested to shift our turn further after few more participants. We wanted to try our best. Around 3-4 AM in morning, our robots got chance to show their abilities. It was near to okay. After competition, we slept at same place where we were trying our luck with robots, we were so much tired and we didn’t have energy to go room that was allotted to us.

3D street painting

Next morning, results were not in our favors. We failed to qualify for second round. Now we had time to attend lecture, demos and various competitions. We also visited kharagpur town. We attended fire and dance show along with lectures by Naseeruddin Shah and Prabhu Chawla.

Although we failed to win the competition but at least we tried and at least I can say that once “Robot was my life.”

Indore diary [6] : Robot was my life (Part 2)

For Part1: Click here

Only few days were left and in those few days it was require to integrating all sections, to test the robot and to solve any error. As we already tested all the sections separately it seems easy. But the real challenge to build robot was just started. We decided to change the material used to build body of robot from wood to poly sheet. Because the body made from wood was somewhat heavy. It was better to have less weight. For almost two days I along with Krishna queried in almost every shop of SIYAGANJ market and few other shops for poly sheet. But all was vain. After two days, while asking for poly sheet we came to know that poly sheet is used in advertisement industry. Then we concentrated on advertisement agencies only and after some efforts we got poly sheet.

We wanted to work after the department close its doors. So we chose Krishna’s room in hostel as our lab because it was nearest to department. At that time Amar was preparing for GATE. Initially we had planned to use one sided PCB to implement circuits but Krishna insisted to use zero PCB (general PCB). One advantage of using zero PCB is that any connection can be change easily while in other case it is requiring to redesign the PCB. So after some debate all agree for zero PCB. Then we started to implement circuits on PCB.

Mechanical design of robot. (Thanks to NIVEA)

During those days we worked from morning to late night. We usually sleep for four-five hours. Tube light remains ON for 24 hour, as at least one person was there who still working or completed his sleep. During those days I went my room just to take bath and change clothes in morning and to take dinner in night. Rest of time I found myself at department or at Krishna’s room. During late nights, hostel had deserted look but CHUNNU and MUNNU were always there for us. They also refuse to sleep until we went to bed. Selfless service of both brothers indirectly motivate us to keep continue our work. CHUNNU and MUNNU are two speakers’ manufactures by lenevo (for us). They are still inspiring me. Chunnu – munnu, you are great and melodious.

CHUNNU-MUNNU doing their work during late night

In few days we made circuits on PCB and also made body of robots on own. We also made test path on paper so that we could test the accuracy of our robot to follow path. Our strategy was to first build a line follower robot and then slave robot. So it was time to integrate them all. After the integration, we had first prototype of our robot. We were exited to test our robot. We were praying that everything should be fine because the main task is to build another robot to which line follower robot send information regarding the path it is following and another robot follow same path based on this information.

When we tried our robot with test path, we found that line follower robot was not following path accurately. This makes us little disappointed but at least we had something to test. After some spying on robot while it was following the path, we came to conclusion that there must be problem in our algorithm. I advised that everybody made his own algorithm and let us see which algorithm will work. We maintained this throughout our project. Everybody tried but the result was not satisfactory. So we decided to change the position of sensors and increased the number of sensors. This required to again designing the sensor circuitry and it took some more sleepless nights. 

Robots enjoying each other's company

After we had line follower robot with new sensor design, we again tested our robot. This time, results were better than previous time but not so much accurate. So we decided to improve our algorithm to such extent that we got satisfactory result. But at the same time calendar was changing dates and we really needed to worry about deadline. After discussions and debates, we had algorithm which gave us performance above average. Suddenly we realized that we had only less than day to think about another slave robot. Although we had body of both robots, so we need to worry about the body of slave robot. We tested both robots with wireless communication between them. The result was very disappointed for us, it seem like nothing was happening. While master robot (line follower robot) was following the path, slave robot was watching like a child towards master robot and waiting for instructions. With hope in mind that something good will happen, we leaved for IIT Khadagpur…

[To be concluded..]

Indore diary [5] : Robot was my life (Part 1)

Every action has a cause. Different people doing same action may have different-different cause. As far as the my reason of pursuing M Tech is concern, it was more related to acquire certain skills so that I can use them in order to achieve my goal than to got a postgraduate degree. I wanted to be a good designer of microcontroller based system. During my first semester I along with classmate cum friend (Bhupendra) decided to make a microcontroller based project. After few days I came to know about “Kshitij” annual technical festival of IIT khadagpur which was going to organize on last week of January 2012. There was few robotic competitions were also going to organize. I found one of them suitable for us according to our knowledge level and current skills. The problem was to build a line follower robot and another robot which follows the same path as follows by line follower robot. Both wired and wireless communication was allowed between robots. Name of the competition was STALK which was compatible with given problem.

