Enter records

ID: 61552
Title: Approaching design for development from a capability perspective.
Author: Annemarie Mink, Floris van der Marel, Vikram Parmar and Prabhu Kandachar.
Editor: R. Srinivasan.
Year: 2015
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: Current Science Vol. 109 (9) 1639-1650 (2015)
Subject: Current Science.
Keywords: Capability approach, design for development, product design, well-being.
Abstract: To improve the well-being of disadvantaged and marginalized populations by product design, deep contextual insight is required. However, literature does not specify which topics to discuss or which questions to ask. To address this issue, we used Sen ' s capability approach to develop question categories and adopted a semi-structured interview approach called the Opportunity Detection Kit. This kit has been tested by evaluating the impact of the Philips Chulha in rural South India. By using the kit, a comprehensive picture could be drawn about the participants ' lives, which indicated opportunities for product improvement. The integration of the capability approach and product design therefore seems to be promising.
Location: TE15, EWRG, CES, IISc.
Literature cited 1: Donaldson, K.M., Recommendations for improved development by design. In Development by Design (dyd02) Conference, Bangalore, India, 1-2 December 2002. Mink, A., Parmar, V.S. and Kandachar, P.V., Responsible design and product innovation from a capability perspective. In Responsible Innovation I. Innovative Solutions for Global Issues (eds Van den Hoven, j.et al.), Springer, Dordrecht, 2014, vol.1, 1st edn, pp.113-148.
Literature cited 2: Thomas, A., Design, poverty, and sustainable development. Design Issues, 2006, 22, 54-65. Kandachar, P.and Halme, M., Introduction. Farewell to pyramids: how can business and technology help to eradicate poverty? In Sustainability Challenges and Solutions at the Base of Pyramid: Business, Technology and the Poor, Greenleaf Publishing, Shelfield, UK, 2008, pp.1-27.

ID: 61551
Title: Creating an essential marketplace to close the information gap for social impact technologies.
Author: Diana Jue and Matthew Pruter.
Editor: R. Srinivasan.
Year: 2015
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: Current Science Vol. 109 (9) 1630-1638 (2015)
Subject: Current Science.
Keywords: Data, development, distribution, rural, technology.
Abstract: This research examines the use of market mechanisms to not only distribute social impact technologies but also to collect data about the technologies and their customers ' behaviour. Essmart, a last-mile distribution social enterprise operating in Tamil Nadu, India, address technology for development ' s distribution and information gaps with a transparent, closed-loop feedback system that incorporates all relevant factors. Market-based distribution and data are vital to the success of creating social impact through technology.
Location: TE15, EWRG, CES, IISc.
Literature cited 1: Sonuparlak, I., Practical design for the urban poor.The city Fix.2011; Retrieved from http:// the cityfix.com/blog/practical-design-for-the-urban-poor/ About TATASocial Enterprise Challenge, 2015; retrieved from http://tatasechallenge.org/about-tata-social-enterprise-challenge/.
Literature cited 2: National Innovation Council, National Innovation Council: An Introduction, 2010; retrieved from http://www.innovationcouncil.gov.in/images/stories/report/NInC_english.pdf. Action for India, 2015; retrieved from http://actionforindia.org/