I want to research on the line follower robot and for this I downloaded so many related IEEE paper. For the first time I know that line follower robot can be implement many different techniques like image processing technique, through PID control or by using different types of sensor. I read almost all of them and analyze with respect to our problem. We decided to use Omniwheel and reflective optical sensor (CNY70). Instead of differential drive technique used in most of line follower robot, we decided to use new type of drive technique using omniwheel. Omniwheel was used to increase the DoF (degree of freedom) of robot. After initial theoretical work had completed, we made initial circuit diagram of different section of robot. Now it was time to jump from theoretical world to practical things. So we purchase few things from shop like stepper motor, wireless receiver and transmitter and dc motor. We wanted to check circuits on bread board before we implement on PCB. There were mainly four sections of our lovely robot:

1.      DC motor control

2.      Sensor circuitry

3.      Wireless transmitter and receiver

4.      Stepper motor control

So we started our work in Electronics Lab (thanks to Vasanti ma’am) on bread board. We bunked few lectures and during free time we rushed to electronics lab for some days. Except dc motor control sections no circuit work fine in one try. We needed to change the values of resistance and after investing so much time and efforts; we found that everybody was working fine except the stepper motor. Initially we wanted to control stepper motor and did not get any success. Later we changed our strategy and were trying that at least stepper motor move a bit. But stepper motor swore to not move a bit. After some mischievous experiment finally stepper motor was agree to move a bit but not every time. It was as reliable as street dog, may be dog will run after you or not. We got stuck in this problem. 

A project made by Rajkamal sir (www.rajkamal.org) now in dust at Electronics Lab. 

We tried for many days but still didn’t able to catch any ray of hope. We were frustrated and disappointed towards the future of robot. First semester examination was near and hence we started to give less time to robot. But I was still hope for something good. After examination, it was time to go home. At home, even if we were not sure about the future of robot but we decided to make body of robots.  Under the sun of uncertainty, with the help of some skill people I had body of robots in few days. After few days I again found myself in Indore and it was starting of next semester. We again tried but result was same and unpredictable.

During those days I could smell the news of our robot in the air of department still its future was quite uncertain. Krishna was also willing to join and along with Devendra, we were now team of four. Krishna was lucky fellow for all of us. He had previous experience of working with stepper motor and he solved our problem up to significant extent. But still all was not well…

[To be concluded...]

For Part 2: Click Here

The curious case of mobile phone..

Ancient Chinese ruler built wall around their vast empire also known as Great Wall of China, so that invaders could not be enter their empire easily. In case there was any war commence at wall, soldiers at near tower along wall sent smoke signal by burning wolf dung and fat. When soldiers at next tower saw smoke they also did same and in few hours’ information sent to capital that war is commence at wall.

Now the time has change and due to impressive scientific development there is no need to send any smoke signal or anything like that. Towers are replaced by mobile phone towers and smoke is replaced by electromagnetic waves. Heights of these towers are far greater than height of the roof of the home and they make to believe that there are no walls between people. As the information technology is developing, the virtual distance between people is decreasing irrespective of their physical distance. Mobile phone is one of the innovative and revolutionary solutions to communicate between people. Due to its mobility and accessibility among mass of people, it has significant social impact.

Probably, In Ramayana Raja Dashrath did not die that way if he and Lord Ram had mobile phones. Father and son could talk to each other whenever they want and it did not cause much emotional impact on Raja Dashrath. Nowadays also sons and daughters are leaving home but for higher education. Imagine the case if there are no mobile phones, life will be tougher for such parents and also for the students who are leaving their home first time in their life. Mobile phone is their son and/or daughter for their parents while they are studying away from home.

A song from movie PATANGA(1949) “mere piya gaye Rangoon, kiya hai waha se telephoon…” (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAwCZMKItMM) was much ahead from the invention of the mobile phones but this song had given the glimpse of the future. People like to hear commentary of cricket match on radio when they cannot see the match. Similarly some people giving commentary of whatever happening in their life to someone special, day and night. I know I am wrong; it should be day to night, not day and night. It looks like a madness from outside and I don’t know from inside because I was [or am] never inside. People use mobile phone to maintain their special relationship healthy. Mobile phone becomes one of their body parts like finger. And that’s why they love their mobile more them themselves. They will not allow you to even touch it and obviously you will require pass code to access their mobile. Here ‘You’ stands for people like me.

Although mobile phones provide an easy and quick way to communicate but sometime due to excessive use it produces some negative effect. Some people become addicted of mobile and they start to cut off from surrounding environment and people. This makes them less social and they started to think about the things that are not happen in front of him/her. So a technology which make people more social, have reverse effect on them. You can easily make someone fool by telling lie on mobile and some selfish people often do it for own benefit. There are also some adverse health effects like carpal tunnel syndrome due to excessive use of mobile phone keypad.

Finally an interesting fact: India has more mobile phones than toilets. (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/india/7593567/India-has-more-mobile-phones-than-toilets-UN-report.html)

वो आदमी मर गया..

शर्माजी डायनिंग टेबल पर बैठे हुए थे। थाली सामने रखी हुई थी। रोटी तोड़ने के लिए हाथ उठाया ही था की तभी वहा पर पड़ोस मे रहने वाले वर्माजी आ गये। भूख इतने लगी थी की उठने की इच्छा नहीं हुई।

शर्माजी – “आइये वर्माजी, आप भी बैठ जाइए।“

वर्माजी – “अरे नहीं नहीं।“

थोड़ा संकोचवाश होकर वर्माजी ने कहा, ”आपको पता चला क्या?”