ID: 61550
Title: Design for sustainability: case of designing an urban household organic waste management system.
Author: Suman Devdula, B.Gurumoorthy and Amaresh Chakrabarti.
Editor: R. Srinivasan.
Year: 2015
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: Current Science Vol. 109 (9) 1622-1629 (2015)
Subject: Current Science.
Keywords: Urban waste management, urban sanitation, household organic waste, design for sustainability.
Abstract: Beyond product design, if the notion of product ' life-cycle design ' enforces the consideration of requirements from all the lifecycle phases of products, design for sustainability enforces the consideration of lifecycle design in the context of the lifecycles of other products, processes, institutions and their design. Consequently, sustainability requirements that need to be met by design are very diverse. In this article, we portray the nature of design process to address sustainability requirements that need to be met by design are very diverse. In this article, we portray the nature of design process to address sustainability requirements. This is done taking an example of designing an urban household organic waste management system that requires less water and reclaims the nutrients.
Location: TE15, EWRG, CES, IISc.
Literature cited 1: Brundtland, H., Report of the World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED), Our Common Future.s.1: Oxford University Press, 1987. Declaration on the Right to Development.UN General Assembly. (Online) 4 December 1986 (cited: 27 June 2014); http://www.un.org/documents/ga/res/41/a41r128.htm.
Literature cited 2: Sen, A., Development thinking at the beginning of the 21st century, Inter-American Bank, Development Thinking Practice, Washington DC, 1996. Rockstrom, Johan, et al., Planetary Boundaries: A safe Operating Space for Humanity, s.1: Macmillan Publishers Limited, Nature, 2009, 461.

ID: 61549
Title: Understanding transitions in a rural Indian building typology in the context of well-being.
Author: Kumari Moothedath Chandran, Nallaval Chinnaswamy Balaji and Monto Mani.
Editor: R. Srinivasan.
Year: 2015
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: Current Science Vol. 109 (9) 1610-1621 (2015)
Subject: Current Science.
Keywords: Building typology, modern dwellings, rural urban transition, sustainable well-being.
Abstract: Rural settlements in Karnataka in India predominantly use locally available resources to build their dwelling units. The houses are constructed either by the villagers themselves or by local masons skilled in traditional architecture. However, traditional houses and lifestyle are slowly giving way to modern concrete dwellings and a new lifestyle. To analyse this trend of transition to modern dwellings in rural settlements, a case study was conducted in three villages near the city of Bengaluru in Karnataka. The present article discusses this transition in the context of sustainable well-being of rural settlements.
Location: TE15, EWRG, CES, IISc.
Literature cited 1: Census of India, Government of India, 2001. DPR-SuTRA, Internal ASTRA report, ASTRA, IISc, Bengaluru, 1998.
Literature cited 2: Frey, R.S. and Song, F., Human well-being in Chinese cities.Soc.Indicators Res., 1997, 42, 77-101. Dasgupta, P., An Inquiry in to Well-Being and Destitution, Oxford University Press, New York, 1995.

ID: 61548
Title: Capability approach-based evaluation of a biomass cook-stove design.
Author: Pramod Khadilkar, Sridhar Lokras, H.I. Somashekar, B.V.Venkatarama Reddy and Monto Mani.
Editor: R. Srinivasan.
Year: 2015
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: Current Science Vol. 109 (9) 1601-1609 (2015)
Subject: Current Science.
Keywords: Capability approach, design evaluation, design life cycle, improved cook stoves
Abstract: What is the scope and responsibilities of design? This work partially answers this by employing a normative approach to design of a biomass cook stove. This study debates on the sufficiency of existing design methodologies in the light of a capability approach. A case study of a biomass cook stove Astra Ole has elaborated the theoretical constructs of capability approach, which, in turn, has structured insights from field to evaluate the product. Capability approach based methodology is also prescriptively used to design the mould for rapid dissemination of the Astra Ole.
Location: TE15, EWRG, CES, IISc.
Literature cited 1: Gasper, D., Conceptualising human needs and wellbeing. In Wellbeing in Developing Countries: New Approaches and Research Strategies (eds Gough, I. and MacGregor, J.A.), Cambridge University Press, 2007, pp.47-70. Ecosystem Marketplace, 2012 Results Report, Sharing progress on the path to adoption of clean cooking solutions, 2012.
Literature cited 2: India Cookstoves and Fuels Market Assessment, Dalberg Global Development Advisors, 2013. Martin, W.J., Glass, R.I., Balbus, J.M. and Collins, F.S., A major environmental cause of death. Science, 2011, 334 (6053), 180-181.

ID: 61547
Title: Thermal performance design criteria for bio-climatic architecture in Himachal Pradesh.
Author: Aitava Sarkar and Shivaashish Bose.
Editor: R. Srinivasan.
Year: 2015
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: Current Science Vol. 109 (9) 1590-1600 (2015)
Subject: Current Science.
Keywords: Himachal Pradesh, native and modern building, passive architectural design guidelines, thermal comfort.
Abstract: Native architecture of any settlement is characterized by design and construction methods developed by the wisdom of local people to achieve indoor thermal comfort amidst outdoor uncomfortable climatic conditions. Modern construction practices methods that dominate the Indian market at present. The present article attempts to suggest appropriate architectural design criteria for present day buildings located in lower Himachal Pradesh through quantitative and qualitative comparison of thermal performances of traditional and modern residential buildings through field-survey. Results highlight the need for symbiosis of traditional wisdom with modern construction methods for sustainable built environment.
Location: TE15, EWRG, CES, IISc.
Literature cited 1: Olgyay, V., Design with Climate: Bioclimatic Approach to Architectural Regionalism, Princeton University Press, New Jersey, USA, 1962. Milne, M. and Givoni, B., Architectural design based on climate. In Energy Conservation through Building Design (ed.Donald Watson), ARB/McGraw Hill Book Company, New York, 1979, pp.96-113.
Literature cited 2: Koenigsberger, O.H., Ingersoll, T.G., Mayhew, A. and Szokolay, S.V., Manual of Tropical Housing and Building.Part-1, Climatic Design, Orient Longman, Madras, 1984. Milne, M. and Yung-Hsin Li, Climate Consultant 2.0: A new design tool for visualizing climate. In Proceedings of the 1994 ACSA Architectural Technology Conference, Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture Publications, Washington, DC, 1994.

ID: 61546
Title: Top floors of low-rise modern residences in Kolkata: preliminary exploration towards a sustainable solution.
Author: Shivashish Bose and Somen Sarkar
Editor: R. Srinivasan.
Year: 2015
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: Current Science Vol. 109 (9) 1581-1589 (2015)
Subject: Current Science.
Keywords: Indoor environment, low-rise residences, sustainable solution, top floors.
Abstract: Kolkata is a leading metro city in India with a tropical hot and humid climate. Old buildings in the city had climate-responsive architectural design and elements. However, the modern low-rise residential buildings are not provided with proper thermal insulation on roofs and walls, spatial planning and ventilating elements for which inhabitants at the top floors suffer from unbearable indoor environment during summer. Moreover, often rainwater percolates through the roofs after some years. For relief, many inhabitants install air-conditioners in their rooms and repair the roofs recurrently. This raises the demand for energy and contributes to urban heat island effect and unsustainable environment in the city. A research funded by the University Grants Commission, Government of India, was taken up to do fieldwork, survey and documentation of the actual situation along with the literature study for formulating an architectural solution to attain comfortable, energy-efficient and environmentally sustainable indoor condition at the top floors of low-rise residences.
Location: TE15, EWRG, CES, IISc.
Literature cited 1: Census of India-2011, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India 2011, provisional population totals of 2011-Kolkata, West Bengal; http://www.census2011.co.in/census/city/215-kolkata.html (accessed on 22 August 2013). Kolkata Municipal Corporation, Accessed on 18 November 2014; http://www.kmcgov.in.
Literature cited 2: Bose, S., Integrated drainage water management for environmental improvement in Kolkata. Paper (No. 113/2011). In Journal of Environmental Sciences & Engineering (JESE), National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), Government of India, Nagpur (in press). Bose, S. and Sarkar, S., Search for appropriate design of top floors of low-rise residences in Kolkata for thermal comfort and sustainability.NICMAR J.Constr.Manage, 2014, XXIX (III), 21-34.