शर्माजी – “किस बारे मे?”

वर्माजी – “अरे, वो आदमी मर गया?”

शर्माजी – “कौन आदमी?”

वर्माजी – “अरे वही जो कभी कभी आपके बगीचे की सफाई कर देता था और बदले मे आप उसे खाने का कुछ दे देता थे।“

शर्माजी – “अच्छा वो भिखारी जो चौराहे पर बैठा रहता है, लेकिन वो तो अच्छा भला था?”

वर्माजी  - “सड़क पार करते समय किसी गाड़ी ने टक्कर मार दी।“

शर्माजी – “बड़ा दुख हुआ सुनकर, भला आदमी था बेचारा। कभी कभी तो बगीचे की सफाई के बाद खाने का कुछ ना दो तो भी कुछ नहीं कहता था।“

वर्माजी – “हाँ जब भी मुझे मिलता तो आपके बारे मे जरूर पूछता था।“

इस बीच मौके का फायदा उठाकर शर्माजी एक कौर खा ही लेते है। लेकिन तभी ज़ोर से रसोई की ओर देखकर ज़ोर से बोलते है, “आज सब्जी मे नमक कम है।“

वर्माजी भी मौके का फायदा उठाकर धीरे से डायनिंग टेबल पर बैठ जाते है।

प्रश्न – मौत बड़ी या भूख...??

Thank you god..

Some time I think what I want and what is being given by god? Often there is gap between them. Some things that is easily accessible and available to other people while I am still struggling for that. May be I am not eligible for that or even deserve for more. I believe in god, might not be in ways the other people are. For me god is an energy flowing through all living and dead material of the universe, it’s not just a painting or statue.

Life is struggle between what you have and what you want, these two things creates the various scenes of play of life. God is creator and interestingly spectator also of this play on the giant theater of earth. It’s just a play, really.

In a cold morning, I was reading an article about cold wave in Delhi. Minimum temperature was decreasing like the morals and ethics of society. Then I found myself reading an article regarding people who are living on footpath and having no home. They have to live on footpath during harsh chilly nights. Sometime they found place in ‘rain basera’ (night shelter), but for specially women they have more troubles because most of the night shelters were for men only. Only few are there exclusively for women. There was one story of women, his two children, mother-in-law and father-in-law. Whole family came to AIIMS,Delhi for treatment of his husband suffering from a rare disease. They tried their best but could not save him. They spent their whole money and even don’t had to go home. They have to live on footpath. Initially they managed to eat something by begging, later they started to sell something on footpath. Sometime they even need to give small amount of money to police constable so that they allow them to stay on footpath. I didn’t understand why they are not going home now. It may be that they still not have enough money or nothing left at home.

That article left a mark in my mind. At night, there was cold outside but I was feeling well inside my blanket. I thanked god to give me that blanket. God give us many things but we don’t realize their worth until we don’t own them. My blanket was one of them. People often remember number of times they encounter RED TRAFFIC LIGHT while driving on road but they often forget the number of times they encounter GREEN TRAFFIC LIGHT so that they move softly. That’s how god gives us things, silently. God works in background. Human have no end of desires. That’s why we always want more from god and never got satisfy by things we have.

Thank you god for whatever you gave me..

Wake up my friend..

Some people like to stay in bed with blanket until sun is preparing to go above head. In winter, the most important task for these people is to wake up in the morning. They might take it as a challenge from god but often they lost. Actually they like to lose every day. Most of people like this are night owl. I have some (or all ?) friends like this. But contrary to this, I am early bird and don’t like to stay in bed till late morning. Some time they ask me, “How can you wake up early and what’s the use of it?” I didn’t know what to say and I just gave them a showy smile.

I don’t like that people become lazy; and wake up in late morning is sign of being lazy. A lazy person always performs less than his actual ability and less successful than his/her natural ability. People don’t want to be lazy every time but habit of laziness forces them to being lazy. So it all comes to habit. One a person makes a habit knowingly or unknowingly and then habit makes the character of a person. Some people have habit to wake up early in the morning and some people haven’t. Some people like to eat bitter-gourd while some people don’t like. Some people have habit of smoking and consuming liquor. While some people never even touch cigarette and wine.  So habits decide actions of a person, this person like that thing and that person like something other.

If our habits decide our actions than, what we are doing? Are we just following our habits? What is use of mind in between our ears when we cannot do whatever we “actually” want? We never know when we start a new action and repeatedly occurrence of that action becomes our habit. It starts from a small action and grows to habit like a small seed become a large tree with time. And the time when we realize it becomes our habit. Habits enslave us. Good habits are good for us but they are few and not easy to make them of own. While it is very easy to make a bad habit like to start wake up late in the morning.

It is not easy to conquer a bad habit. According to me bad habit can be conquer by a starting a good habit of opposite nature and this will definitely take time and require lot of patience because it is not easy to remove a tree with its roots.

The world is just awesome but you need to go beyond your bed and walls.

Wake up my friend..