ID: 61545
Title: Lighting and health of building occupants: a case of Indian information technology offices.
Author: Sutapa Das
Editor: R. Srinivasan.
Year: 2015
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: Current Science Vol. 109 (9) 1573-1580 (2015)
Subject: Current Science.
Keywords: Building occupants, circadian clock, day-light, information technology, office lighting.
Abstract: This pilot study explores the possibility of using architectural design to positively influence the health and well-being of information technology (IT) professionals using more daylight in their offices. Literature review, visual observation, office lighting survey and illuminance study at the premises of two IT companies in Kolkata, India indicated common health issues of their occupants which can be more critical than sick building syndrome. This can be possibly linked to disruption of the circadian clock or in turn lack of exposure to daylight and its and its natural variation. Mere 18 % contribution of sunlight in the indoor illuminance affirms this point. Bespoke space planning and fenestration design to allow more daylight without compromising the privacy were set as the goals of a further study to augment the latest research in healthy office lighting.
Location: TE15, EWRG, CES, IISc.
Literature cited 1: Arora, A.and Gramdella, A., The globalization of the software industry: perspectives and opportunities for developed and developing countries. NBER Working Paper Series, National Bureau of Economic Research, Cambridge, MA, USA, 2004. NASSCOM (National Association of Software and Services Companies), Indian IT-BPO industry. http://www.nasscom.or/Indian-itbpo-industry (accessed on 19 June 2013).
Literature cited 2: Gupta, D., Human resource development practices in information technology industry in India. Doctoral thesis, Guru Nanak Dev University, 2010. Gilardi, L.et al., Working conditions and health problems among call-centre operators: a study on self-reported data in the Piedmont Region (Italy).Med.Lavoro (Ind.Med), 2008, 99 (6), 415-423.

ID: 61544
Title: Frugal and reverse innovations-Quo Vadis?
Author: Henri Simula, Mokter Hossain and Minna Halme
Editor: R. Srinivasan.
Year: 2015
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: Current Science Vol. 109 (9) 1567-1572 (2015)
Subject: Current Science.
Keywords: Conceptual framework, frugal innovation, innovation management, reverse innovation.
Abstract: The concepts of frugal and reverse innovations are recent entrants to the innovation literature .Frugal innovation conveys the important idea of innovating under circumstances of resource scarcity. Reverse innovation refers to another significant turn in thinking and practice-innovations from low-income contexts can enter wealthier markets, a major shift from the previous innovation paradigm. There are some hallmark examples of these types of innovations but the current academic literature is still limited. The purpose of this article is to study these concepts and present a conceptual framework that combines underlying drivers. We also present ideas for future research avenues.
Location: TE15, EWRG, CES, IISc.
Literature cited 1: London, T.and Hart, S., Next Generation Business Strategies for the Base of the Pyramid, Pearson Education, Inc. ,FT Press, Upper Saddle River, NJ, 2010. Zeschky, M., Widenmayer, B.and Gassmann, O., Organising for reverse innovation in Western MNCs: the role of frugal product innovation capabilities.Int.J.Technol.Manage. 2014, 64 (2), 255-275.
Literature cited 2: Zedtwitz, M., Corsi, S., Soberg, P.V. and Frega, R., A typology of reverse innovation.J.Prod.Innov.Manage. 2015, 32 (1), 12-28. Prahalad, C.K., The Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid, Eradicating poverty through profits, revised and updated 5th anniversary edition, FT Press, 2009.

ID: 61543
Title: preface
Author: Prabhu Kandachar and Monto Mani.
Editor: R. Srinivasan.
Year: 2015
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: Current Science Vol. 109 (9) 1564-1566 (2015)
Subject: Current Science.
Keywords: Preface
Abstract: Some of the remarks heard often in the field of design are: What is design exactly? What role does it play in the betterment of society? How does design differ from art, science, or engineering, and are they (inter) connected? In 1972, Charles Eames, an American industrial designer, described design as: ' ?a plan for arranging elements to accomplish a particular purpose ' , ' ?it ' s an expression of purpose. It may, if it ' s good enough, later be judged as art, ' ?.Design is not a craft for industrial purposes, but it may be a solution to some industrial problems, ' ' ?Design depends largely on constraints. The designer should have the ability to recognize as many of the constraints as possible, his willingness and enthusiasm for working within these constraints. The constraints of price, size, strength, balance, time and so forth. Each problem has its own peculiar list? '
Location: TE15, EWRG, CES, IISc.
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None

ID: 61542
Title: Public-private partnership for convergence of extension services in Indian agriculture
Author: Anirban Mukherjee and Aniruddha Maity.
Editor: R. Srinivasan.
Year: 2015
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: Current Science Vol. 109 (9) 1557-1563 (2015)
Subject: Current Science.
Keywords: Agriculture, extension system, farming community, private sector.
Abstract: After Green revolution, Indian agriculture has been shift in technology development and dissemination. There is now an overflowing basket of goods and services ready to be served to the Indian farmers. But the traditional agricultural extension system designed to disseminate information and services to the farming community is not able to deliver as per expectations. This gap in demand and supply has lured private sector players to come in and explore the vast opportunities. The economic policies allow private extension agencies to capture the world ' s largest farming community and they have been very proactive. They supply quick, timely, efficient and appropriate services, a making the traditional way of disseminating the technologies by public system seem even weaker. Though it is guided by profit motive, they serve the purpose of meeting the unmet needs of farmers in India. This situation has raised question/doubts on the intention, policies, products they are promoting and the people they are targeting .At this juncture, the government has no option but to remain an active partner with private extension system. But it has a role to play in monitoring and controlling the quality of services and goods. Total privatization is not advisable for agriculture. So, for better utilization of scarce resources, there is a need to reduce the redundancy, repetition and to facilitate convergence and better linkage in this Public-Private Partnership. This article will focus on some essential factors that need to be considered.
Location: TE15, EWRG, CES, IISc.
Literature cited 1: Carney, D., Changing public and private roles in agricultural service provision. Overseas Development Institute, Natural Resource Group, London, 1998. Swanson, B.E. and Clarr, J.B., The history and development of agricultural extension. In Agricultural Extension-A Reference Manual (ed.Swanson, B.E.), FAO, Rome, 1984, pp.1-19.
Literature cited 2: FAO, The FAO ' s Experience in Agricultural Extension for Agriculture and Rural Development. Report of the Global Consultation on Agricultural Extension, Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations, Rome, Italy, 1989. Sulaiman, V.R., Hall, A.and Suresh, N., Effectiveness of private sector extension in India and lessons for the new extension policy agenda. Agricultural Research & Extension Network, Paper No. 141, 2005.

ID: 61541
Title: The Martina Hingis Effect in science.
Author: R.Uma Shaanker
Editor: R. Srinivasan.
Year: 2015
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: Current Science Vol. 109 (9) 1549-1550 (2015)
Subject: Current Science.
Keywords: Martina Hingis, Effect, Science
Abstract: Taking cue from the recent Grand Slam win by the Martina Hingis-Sania Mirza combine in tennis, the article reflects about the nature of collaboration between scientists from the North and South. While acknowledging the benefits of such collaborations, it also suggests that it is time that the south won their own Grand Slams in science.
Location: TE15, EWRG, CES, IISc.
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None

ID: 61540
Title: Random thoughts on the 100 most cited papers from 1925 to 2008.
Author: Sachi Sri Kantha
Editor: R. Srinivasan.
Year: 2015
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: Current Science Vol. 109 (9) 1545-1548 (2015)
Subject: Current Science.
Keywords: Random thoughts, 100 most cited papers, 1925 to 2008.
Abstract: Critics notwithstanding, citations seems to have gained a golden currency status in contemporary research. Among the 58 million items collected in the Thomson Reuters ' Web of Science database, 100 of the most cited papers up to 7 October 2014 were presented in Nature last year. I presented an analysis of the most cited papers such as: (1) how many of the 100 ranked papers were sole authored or double-authored; (2) distribution patterns of these papers along the decades, between 1925 and 2008, and (3) cited number of references in83 o the accessible ranked papers. Thirty-one among the 100 most cited papers were sole-authored. Nine science Nobel laureates (Frederick Sanger, Walter Kohn, Roger Tsien, Erwin Neher, Bert Sakmann, Kary Mullis, Oliver Smithies, Georges Kohler and Cesar Milstein) have authored eight of the most cited papers.
Location: TE15, EWRG, CES, IISc.
Literature cited 1: Cronin, B.and Atkins, H.A. (eds), The Web of Knowledge: A Festschrift in Honor of Eugene Garfield, Information Today Inc, Medford, NJ, 2000. Garfield, E., Science, 1955, 122, 108-111.
Literature cited 2: Garfield, E.J.Am.Med.Assoc., 1996, 295, 90-93. Garfield, E., Libr.Q. 1996, 66, 449-458.

ID: 61539
Title: Evolution of corn: role of single nucleotide polymorphism.
Author: A.Mahadeva
Editor: R. Srinivasan.
Year: 2015
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: Current Science Vol. 109 (9) 1544-1544 (2015)
Subject: Current Science.
Keywords: Evolution, corn, role, single nucleotide, polymorphism.
Abstract: Maize (Zea mays L.) commonly known as corn has wider adaptability under varied agro-climatic conditions. It is cultivated on nearly 150 m ha in about 160 countries. In India, maize is the third most important food crop after rice and wheat. Globally, maize is known as the queen of cereals, because it has the highest genetic yield potential among cereals. Maize was domesticated by indigenous peoples in central Balsas valley of Mexico around 9000 years ago. Until Columbus introduced corn to Europe, it was not grown outside the Americas. The evolution of corn is a matter of controversy among scientists. Several theories have been proposed about the specific origin of maize, including the most prevalent theory of direct domestication of a Mexican annual teosinte, hybridization between a small domesticated maize (a slightly changed form of wild maize) and a teosinte, undergoing two or more domestications either of a wild maize or of a teosinte and evolving from the hybridization of Zea diploperennis by Tripsacum.
Location: TE15, EWRG, CES, IISc.
Literature cited 1: Doebley, J., Stec, A., Wendelt, J.andEdwardst, M., Proc.Natl.Acad.Sci.USA, 1990, 87, 9888-9892. Doebley, J., Genetics, 2001, 158, 487-493.
Literature cited 2: Wang, H., Studer, A.J., Zhao, Q., Meeley, R. and Doebley, J.F., Genetics, 2015, 200, 965-974. Klein, J., Saedler, H.and Huijser, P., Mol.Gen.Genet. 1996, 250, 7-16.

ID: 61538
Title: Afforestation/Reforestation-Clean Development Mechanism and Indian farmers.
Author: Mayank Tripathi
Editor: R. Srinivasan.
Year: 2015
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: Current Science Vol. 109 (9) 1522-1523 (2015)
Subject: Current Science.
Keywords: Afforestation, Reforestation-Clean Development Mechanism and Indian farmers.
Abstract: Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) is one of the most flexible mechanisms under the Kyoto Protocol (KP) for project-based emission reduction activities in developing countries that aim to generate certified emission reductions (CERs).Although Afforestation/Reforestation-Clean Development Mechanism (A/R-CDM) is a small part of the overall CDM, such projects have helped in the sustainable development of degraded and unproductive land. In most cases the benefits from these projects have flown to the participating communities. After the successful completion of the first commitment period of the KP, India has managed to register 7 A/R-CDM projects between 2008 and 2012 and currently holds 18 % of the share in the international carbon market (ICM).Now with the commencement of the second commitment period, and with India having ample scope for carbon mitigation options though the land use, land use change and forestry (LULUCF) activities, our farmers should seriously think of using this mechanism as a tool to gain financial benefits apart from the role in carbon offsetting. The opportunities in the ICM should be seriously tapped by such farmer groups whose lands are not giving sufficient dividends to them.
Location: TE15, EWRG, CES, IISc.
Literature cited 1: Tripathi, S. et al., A Guidebook on Afforestation and Reforestation CDM Projects in India, 2012.
Literature cited 2: None